Gurkhas’ bravery renowned
Nepalese families in Te Puke hark back to Gurkha tradition
Te Puke is home to a number of Nepalese families, some of whom have been here for a number of years. One thing not generally known is that during World War I, Nepalese Gurkha soldiers were present at Gallipoli including the battle for Chunuk Bair. Ghurkas also fought in Mesopotamia, Persia and Palestine in the Middle East, and at Neuve Chapelle, Loos, Givenchy and Ypres on the Western Front.
During World War II, Ghurkas were present in the Western Desert, Italy, Greece, Malaya, Singapore and Burma. They also served at Malaya, Cyprus, Falkland Island’s, the Gulf War, Kosovo, Bosnia, East Timor, Sierra Leone, Iraq and Afghanistan.
In 2015, Ghurkas celebrated serving the British Crown for 200 years.
Actress Joanna Lumley, whose father served in the 6th Gurkha Rifles, became the public face of the campaign to provide all Gurkha veterans who had served in the British Army before 1997, the right to settle in Britain. She ran a highly publicised and successful campaign.
Between them, the Gurkha regiments have received 26 Victoria Crosses. They still carry their traditional 18-inch kukri knife and the entry selection is one of the toughest in the world. Around 10,000 applicants vye for about 400 places. One entry test includes carrying 35kg (77lb) of sand and rocks in a basket strapped to the back on a three-mile uphill run.
The Ghurkas are known to be as fearless in combat as they are goodnatured in daily life and are still recruited exclusively from Nepal.