The Gurkhas Kukri Knife

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The Kukri Knife of the Gurkhas is world famous; it is believed: by tradition the feared knife remains in its scabbard when not used in action, except in exceptional circumstances or for cleaning.

If you befriend a Gurkha he will show you his lethal weapon of death but because of tradition, he might want to draw a little bit of blood with a nick on the thumb.

When in Active Service the Gurkhas use the traditional weapons of the day. However if they needed to silences a foe without making a noise then they could put their famouse knife to that use.

The Green Berets have been known to use their Commando dagger in a similar way.

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My Patrol With The Gurkhas

In the Gunbang District, of Sarawak; a patrol of gurkhas stopped by our base on the way to Headquarters' at Bau, with a prisoner.

I was due to fly home to the UK because the two years of my extended commission was up; a chopper had been arranged to fly me to HQ's base camp at Bau, 25-miles outside Kuching.

The arrival of the Gurkha Patrol changed my situation; now I had to do a long seven to eight-hour rugged trek through the jungle instead of flying in the comfort of a helicopter for half an hour. I was placed in command of the Patrol where I was then responsible for their prisoner.

HQ was approximately seven and a half hours away through difficult, dense, and mountainous jungle with many obstacles to overcome. It required an early start, to have more chance of reaching Headquarters' on time, should there be any problems on route.

We set off with the prisoner and I in the centre of the patrol, I carried the prisoner's rifle across my back as well holding mine ready for action. Each time we arrived at an obstacle I explained to the Gurkhas how I wanted the procedure carried out.

Rope bridges of the jungle

The Gurkhas and I arrived at a large wide ravine that had fast flowing water; passing under a three rope structure which was the bridge.

I had used this type of structure in my Commando training, when there was no risk of being shot while crossing over the obstacle. It wasn't new to me or the Gurkhas; I applied jungle techniques for our Patrol to cross over it.

We were on active service; this was an ideal ambush position for the enemy, if they were ready and waiting. The Gurkhas and I had dealt with this type of problem many times before, but not together; we both knew the drill.

If this was an ambush then I did not want to lose more than one man at a time; obviously I didn't want to lose any, but I had a job to do.

I ordered the Gurkha lead scout to go across on his own, the rest of the patrol I had covering the jungle across the far side of the ravine; just in case there should there be any sign of imminent action.

When the first half of the patrol crossed without incident; the prisoner and I then crossed over. Then the rest of the patrol came across one at a time until we were all over and in the cover of the jungle.

We kept moving at a steady pace only stopping for queries and a five minute break, which we had approximately every hour. I would give the prisoner a drink of water each time we stopped; we did not stop to eat.

It was late afternoon when we reached Headquarters'; I handed the prisoner over to the guardroom staff, including his rifle.

The Gurkhas all came up to me and shook my hand vigorously and thanked me. I was proud to have the Gurkhas in my patrol I didn't need thanking, they were all perfect soldiers.

When they told me that I was a strong and a good leader; it surprised me it was something I wasn't expecting; from such professional soldiers.

It made me glad I had not hitched a ride in the chopper to Bau, Headquarters'.

Todays Gurkhas

Prof Christopher Bellamy, who wrote The Gurkhas: Special Force, says their "entire history in foreign security services over the past two centuries fits them perfectly" for a job in the security industry.

When India became independent in 1947, the Gurkhas, who had a special status within the Indian army, were split up, six regiments remained with the Indian army and four were transferred to the British Army.

This has now become two infantry battalions and three supporting corps. There is also a contingent in the Singapore police force and the Sultan of Brunei has a Gurkha reserve unit.

"They are beholden only to their employers. Initially, the East India Company, then the British Raj and now three foreign governments or when they leave the service, their civilian employers."

He says "while they retain connections with their homeland, they are a very 'realistic and pragmatic' people. Their dedication to their employer is likely to exceed that which might be expected either from native British people or from other immigrants who maintain close contacts with the countries and cultures from which they came."

British Army Gurkhas

Gurkha soldiers have been part of the British Army for nearly two centuries. The influx of Gurkhas into the UK, after a very public campaign, sparked a debate about their welfare and the cost to the public purse. But many of them are already playing a vital role.

The fearsome Nepalese soldiers have been part of the British Army for almost 200 years, their motto is "Better to die than be a coward" and they still carry their traditional weapon, an 18-inch long curved knife known as the kukri, into battle.

Others might not remember the historical facts but they will recall the fierce battle to give retired Gurkhas the right to settle in the UK.

The euphoria of winning settlement rights has given way to welfare and economic concerns. The campaign, led from the front by the actress Joanna Lumley, captured the public's attention and caused some red faces in Parliament.

The campaigners were victorious and since the rules changed in 2009, just over 9,000 applications for settlement from Gurkhas, including their dependants, have been approved. There has been much debate as to the impact of this influx. The MP for Aldershot, where an estimated 10% of the population comes from Nepal, has said the town has been "overwhelmed".

