Latest news with #BrigadeofGurkhas
Daily Mail
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
New Gurkha artillery unit 'is created as British Army battles manpower issues'
Gurkha soldiers are set to take artillery roles in the British Army for the first time, in a dedicated unit created amid the military recruitment crisis. The King's Gurkha Artillery (KGA) will consist of 400 of the currently around 4,000 Nepalese personnel that make up the Brigade of Gurkhas. It will see the soldiers - recruited from Nepal into the British Army for the last 200 years - take up artillery positions for the very first time. It is understood new recruits will account for a third of the KGA, while the rest will come from existing Gurkha units, the Telegraph reports. The plans will help redress the some 700-soldier shortage in the Royal Regiment of Artillery, which the KGA will operate in. There is speculation the role of Gurkhas - of various trades and mostly infantry - is being expanded in case troops need to be sent to Ukraine for Sir Keir Starmer 's 'coalition of the willing'. It comes amid widespread retention and recruitment issues in the military, which have seen defence secretary John Healey change thresholds for entry - including by allowing cancer survivor recruits for the first time. The first KGA recruits will undergo the first stage of training in November before heading to the Royal Artillery's home at Larkhill Garrison in Wiltshire for trade-specific training. KGA soldiers will, over the next four years, be trained on equipment like the Archer and Light Gun artillery systems - replacements for the AS90s given to Ukraine. In future, they will be trained to operate the remote-controlled Howitzer 155 artillery system. It follows the PM's pledge earlier this year to put boots on the ground in Ukraine to protect the sanctity of any peace deal the country agrees with Russia. But a defence source has insisted KGA soldiers would not be sent to Ukraine as part of this mission. The Ministry of Defence said the new Gurkha unit would be key to British artillery operations - and provides opportunities and development in a fitting recognition of their years of service to the UK. Veterans minister Alistair Carns said the Brigade of the Gurkhas 'has rightly earned a reputation as being amongst the finest soldiers in the world'. The KGA would, he said, recognise their 'oustanding contribution' and 'years of dedicated service'. He added: 'Our government is already delivering for defence through our Plan for Change, and this latest development will support retention efforts amongst Gurkhas while protecting and defending UK interests at home and abroad.' Gurkhas have served in the British Army since the two-year Anglo-Nepalese War ended in 1816, which saw the British East India Company fight the city state of Gorkha in what is now western Nepal. With the victorious British impressed by Gurkha fighters, the peace treaty agreed Nepalese personnel could volunteer for service with the Company if they wished. Having since served in World War One, the Falklands, Afghanistan and Iraq, the Brigade of Gurkhas has built 'a reputation of being amongst the finest and most feared soldiers in the world'.
Telegraph
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
New Gurkha artillery unit created amid Army manpower crisis
A new Gurkha artillery unit has been created amid the recruitment crisis engulfing the British Army. The King's Gurkha Artillery (KGA) will include 400 Gurkha personnel within the Brigade of Gurkhas who will take up artillery roles for the first time. The Telegraph understands that one-third of the KGA will be new recruits and the remaining two-thirds will be made up through transfers from existing Gurkha units in order to help build the rank structure. Personnel who join the force over the next four years will be trained on advanced equipment, including the Archer and Light Gun artillery systems, which have replaced the AS90s that were gifted to Ukraine. In the future, they will also train on the remote-controlled Howitzer 155 artillery system. There is some speculation that the Gurkhas, who make up 4,000 in the brigade across various trades and are usually infantry soldiers, are being lent on in case troops need to be sent to Ukraine as part of the coalition of the willing's 'reassurance force'. Earlier this year, Sir Keir Starmer pledged to put boots on the ground in Ukraine in the event of a peace deal being struck between Russia and Ukraine. However, it is understood that if troops are sent to Ukraine, they will be deployed to the west of the country, away from the front line. The move will help fill the 700-soldier shortfall within the Royal Regiment of Artillery, within which the Nepalese soldiers will operate. It will also help bolster the Army, which, like the other forces within the military, has suffered from a retention and recruitment crisis. In a bid to ease the recruitment crisis, John Healey, the Defence Secretary, has got rid of a number of requirements in order to boost the numbers joining. This included allowing cancer survivors to sign up for the first time, as well as those who suffered from single episodes of non-complex PTSD and insomnia. The first recruits of the KGA will finish initial training in November 2025 before going to Larkhill Garrison in Wiltshire, the home of the Royal Artillery, for trade training. The Ministry of Defence said the KGA will become an integral part of the British military's artillery capabilities and added that the new unit will offer career development opportunities for Gurkha soldiers in recognition of their service to the UK. For the first time in 14 years, a new Gurkha cap badge has also been created to represent the new unit and the expanded specialisms that the Brigade of Gurkhas deliver. It comes after the Prime Minister announced he would increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP and pledged to raise it to three per cent by the end of the decade. Alistair Carns, the veterans minister, said: 'The Brigade of Gurkhas has rightly earned a reputation as being amongst the finest soldiers in the world, and the formation of The King's Gurkha Artillery recognises the outstanding contribution that they have made, through their years of dedicated service. 'Our government is already delivering for defence through our Plan for Change, and this latest development will support retention efforts amongst Gurkhas while protecting and defending UK interests at home and abroad.'
