Gurkhas in WWII (req)

[Bringer of Greater Things]

I'm writing a paper on Gurkhas in WWII. The paper isn't due for a few months, so I have plenty of time to do research.
I'm reading a few different books right now, but I'm having difficulty finding a focus. I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas for a topic that might be interesting.

Also, several months ago there was a topic in here about famous last stands, one of which was about Gurkha soldiers fighting against a much larger Japanese force--it might have been about the capture of Singapore, I'm not sure. I used the search but was unable to find it. If anyone has any info about that, I'd be very grateful.

Thanks.

[madjack]

Quartered Safe Out Here and The Road Past Mandalay are both good reads by British officers serving with Gurkhas in the Burma campaign.

[Bringer of Greater Things]

Thank you.

[chefjavier]

Are the Gurkhas still have a BN in British Army?

[chino65]

Also, several months ago there was a topic in here about famous last stands, one of which was about Gurkha soldiers fighting against a much larger Japanese force--it might have been about the capture of Singapore, I'm not sure. I used the search but was unable to find it. If anyone has any info about that, I'd be very grateful.

Thanks.

The most famous battle in Singapore is that of a heroic last stand conducted Malay troopers of the Malay Regiment, led by a young Lt Adnan. No prisoners were taken.

But it's not a Gurkha battle.

...

I met an old gurkha man when I hitched a ride to Pokhara in Nepal. In the few English words that he knew, I understood that he served in Singapore in the 60s and that he didn't like Singapore. In the 60's, Singapore was crime-ridden, torn by racial riots and every bad thing you can think of. If only I had the words to tell him what a different place Singapore had become since then, but I'm sure he would find it hard to believe.


When I was a kid my parents would tell us of the terrible "koo-kah peng" - Gurkha soldiers - during the 60's who would cut off your head (with the kukri, probably) if you were caught rioting, looting or breaking curfew after dark. Whether or not heads were actually cut off we would never know, but the rumours certainly worked and the mere appearance of these "koo-kahs" were enough to spread panic even amongst the most hardened criminals.

(Apparently the same happened in Falklands - the Argentines gave up without firing a shot when the gurkhas approached their position marching "in formation" with kukris drawn.)

The association of Gurkhas with Singapore has been a long and happy one, though less publicised. We still have a Gurkha contingent (battalion size?) under the police force. The duties they perform include security detail for the airport, prisons and other important facilities including the ex-prime minister Lee Kuan Yew's house. No surprise he trusts the Gurkhas more than Singaporeans as he saw first hand during the riots just how effective, disciplined, tough and impartial they were.

They are also jungle-trained and any action that require the Singapore Police Force to go into the jungle, the Gurkhas will be present in their Brit DPM camo uniforms which no other unit in Singapore wears.

EDIT:

Could these be an angle?:

These gurkhas were all mercenaries from one of the poorest country in the world, fighting the wars of their rich masters (namely British). Yet, they themselves would often not see the fruits of the sacrifice and risks they took as they usually get shipped home to Nepal.

Or the other compelling story could be how Britain had tried to deny retired Gurkhas right of abode or citizenship in England. Or the other story is that of the pension issue - it used to be peanuts, until it got revised. But those who retired before the revision would not benefit.

Another interesting lead-in could be the fact that part of the training for young Gurkha recruits arriving in Britain was how to cross the road, how to take a bus and make phone calls etc...

[Ghorkhali]

try these books

http://books.google.com/books?id=prG1xE6CgTcC&dq=Gurkha+%22world+war+ii%22&ei=l__dSLuGFo_cswPArqHaDQ&client=opera

http://books.google.com/books?id=qWFX-Hjkc_QC&dq=Gurkha+%22world+war+ii%22&ei=l__dSLuGFo_cswPArqHaDQ&client=opera

http://books.google.com/books?id=UmpnAAAAMAAJ&q=Gurkha+%22Singapore%22&dq=Gurkha+%22Singapore%22&ei=3P_dSKP5BI_cswPArqHaDQ&client=opera

[DPM_Sheep]

Are the Gurkhas still have a BN in British Army?

Yep, two. 1st and 2nd Battalion, Royal Gurkha Rifles. Plus their own organic Engineer, Signals and Logistics units.

[Bringer of Greater Things]

Chino65, thank you very much. That battle was indeed what I had heard of, I guess I had misremembered it.
And Gorkhali, thank you for the sources. Those will be usefull.

[Eoin666]

EDIT:

Could these be an angle?:

These gurkhas were all mercenaries from one of the poorest country in the world, fighting the wars of their rich masters (namely British). Yet, they themselves would often not see the fruits of the sacrifice and risks they took as they usually get shipped home to Nepal.

Gurkhas are not mercenaries, a mercenary will fight for anyone for money..... Gurkhas only serve in the British and Indian armies, plus Singapore and Brunei police units. Bear in mind they make up the largest non-British ethnic group in the British Army (closely followed by those other famed warriors the Fijians) and any member of the commonwealth or Rep of Ireland can serve in the British armed forces.

The shameful decisions regarding pensions and residency are Foreign Office/MOD decisions, the British people love their Gurkha regiments and have always pressured MPs regarding the pension issue and now citizenship

[chefjavier]

Yep, two. 1st and 2nd Battalion, Royal Gurkha Rifles. Plus their own organic Engineer, Signals and Logistics units.
A battalion in England is 800 troops strong? Four rifles companies?

