6th Queen Elizabeth's Own Gurkha Rifles
Encyclopedia
The 6th Queen Elizabeth's Own Gurkha Rifles was a regiment
of the British Indian Army
, before being transferred to the British Army
following India's independence. Originally raised in 1817 as part of the army of the British East India Company
, the regiment has been known by a number of names throughout its history. Initially the unit did not recruit from the Gurkha
s, although after being transferred to the British Indian Army following the Indian Mutiny in 1857, it became a purely Gurkha regiment. After 1947 the regiment was one of only four Gurkha regiments to be transferred to the British Army and this continued up until 1994, when it was amalgamated with other Gurkha regiments to form the Royal Gurkha Rifles
. Over the course of its 177 year history, the regiment was awarded 25 battle honours, although prior to World War I
it had only been awarded one and no battle honours were awarded to it after World War II
.
The regiment was initially raised in 1817 as the Cuttack Legion as part of the army of the East India Company. This was a unit of Indian natives from the Orissa
area and initially it was used to maintain order in the region, before moving to Northern Bengal
in 1823 when it became known as the Rungpoor Light Infantry.
During the Indian Mutiny
in 1857–58 the regiment remained loyal and two of its members were awarded with Indian Order of Merit, which was the highest award that a Gurkha could receive until 1911 when Gurkhas became eligible for the Victoria Cross.
Following this, the regiment was transferred to the newly formed British Indian Army
and as time passed, the regiment began recruiting Nepalese Gurkhas into its ranks—initially only two companies
of Gurkhas were formed, but, over time, more and more were recruited until it eventually became a pure Gurkha regiment, being numbered as the 42nd Regiment of Goorkha Light Infantry in 1886. During the period before the First World War, the regiment was primarily involved in patrolling the north-east border of India
, indeed it remained in eastern India for 77 years, and as such the regiment gained only a single battle honour
up to 1914.
In 1899 the regiment moved from Assam to Abbottabad
, in present day Pakistan, and began operations on the North-West Frontier
. In 1903, the regiment was also renumbered as the 6th Gurkha Rifles. A year later, a second battalion for the regiment was raised from a cadre taken from the 1st Battalion.
1823–1823 – Rungpore Local Battalion (January–March)
1823–1823 – Rungpore Light Infantry (March–May)
1823–1826 – 10th Rungpore Light Infantry
1826–1827 – 8th Rungapore Light Infantry
1827–1844 – 8th Assam Light Infantry
1844–1850 – 8th/1st Light Infantry Battalion
1850–1861 – 1st Assam Light Infantry Battalion
1861–1865 – Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry (Light Infantry)
1865–1885 – (Assam) Regiment of Bengal (Light) Infantry
1885–1886 – 42nd (Assam) Regiment of Bengal (Light) Infantry
1886–1889 – 42nd Regiment Gurkha Light Infantry
1889–1891 – 42nd (Gurkha) Regiment of Bengal Light Infantry
1891–1901 – 42nd Gurkha (Rifle) Regiment of Bengal Light Infantry
1901–1903 – 42nd Gurkha Rifles
1903–1959 – 6th Gurkha Rifles
1959–1994 – 6th Queen Elizabeth's Own Gurkha Rifles.
The 1st Battalion had the distinction of being the first Gurkha unit to arrive at Gallipoli
landing at Cape Helles on 25 April 1915. Their first major operation saw them attack an Ottoman
position that was doing significant damage to Allied forces with machine guns—this involved them going up a 300 foot (91 metre) vertical slope which had defeated both the Royal Marine Light Infantry
and the Royal Dublin Fusiliers—however, the Gurkhas gained the position with ease. Eighteen Gurkhas were killed in this action and another forty-two were wounded. For their sacrifice, this area is now known as Gurkha Bluff.
The 2nd Battalion meanwhile began service with the 2nd (Rawalpindi) Division
and in April 1916 transferred to the new 15th Division
where it served the remainder of the war in Mesopotamia
.
and Burma, and also in Waziristan
on the North West Frontier (1940–41) where they served as garrison troops and saw action against Pathan
tribesmen.
In January 1943 the 2nd Battalion was attached to the 3rd Indian Motor Brigade
which had just returned from the Western Desert after having been almost destroyed at the Battle of Gazala
.
