Mayor: Town will miss the Gurkhas

MAYOR’S REACTION TO NEWS THAT REGIMENT IS LIKELY TO LEAVE ARMY BARRACKS

THE mayor of Nuneaton and Bedworth says he is saddened to hear the Gurkha regiment could be leaving Nuneaton’s army barracks – but that the bond between the town and the Nepalese people will never be broken.

And Councillor Bill Hancox said the strength of the relationship between the barracks and the borough will remain whichever regiments take the place of those there now.

He was speaking after the Ministry of Defence said it is “likely” to move the 30 Signal Regiment and the Queens Gurkha Signals regiment away from Gamecock Barracks in Bramcote.

It is understood that the two regiments, who have the Freedom of the Borough, are expected to be stationed elsewhere as part of a MOD shakeup at the barracks.

Cllr Hancox said: “I would say we’ve had a really strong relationship over many, many years with Gamecock Barracks.

“The barracks are part of the family of Nuneaton and Bedworth and in particular the gurkha regiment.

“They are part of the community of the borough, especially in Nuneaton where they have settled in numbers.

“It would be a terrible shame to lose them.

“But that’s a decision for the Ministry of Defence. They seem to move regiments around and we don’t know why.”

Cllr Hancox did say that whatever regiment was put in at Gamecock, they would be extended the same hand of friendship as their predecessors.

He said: “That relationship will continue no matter who is there and I think the same can be said of the Nepalese community. We won’t lose that bond now that it has been established over the years.

“The two regiments have the Freedom of the Borough so I would hope that if they do leave we would give them a good sendoff.”

Taking their place would be a Medical Brigade Headquarters, a medical regiment and a royal engineer regiment, all of which would move in by 2020.

Our sister the Nuneaton News made a request to the MoD under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) for information about the plans. On April 20, a response read: “This letter is to inform you that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) holds information in relation to your request but that the information falls within the scope of the following qualified exemption: Section 22 (1) Information is exempt information if – the information is held by the public authority with a view to its publication, by the authority or any other person, at some future date (whether determined or not).” It went on to add: “Under Section 16 of the Act (Advice and Assistance) you may find it helpful to note the information requested will be available by the end of 2017.” An appeal was lodged and, after several attempts to find out the results of this, there has been no word from the MoD or MoD Information Rights Compliance Team since. However, in the meantime, the News has been made aware of a document that in fact does state the likelihood of the move for the two regiments.

At a meeting of the Armed Forces Community Covenant Strategic Partnership, held at Shire Hall in Warwick on March 16, it was revealed that a Medical Brigade Headquarters, a medical regiment and a Royal engineer regiment would move into Bramcote by 2020.

The minutes of the meeting add that “it is likely, as a consequence that 30th Signal Regiment will move out, including its Queen’s Gurkha Signals contingent.”

But no exact date has been given nor does it suggest where the 30th Signal Regiment or Queens Gurkha Signals contingent will be moved to.

Look: Soldiers applauded as they march through Nuneaton

Back in 2002 the 30 Signal Regiment, including the Gurkhas, was given what is Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council’s highest accolade – the Freedom of the Borough.

Six years later, in 2008, the regiment marched through the town, greeted by hundreds of proud townsfolk, and the regiment exercised its right to parade through town again in July 2015.

Many ex-Servicemen from the barracks, especially Gurkhas, have chosen the borough as their home.

They are part of the community of the borough... it would be a terrible shame to lose them Councillor Bill Hancox