[DPM_Sheep]

A battalion in England is 800 troops strong? Four rifles companies?

Three rifle companies and a manouvre company. Exact composition is going to depend on wether it's a Light, Mechanized, Armoured or a Specialist Battalion.

[Ghorkhali]

EDIT:

Could these be an angle?:

These gurkhas were all mercenaries from one of the poorest country in the world, fighting the wars of their rich masters (namely British). Yet, they themselves would often not see the fruits of the sacrifice and risks they took as they usually get shipped home to Nepal.

Or the other compelling story could be how Britain had tried to deny retired Gurkhas right of abode or citizenship in England. Or the other story is that of the pension issue - it used to be peanuts, until it got revised. But those who retired before the revision would not benefit.

Another interesting lead-in could be the fact that part of the training for young Gurkha recruits arriving in Britain was how to cross the road, how to take a bus and make phone calls etc...

Well this not case with Indian Army gurkhas as we serve here with an emotional bondage ... we share religion and common holy lands in India .

[STIG]

Well this not case with Indian Army gurkhas as we serve here with an emotional bondage ... we share religion and common holy lands in India .

Are you a Gurkha ?

[Ghorkhali]

Are you a Gurkha ?

yup! but y u asked

[Royal]

Quartered Safe Out Here and The Road Past Mandalay are both good reads by British officers serving with Gurkhas in the Burma campaign.

George MacDonald Fraser wasn't an officer in Burma (he was a LCpl and wasn't commissioned until after VJ Day - and then served in the Middle East and UK). He didn't serve with the Gurkhas, he was in the Border Regiment in Burma and the Gordon Highlanders as an officer. He was in the XIVth Army (as were some Gurkha units), but Quartered Safe Out Here only touches on them in passing, when they were in the same area as the Border's (Meiktila among others).

[chino65]

I take back using the term "mercenary" on Gurkhas.

[chefjavier]

I take back using the term "mercenary" on Gurkhas.
Do you think they are mercenaries or missionaries?:)

[Bringer of Greater Things]

Thanks for all the help. My paper turned out great, I got an A and my prof said it was one of the best papers he's read this term (nice praise from a 80 year old prof who reads about 60 papers a semester).
I'm very happy with the result, and enjoyed my research.

[chefjavier]

Do you think they are mercenaries or missionaries?:)
OOPPPSS!:roll:

[chips619]

hey all i am trying to find information about my great uncle tommy, he was a british captain (captain thomas johnson) he faught with the gurkhas he was born in 1909 died in 1944 at burma, he lived in north shields and was a war hero, any info will be great please thank you very much.

[baboon6]

Yep, two. 1st and 2nd Battalion, Royal Gurkha Rifles. Plus their own organic Engineer, Signals and Logistics units.

Gurkha engineer, signals and logistic squadrons form part of normal British Army engineer, signals and logistic regiments and would only serve in support of RGR quite by chance.

[DPM_Sheep]

Drat, my bad. That's actually what I meant. Shouldn't have said organic as I didn't mean organic to the RGR!

[redcoat2]

hey all i am trying to find information about my great uncle tommy, he was a british captain (captain thomas johnson) he faught with the gurkhas he was born in 1909 died in 1944 at burma, he lived in north shields and was a war hero, any info will be great please thank you very much.

You could try contacting the Gurkha Museum in Winchester (http://www.thegurkhamuseum.co.uk/). They have archive material for all the Gurkha Regiments in the British Army.

One of my uncles was an officer with the Gurkhas during the Malayan Emergency. He was very impressed with them to say the least. When he left the Gurkhas they gave him some ceremonial 'Kukris.' He passed one of them on to me. It came in handy when someone tried to burgle my house. p-)

[chips619]

You could try contacting the Gurkha Museum in Winchester (http://www.thegurkhamuseum.co.uk/).

thank you very much, i shall write to them now woot thank you.

[Rad Resistance]

During Monte Cassino Ernie Pyle heard fellow allied soldiers talking about the killing skill of the Gurkhas and how they used to yell before they came in close for the kill. Ernie said that the Gurkhas were easy targets and gave away their positions to easily during night raids which resulted in many Gurkhas death on patrolls because of their careless actions, most were cut down.

[chips619]

During Monte Cassino Ernie Pyle heard fellow allied soldiers talking about the killing skill of the Gurkhas and how they used to yell before they came in close for the kill. Ernie said that the Gurkhas were easy targets and gave away their positions to easily during night raids which resulted in many Gurkhas death on patrolls because of their careless actions, most were cut down.

i want to disagree with that as i know the gurkhas would sneek in and slit all the enimies but one's throtes and left without a trace, so the word would spread and the fear grew, it didnt depended on the gurkhas at all, it depended on the "british" officer leading them (if the officer was good so were the gurkhas, if the officer was bad the gurkhas died for it)

[Rad Resistance]

Guess the British offciers that lead the Gurkhas at Cassino were horrible, Cassino was the true meat grinder of Italy for any allied unit, even the Gurkhas.

[chips619]

Guess the British offciers that lead the Gurkhas at Cassino were horrible, Cassino was the true meat grinder of Italy for any allied unit, even the Gurkhas.

very true mate