At the end of the month the brigade was renamed as the 43rd Indian Infantry Brigade (Lorried). The brigade and its Gurkha battalions were sent to Italy
in mid 1944 as an Independent brigade.
It was during the Burma campaign, that the Regiment received its first Victoria Cross
, in fact two awards were made to members of the Regiment for actions on the same day. Captain Michael Allmand
and Rifleman Tulbahadur Pun
were awarded the VC for their actions during the fighting around the Pin Hmi Road Bridge at Mogaung
in Burma on 23 June 1944 while serving with the 3rd Battalion who were taking part Operation Thursday, which was the second Chindit expedition. The 3rd Battalion's involvement in this operation proved very costly and they suffered 126 killed, 352 wounded and 7 missing. As well as the two previously mentioned VCs, members of the battalion also received the following awards: 2 DSOs
, 3 IOMs, 6 MCs
, 4 IDSMs
, 12 MMs
, 3 US Silver Stars
.
, while the other six were transferred to the newly formed independent Indian Army
. The 6th Gurkhas were one of the regiments that were transferred to the British Army, although the 3rd Battalion was transferred to the 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force)
, which was one of the battalions that had been allocated to the Indian Army, and the regiment was thus reduced to two battalions once more. In 1959, the regiment was renamed as the 6th Queen Elizabeth's Own Gurkha Rifles in honour of Elizabeth II.
As with other Gurkha regiments, the 6th Gurkhas primarily saw service in the Far East until the British withdrawal from East of Suez. Both battalions participated in the Malayan Emergency
. Later, between 1962 and 1964, the 1st Battalion served in the United Kingdom. Between 1963 and 1966, both the 1st and 2nd Battalions saw service in Borneo during Confrontation.
On 16 June 1969, the 6th Gurkhas was reduced to a single battalion
, when the 1st and 2nd Battalions were amalgamated as the 1st Battalion. The single battalion continued to rotate with the other Gurkha regiments between Hong Kong
, Brunei
and Church Crookham
until 1 July 1994. At that point, while in Hong Kong, the 1st Battalion was amalgamated with the 1st Battalion, 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles)
to form the 1st Battalion, Royal Gurkha Rifles
.
recipients from the 6th Gurkhas. These were:
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
of the British Indian Army
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
, before being transferred to the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
following India's independence. Originally raised in 1817 as part of the army of the British East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
, the regiment has been known by a number of names throughout its history. Initially the unit did not recruit from the Gurkha
Gurkha
Gurkha are people from Nepal who take their name from the Gorkha District. Gurkhas are best known for their history in the Indian Army's Gorkha regiments, the British Army's Brigade of Gurkhas and the Nepalese Army. Gurkha units are closely associated with the kukri, a forward-curving Nepalese knife...
s, although after being transferred to the British Indian Army following the Indian Mutiny in 1857, it became a purely Gurkha regiment. After 1947 the regiment was one of only four Gurkha regiments to be transferred to the British Army and this continued up until 1994, when it was amalgamated with other Gurkha regiments to form the Royal Gurkha Rifles
Royal Gurkha Rifles
The Royal Gurkha Rifles is a regiment of the British Army, forming part of the Brigade of Gurkhas. The Royal Gurkha Rifles are now the sole infantry regiment of the British Army Gurkhas...
. Over the course of its 177 year history, the regiment was awarded 25 battle honours, although prior to World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
it had only been awarded one and no battle honours were awarded to it after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Beginnings
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
area and initially it was used to maintain order in the region, before moving to Northern Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
in 1823 when it became known as the Rungpoor Light Infantry.
During the Indian Mutiny
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...
in 1857–58 the regiment remained loyal and two of its members were awarded with Indian Order of Merit, which was the highest award that a Gurkha could receive until 1911 when Gurkhas became eligible for the Victoria Cross.
Following this, the regiment was transferred to the newly formed British Indian Army
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
and as time passed, the regiment began recruiting Nepalese Gurkhas into its ranks—initially only two companies
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
of Gurkhas were formed, but, over time, more and more were recruited until it eventually became a pure Gurkha regiment, being numbered as the 42nd Regiment of Goorkha Light Infantry in 1886. During the period before the First World War, the regiment was primarily involved in patrolling the north-east border of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, indeed it remained in eastern India for 77 years, and as such the regiment gained only a single battle honour
Battle honour
A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags , uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible....
up to 1914.