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh visit Nepal and view Attestation parade in Pokhara
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have been meeting British Gurkhas during a trip to Nepal. They witnessed the annual attestation parade when 274 new recruits officially passed out and joined the British Army. The Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas led the march-out of the Parade, attended by family members of the new recruits who hail from across Nepal. (AP video by Yubraj Gurung)
The Independent
07-02-2025
- General
- The Independent
Edward tells new Gurkhas they are ‘soldiers in British army but sons of Nepal'
The Duke of Edinburgh told new Gurkha recruits to be proud of being a 'soldier in the British army but a son of Nepal' as he attended their attestation ceremony. Edward and his wife Sophie met the two per cent of young Nepalis who passed the gruelling and highly competitive selection process to become part of the elite Brigade of Gurkhas. The royal couple were on the fourth day of their official tour of the Himalayan nation to celebrate its ties to the United Kingdom. You will be living and serving a long way from home, which makes your decision even more impressive, and again, on behalf of King Charles and all the British people, we really do thank you and admire your decision Duke of Edinburgh The duke and duchess looked on as the 274 recruits – selected from more than 13,000 applicants – took the oath of allegiance, saluting a portrait of the King and touching the Union flag. In a speech at the Gurkha base in Pokhara, Edward said: 'Thank you for choosing to serve in the Brigade of Gurkhas in the British Army, and thank you for swearing allegiance to His Majesty today. 'You are joining a regimental family with strong traditions and a reputation for loyalty, service and courage. 'Gurkhas have served the crown for over 209 years. This now becomes your heritage and your responsibility to uphold. 'Selection, I know, has been hard and the competition very intense, but you have met the very highest standards to serve as a Gurkha and I am impressed that of the 13,000 aspiring recruits, you have made it.' He told the recruits, who will start flying to Catterick Garrison, in North Yorkshire, from Monday: 'You will be living and serving a long way from home, which makes your decision even more impressive, and again, on behalf of King Charles and all the British people, we really do thank you and admire your decision. 'Finally, always remember, you are a soldier in the British army, but you are a son of Nepal. Be proud of both.' After the ceremony, the duke spoke with some of the young recruits and their emotional families, hearing that one family had travelled 18 hours to be there, and telling another: 'You must be feeling very proud as well. He's done very well to do this.' Earlier, Edward and Sophie presented 38 Coronation Medals and two long service and good conduct medals to Gurkha staff on parade. They then inspected the Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas, who played two songs by Lady Gaga as the duke and duchess inspected the ranks of new recruits, congratulating them as they went. The couple listened from a dais as Buddhist and Hindu prayers were given before the attestation oath.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Edward tells new Gurkhas they are ‘soldiers in British army but sons of Nepal'
The Duke of Edinburgh told new Gurkha recruits to be proud of being a 'soldier in the British army but a son of Nepal' as he attended their attestation ceremony. Edward and his wife Sophie met the two per cent of young Nepalis who passed the gruelling and highly competitive selection process to become part of the elite Brigade of Gurkhas. The royal couple were on the fourth day of their official tour of the Himalayan nation to celebrate its ties to the United Kingdom. The duke and duchess looked on as the 274 recruits – selected from more than 13,000 applicants – took the oath of allegiance, saluting a portrait of the King and touching the Union flag. In a speech at the Gurkha base in Pokhara, Edward said: 'Thank you for choosing to serve in the Brigade of Gurkhas in the British Army, and thank you for swearing allegiance to His Majesty today. 'You are joining a regimental family with strong traditions and a reputation for loyalty, service and courage. 'Gurkhas have served the crown for over 209 years. This now becomes your heritage and your responsibility to uphold. 'Selection, I know, has been hard and the competition very intense, but you have met the very highest standards to serve as a Gurkha and I am impressed that of the 13,000 aspiring recruits, you have made it.' He told the recruits, who will start flying to Catterick Garrison, in North Yorkshire, from Monday: 'You will be living and serving a long way from home, which makes your decision even more impressive, and again, on behalf of King Charles and all the British people, we really do thank you and admire your decision. 'Finally, always remember, you are a soldier in the British army, but you are a son of Nepal. Be proud of both.' After the ceremony, the duke spoke with some of the young recruits and their emotional families, hearing that one family had travelled 18 hours to be there, and telling another: 'You must be feeling very proud as well. He's done very well to do this.' Earlier, Edward and Sophie presented 38 Coronation Medals and two long service and good conduct medals to Gurkha staff on parade. They then inspected the Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas, who played two songs by Lady Gaga as the duke and duchess inspected the ranks of new recruits, congratulating them as they went. The couple listened from a dais as Buddhist and Hindu prayers were given before the attestation oath.