It has been suggested that some Gurkhas are struggling to cope with the cost of living in the UK, with the British Gurkha Welfare Society saying about 25,000 of those who retired before 1997 still only receive a third of the pension of their British and Commonwealth former comrades.

They Are Self-Reliant And Working

Pte Bhuwasing Limbu has swapped Nepal for Nottingham But a recent study suggested that Gurkhas of working age are the most economically active and self-reliant social group in Britain.

The University of Kent research found the employment rates among Gurkha men and women are particularly high, at 95% for men under 60 and 93% for women under that age.

It also showed that security is the most popular job for male veterans. Ex-military people joining the security industry is nothing new, but security companies are capitalising on the Gurkhas' formidable reputation. G4S set up Gurkha Services in 2007 and it now employs at least 600 people across 27 contracts.

Historical Perspective

They are involved in guarding the UK's "critical infrastructure", such as power stations and railways, from vandals, protesters and thieves.

Rarely a day goes by without some story about how cable theft has disrupted a train journey or caused a power outage. Now Gurkhas are the new front line against the crime wave.

A smaller rival of G4S; Octavian, which has its headquarters in Nottingham, first started using Gurkhas in 2005. Their skills were made clear to the company a year later when they sent five of the ex-soldiers to guard a crime-ridden car park in the city's Giltbrook area.

"They reduced crime rates to nil and since then we have not stopped using them," says commercial director Tony Mellor. Octavian employee Pte Bhuwasing Limbu says working in security feels natural.

The 50-year-old rifleman has worked on construction sites, power stations and car parks. He talks about dealing with "mostly drunken teenagers" but he did on one occasion help disarm a knife-wielding trespasser at a stately home before handing him over safely to the police.

In addition to it being familiar territory, there are practical reasons why so many Gurkhas are attracted to security jobs, which are often low-paid and involve anti-social hours.

Nina Gurung, who carried out the University of Kent study, says it is a "relatively stable and comfortable" job for former Gurkhas. "For many of them, language might be a barrier and with security, you just do your job and go home."

Family Affair

It is not just former Gurkha soldiers who are being employed as security guards Octavian does not only hire former soldiers.

Prem Dewan, 22, is following in his father's footsteps, not into the British Army, but into the security business. "We are doing this for day-to-day living," he says. "It's a dependable job and there's big demand in the security field."

Tara Gurung, 42, who was on duty at the Nottingham City Contact Centre, a "one-stop shop" for advice about benefits and council services, says security is now a "family thing".

"My husband, my son and myself are all in security. I am very happy to come here and I'm really proud." Her husband L/Cpl Bishnu Raj Gurung works for another security company and the imposing 45-year-old works a few streets away in another council building.

It is a far cry from his service in Bosnia and his days on the Hong Kong/Chinese border but he says working as a security guard in the UK offers his family a much better life than they would have in Nepal.

Settlement Rights

No retired Gurkhas could live in the UK prior to the first concessions announced in 2004. At that point, Gurkhas who retired after 1997 were allowed to settle here.

The rules changed again in 2009 when all retired Gurkhas with at least four years' service secured residency rights Since then, the Home Office says just over 9,000 applications for settlement from Gurkhas, including their dependants, have been approved.

They have mainly settled in Aldershot, Farnborough, Maidstone, Ashford and Folkestone. One of the two infantry battalions is based in Folkestone.

"It is a similar job," he says. "I know how to look for threats and handle difficult situations." The whole business of guarding installations, anticipating threats and acting swiftly is innate to the way they have been trained.

Selection for a Gurkha unit in the Army is notoriously rigorous, out of 28,000 applicants last year, only 230 soldiers were enlisted. All Gurkha soldiers are recruited in Nepal, with retired Gurkhas touring remote villages conducting screening tests.

Perhaps the best known and most gruelling selection test is the doko race; a two-mile run up a steep hill carrying 35kg of rocks in a basket.

Noah Price, operations director of G4S Gurkha Services, says these men are the "fittest of the fittest" because they have been born in the foothills of the Himalayas. But they come from a background where poverty is rife and infant mortality high.

"They have survived this struggle from birth and when we have selected the best of the best they go into the British Army."

They Are Hardly Ever Sick

Security companies are keen to highlight the Gurkha bckground of their employees. Price, a former Gurkha officer, says: "They can see things that you and I cannot see."

Price recalls just two workers being sent home, one because of a burst appendix, the other with a broken rib. He says the Gurkha with the broken rib was reluctant to leave his post.

Price has also recently noticed that very few of his men wear glasses. "They are robust, strong and hardy individuals who are absolutely dedicated to the job.

When they are stuck in a cold field at three o'clock in the morning, I know they are doing their job." There's also a psychological aspect that encourages security firms to take them on.

"Criminals do not want to come against them," says Price.

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