In 1899 the regiment moved from Assam to Abbottabad
Abbottabad
Abbottabad is a city located in the Hazara region of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, in Pakistan. The city is situated in the Orash Valley, northeast of the capital Islamabad and east of Peshawar at an altitude of and is the capital of the Abbottabad District...
, in present day Pakistan, and began operations on the North-West Frontier
North-West Frontier (military history)
The North-West Frontier was the most difficult area, from a military point of view, of the former British India in the Indian sub-continent. It remains the frontier of present-day Pakistan, extending from the Pamir Knot in the north to the Koh-i-Malik Siah in the west, and separating the...
. In 1903, the regiment was also renumbered as the 6th Gurkha Rifles. A year later, a second battalion for the regiment was raised from a cadre taken from the 1st Battalion.
Lineage
1817–1823 – The Cuttack Legion1823–1823 – Rungpore Local Battalion (January–March)
1823–1823 – Rungpore Light Infantry (March–May)
1823–1826 – 10th Rungpore Light Infantry
1826–1827 – 8th Rungapore Light Infantry
1827–1844 – 8th Assam Light Infantry
1844–1850 – 8th/1st Light Infantry Battalion
1850–1861 – 1st Assam Light Infantry Battalion
1861–1865 – Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry (Light Infantry)
1865–1885 – (Assam) Regiment of Bengal (Light) Infantry
1885–1886 – 42nd (Assam) Regiment of Bengal (Light) Infantry
1886–1889 – 42nd Regiment Gurkha Light Infantry
1889–1891 – 42nd (Gurkha) Regiment of Bengal Light Infantry
1891–1901 – 42nd Gurkha (Rifle) Regiment of Bengal Light Infantry
1901–1903 – 42nd Gurkha Rifles
1903–1959 – 6th Gurkha Rifles
1959–1994 – 6th Queen Elizabeth's Own Gurkha Rifles.
First World War
During the First World War the regiment was expanded further with the raising of a third battalion. The regiment served in a number of theatres during the war, including Persia, the Middle East, Turkey and Greece.The 1st Battalion had the distinction of being the first Gurkha unit to arrive at Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
landing at Cape Helles on 25 April 1915. Their first major operation saw them attack an Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
position that was doing significant damage to Allied forces with machine guns—this involved them going up a 300 foot (91 metre) vertical slope which had defeated both the Royal Marine Light Infantry
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
and the Royal Dublin Fusiliers—however, the Gurkhas gained the position with ease. Eighteen Gurkhas were killed in this action and another forty-two were wounded. For their sacrifice, this area is now known as Gurkha Bluff.
The 2nd Battalion meanwhile began service with the 2nd (Rawalpindi) Division
2nd (Rawalpindi) Division
The 2nd Division was a regular army division of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1903 after the Kitchener reforms of the Indian Army. During World War I it remained in India for local defence but it was mobilised for action on the North West Frontier on several occasions during the period...
and in April 1916 transferred to the new 15th Division
15th Indian Infantry Division
The 15th Indian Division was a formation of the British Indian Army, operational from 1916 to 1919.The division was formed on 7 May 1916 on the Euphrates Front in Mesopotamia, as a replacement for 12th Indian Division. It served throughout the war on the Euphrates Front, and was formally disbanded...
where it served the remainder of the war in Mesopotamia
Mesopotamian Campaign
The Mesopotamian campaign was a campaign in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I fought between the Allies represented by the British Empire, mostly troops from the Indian Empire, and the Central Powers, mostly of the Ottoman Empire.- Background :...
.
Inter-war years
Between the First and Second World Wars the regiment was reduced to two battalions once more and they returned to the North-West Frontier where they were employed on garrison duties.Second World War
The Second World War saw the expansion of all ten Gurkha regiments of the British Indian Army, and the 6th Gurkhas raised a further two battalions, numbered as the 3rd and 4th Battalions. Over the course of the conflict, battalions of the Regiment fought in ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Burma, and also in Waziristan
Waziristan
Waziristan is a mountainous region near the Northwest of Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . The area is entirely populated by ethnic Pashtuns . The language spoken in the valley is Pashto/Pakhto...
on the North West Frontier (1940–41) where they served as garrison troops and saw action against Pathan
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
tribesmen.
