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The Gurkhas are well-known soldiers in the British army.
Their bravery and tenacity are more than legendary. The
very mention of their presence can strike fear into the
enemy's heart. Where do these Gurkhas come from and what
is it that makes them so strong? The Gurkhas come from
Nepal, a Himalayan country where the highest mountains
in the world can be found. It is a rugged and
inhospitable country with poor living conditions. These
factors have make the youths of Nepal strong and sturdy
prompting the British to recruit them into their army.
An average Gurkha soldier is small, wiry and broad
chested with an average height of 5'4". Before his
recruitment, he would usually be tending the fields and
cattle in his village. He is usually illiterate and not
exposed to the modern way of life.
To an average Nepalese, service in the Gurkha
Regiment means a new way of life,
a higher standard of living and a chance to travel
abroad and most importantly a prestigious career for a
lifetime. For these reasons, many young Nepalese youths
aspire to be a Gurkha. From the thousands that apply
each year, only about two hundred will make it as one.
The selection process is a very stringent one.
Called the `hill selection' process, a recruiting
centre among the hills of Nepal, is manned by retired
but re-employed Gurkha officers, to select the most
abled and best youths. The first stage is the medical
check-up. At this stage, many youths may discover for
the first time that they have some abnormalities, like a
punctured ear drum, or a certain disease or sickness.
A slight difference in their chest
measurements and weight can make all the difference
in the selection. In one instance, a Nepalese youth ate
eight bananas and drank five pints of water prior to the
weigh in. He passed the weigh in but failed when he was
unable to expand his chest to meet the minimum chest
width requirement. The next stage after they clear their
physical examination is a series of tests to gauge their
physical fitness, mental and education levels. Special
interviews are also conducted. To fail in the selection
process is a great loss of face
to the Nepalese youth. Many try their hand again but
very few succeed. Some of them will then join the Indian
army.
Only the best of the country's youths go on for the
training to become the famous Gurkha soldiers. Perhaps
it is from this pride that drives them forward to excel.
It is not just the training that has made the Gurkhas
what they are today. They have built a reputation around
their bravery and military prowess. They have
distinguished themselves in all the battles that they
fought for the British army. Their motto reads 'It is
better to die than be a coward.'
The Gurkhas' determination to accomplish any task
given can be seen in this episode. In World War I, at
Givenchy, France, a team of Gurkhas scouts were given
the order to cut the enemy's wire obstacle and create a
gap for the attacking force. While crawling to the
wires, the Germans spotted them and fired on them. The
first two were killed. Another pair moved forward to
replace them. They too, were killed. The Gurkhas did not
stop until the wires were cut. In the recent Falklands
War between Britain and Argentina, where the Gurkhas
were called into action, it was reported that the enemy
in some locations surrendered mildly without a fight.
They had learned that they were facing the Gurkhas. |