In January 1943 the 2nd Battalion was attached to the 3rd Indian Motor Brigade
3rd Indian Motor Brigade
The 3rd Indian Motor Brigade was a unit of the Indian Army during World War II, formed in 1940. In its short history one of its regiments would be involved in the siege of Tobruk and the brigade was twice overrun during the Western Desert Campaign by units of the Afrika Corps and the Italian...
which had just returned from the Western Desert after having been almost destroyed at the Battle of Gazala
Battle of Gazala
The Battle of Gazala was an important battle of the Second World War Western Desert Campaign, fought around the port of Tobruk in Libya from 26 May-21 June 1942...
.
At the end of the month the brigade was renamed as the 43rd Indian Infantry Brigade (Lorried). The brigade and its Gurkha battalions were sent to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in mid 1944 as an Independent brigade.
It was during the Burma campaign, that the Regiment received its first Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, in fact two awards were made to members of the Regiment for actions on the same day. Captain Michael Allmand
Michael Allmand
Michael Allmand VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Early life:...
and Rifleman Tulbahadur Pun
Tulbahadur Pun
Tul Bahadur Pun VC was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He later achieved the rank of Honorary Lieutenant...
were awarded the VC for their actions during the fighting around the Pin Hmi Road Bridge at Mogaung
Mogaung
Mogaung is a town in Kachin State, Myanmar. It is situated on the Mandalay-Myitkyina railway line.-External links:* Falling Rain Genomics, Inc.* Maplandia.com...
in Burma on 23 June 1944 while serving with the 3rd Battalion who were taking part Operation Thursday, which was the second Chindit expedition. The 3rd Battalion's involvement in this operation proved very costly and they suffered 126 killed, 352 wounded and 7 missing. As well as the two previously mentioned VCs, members of the battalion also received the following awards: 2 DSOs
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, 3 IOMs, 6 MCs
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, 4 IDSMs
Indian Distinguished Service Medal
The Indian Distinguished Service Medal was a military decoration awarded by the British Empire to Indian citizens serving in the Indian armed forces and police...
, 12 MMs
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
, 3 US Silver Stars
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
.
Post 1947
In 1946 the regiment was reduced to three battalions, following the disbandment of the 4th Battalion. A year later, India gained its independence and under the 1947 Tri Partite Agreement four regiments of the Brigade of Gurkhas were allocated to the British ArmyBritish Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, while the other six were transferred to the newly formed independent Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
. The 6th Gurkhas were one of the regiments that were transferred to the British Army, although the 3rd Battalion was transferred to the 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force)
5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force)
The 5 Gorkha Rifles is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army comprising Gurkha soldiers of Nepalese origin. It was formed in 1858 as part of the British Indian Army and served in the First World War and Second World War. The regiment was one of the Gorkha regiments that was transferred to the...
, which was one of the battalions that had been allocated to the Indian Army, and the regiment was thus reduced to two battalions once more. In 1959, the regiment was renamed as the 6th Queen Elizabeth's Own Gurkha Rifles in honour of Elizabeth II.
As with other Gurkha regiments, the 6th Gurkhas primarily saw service in the Far East until the British withdrawal from East of Suez. Both battalions participated in the Malayan Emergency
Malayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency was a guerrilla war fought between Commonwealth armed forces and the Malayan National Liberation Army , the military arm of the Malayan Communist Party, from 1948 to 1960....
. Later, between 1962 and 1964, the 1st Battalion served in the United Kingdom. Between 1963 and 1966, both the 1st and 2nd Battalions saw service in Borneo during Confrontation.
On 16 June 1969, the 6th Gurkhas was reduced to a single battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
, when the 1st and 2nd Battalions were amalgamated as the 1st Battalion. The single battalion continued to rotate with the other Gurkha regiments between Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, Brunei
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
and Church Crookham
Church Crookham
Church Crookham is a suburb, village and civil parish on the southern edge of the town of Fleet, in north east Hampshire, England, located south west of London...
until 1 July 1994. At that point, while in Hong Kong, the 1st Battalion was amalgamated with the 1st Battalion, 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles)
2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles)
The 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army before being transferred to the British Army on India's independence in 1947. The 4th Battalion joined the Indian Army as the 5th Battalion, 8th Gurkha Rifles , where it exists to this day...
to form the 1st Battalion, Royal Gurkha Rifles
Royal Gurkha Rifles
The Royal Gurkha Rifles is a regiment of the British Army, forming part of the Brigade of Gurkhas. The Royal Gurkha Rifles are now the sole infantry regiment of the British Army Gurkhas...
.
Victoria Cross recipients
There have been two Victoria CrossVictoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
recipients from the 6th Gurkhas. These were:
- Lieutenant (acting Captain) Michael AllmandMichael AllmandMichael Allmand VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Early life:...
, 6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers (Watson's Horse)6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers (Watson's Horse)The 6 Lancers is an armoured regiment of Pakistan Army. Previously, it was known as the 6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers , which was a regular cavalry regiment in the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1921 by amalgamation of the 13th Duke of Connaught's Lancers and 16th Cavalry...
attached to the 3rd Battalion, 6th Gurkha Rifles, 23 June 1944, Burma (posthumous); and - Rifleman Tulbahadur PunTulbahadur PunTul Bahadur Pun VC was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He later achieved the rank of Honorary Lieutenant...
, 3rd Battalion, 23 June 1944, Burma.
Battle honours
The 6th Gurkhas received the following battle honours:- Burma 1885–87Third Anglo-Burmese WarThe Third Anglo-Burmese War was a conflict that took place during 7–29 November 1885, with sporadic resistance and insurgency continuing into 1887. It was the final of three wars fought in the 19th century between the Burmese and the British...
. - The Great War: HellesLanding at Cape HellesThe landing at Cape Helles was part of the amphibious invasion of the Gallipoli peninsula by British and French forces on April 25, 1915 during the First World War. Helles, at the foot of the peninsula, was the main landing area. With the support of the guns of the Royal Navy, a British division...
, KrithiaBattle of KrithiaDuring the Gallipoli campaign in 1915, several battles were fought near the village of Krithia. The village was an objective of the first day of the landing, 25 April 1915. Over the following months, invading British Empire and French troops, who had landed near Cape Helles at the end of the...
, SuvlaLanding at Suvla BayThe landing at Suvla Bay was an amphibious landing made at Suvla on the Aegean coast of Gallipoli peninsula in the Ottoman Empire as part of the August Offensive, the final British attempt to break the deadlock of the Battle of Gallipoli...
, Sari BairBattle of Sari BairThe Battle of Sari Bair , also known as the August Offensive, was the final attempt made by the British in August 1915 to seize control of the Gallipoli peninsula from the Ottoman Empire during First World War.The Battle of Gallipoli had raged on two fronts, Anzac and Helles, for three months since...
, Gallipoli 1915, Suez Canal, Egypt 1915–16, Khan BaghdadiAction of Khan BaghdadiThe Action of Khan Baghdadi was an engagement during the Mesopotamian Campaign in World War I.The 15th Indian Division had been at Ramadi since its capture of the town in September 1917...
, Mesopotamia 1916–18Mesopotamian CampaignThe Mesopotamian campaign was a campaign in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I fought between the Allies represented by the British Empire, mostly troops from the Indian Empire, and the Central Powers, mostly of the Ottoman Empire.- Background :...
, Persia 1916–1918Persian CampaignThe Persian Campaign or Invasion of Persia was a series of engagements at northern Persian Azerbaijan and western Persia between the British Empire and the Russian Empire against the Ottoman Empire, beginning in December 1914 and ending with the Armistice of Mudros on October 30, 1918 as part of...
, North West Frontier India 1915–17North-West Frontier (military history)The North-West Frontier was the most difficult area, from a military point of view, of the former British India in the Indian sub-continent. It remains the frontier of present-day Pakistan, extending from the Pamir Knot in the north to the Koh-i-Malik Siah in the west, and separating the...
. - Afghanistan 1919Third Anglo-Afghan WarThe Third Anglo-Afghan War began on 6 May 1919 and ended with an armistice on 8 August 1919. It was a minor tactical victory for the British. For the British, the Durand Line was reaffirmed as the political boundary between the Emirate of Afghanistan and British India and the Afghans agreed not to...
. - The Second World War: Coriano, Sant Angelo, Monte Chicco, Lamone Crossing, Gaiana Crossing, Italy 1944–45Italian Campaign (World War II)The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
, Burma 1942–45, Shwebo, Kyaukmyaung Bridgehead, Mandalay, Rangoon Road 1945, Chindits 1944.