The Evolution of Gorkha Regiments
of the Indian Army -- 1816 to date.
It was
some two hundred years ago that the Gorkhas, under Kazi Amar Singh
Thapa had fought the Anglo- Gorkha wars of 1814-15. These wars
culminated in a decisive battle with the forces of the British East
India Company—the Battle of the ''Malaun Fort''. The Gorkhas had
earlier distinguished themselves at the heroic battle of the Kalanga
Fort under Bal Bhadra, inflicting heavy casualities on the British,
despite their smaller forces and limited fire power. The British were
so impressed by the valour, tenacity, and the fighting qualities of
the Gorkhas that they allowed Amar Singh Thapa to march out of their
forts at Malauan and Taragarh, with arms and colours. They also
offered recruitment to 5000 men to serve in the East India Company's
forces. These forces were raised in April 1815 (though the agreement
itself was signed on 15 May 1815) as the Nassiri (Subathu), Sirmmor (
Dehra Dun) and the Kumaon Provincial (Almora) battalions. Thus, these
units became the forerunners of the famous Gorkha regiments, known as
the 1st
King George V's GR, the 2nd King Edward VII's and the 3rd
Queen Alexendra's GR.
A
number of Kumaoni and Garhwali troops who fought under the Gorkhas
were also enrolled in these regiments. The Treaty of Segauli was
ratified by the Nepalese Government on 04 March 1816 to formalise the
arrangement. Nepal also agreed to receive a Resident at Kathmandu,
while retaining its independence. In 1857, the 4th GR was raised at
Pithoragarh (Kumaon hills), and the 5th GR was raised at Abbottabad
(NWFP). Soon they were given permanent homes at Dharamsala (1GR),
DehraDun (2GR), Almora (3GR) and Bakloh (4GR). During this period a
few Gorkhas joined the Sikh Army and the state forces of J&K,
though these were not covered in the treaty of Segauli. Gorkha
battalions were extensively employed in the Afghan War (1878-80), and
saw active service in China (1900). In 1890, an additional regiment
in the form of the 6th
GR was added, since the British were deeply impressed with the
performance of the Gorkha regiments and with their soldierly
qualities and loyalty.
A second
battalion of each regiment had already been added in 1886, which was
followed by raising of the new regiments of the Gorkhas in 1902,
consisting of the 7 GR, 8 GR, and 9 GR. In the ongoing reorganization
of 1903, another regiment—the 10 GR—was added. To give
representation to Eastern Nepal, Rai and Limbu tribes were recruited
in the 7GR and 10 GR, whereas the 9 GR had Thakuris and the Chhetris
of the Nepalese valley. The remainder of the Gorkha regiments had the
Magars and Gurungs. By 1908, the Gorkha Brigade had grown into ten
regiments, each regiment of two battalions, a total of twenty
numerically numbered. Gorkhas were also being recruited into Assam
Rifles, Burma Rifles and Indian Police.
Regimental
training centres for the Gorkhas were established in India in 1864,
at Dharamsala, Dehra Dun, Almora, Abbottabad and Bakloh. All these
Centres except Abbottabad, were treated as the permanent homes in
perpetuity of the respective regiments. The Gorkha Regiments were
termed as the Rifles, based on the concept of better scouting skills,
quicker pace and field craft. They had no colours or ‘guidons',
unlike the other units and carried their battle honours on their
drums. Here, at the regimental centres, besides training recruits and
locating of a battalion after a tenure in the NWFP or abroad, serving
soldiers were provided married accommodation and other facilities,
like school, bazaar and hospital. They were encouraged to bring their
families from Nepal, and after retirement permitted to settle down in
and around the Cantonment. Thus, came the concept of the Military
Cantonments in India.
Expansion
of the Gorkha Units in the Army
During the
First World War, the need for additional troops was felt, and 11 GR
was raised in 1918, from the existing Gorkha Regiments deployed in
the Middle East Theatre. As many as 74,187 India soldiers died in the
First World War; many of these Gorkhas. They fought valiantly at
Neuve Chappelle, Ypres, Gallipoli, Bagdad, Mesopotamia and Tigris.
The contribution of the Indian soldiers in the Gallipoli campaign was
significant, though not suitably recognised by the military
historians so far, as recently narrated by the Australian military
historian Peter Stanley in his book Die
in Battle-Do Not Despair.
Three Gorkha battalions, 1/5GR, 1/6 GR and 2/7 GR were in the
forefront of this campaign.
The first
three battalions of the newly raised 11 GR, returned to India in
August 1918 and were located at Manmad. They, thereafter, saw action
in the NWFP and performed with distinction. The fourth battalion saw
action against the Germans and the Turks and returned in 1919 to
India after the War, where it was disbanded in 1920. The Depot for
the Regiment, (11GR) was established at Nowshera (Pakistan) in 1918,
but subsequently moved to Abbottabad in 1920. As the Nepal Durbar did
not agree to provide the manpower for these units after the War, the
1st
and the 2nd
battalions were disbanded in July 1921, followed by the 3rd
in March 1922. Thus ended the brief history of XI GR, a regiment
which was re-raised in 1948 from the Gorkha troops and which did not
opt for service with the British Army post-1947.
During the
2nd
World War, nearly 200,000 Gorkha recruits went through rigorous
training at the ten training centres for the 45 Gorkha battalions.
Out of the 1,12,000 Gorkha soldiers who participated in the War,
there were more than 25,000 casualties, including 7,544 fatalities.
Besides being selected for the Chindit Operations behind the enemy
lines in Burma, a brigade of Gorkhas was formed for operations in
Malaya and was taken POW by the Japanese, in Feb 1942. Gorkhas fought
bravely in the various regions and out of the 31 Victoria Cross
Awards won by the British Indian Army, 12 were won by the Gorkhas.
Ten of these were earned in the 2nd
World War. After fighting in all the theatres of the 2nd
World War, Gorkha units were engaged in operations in 1944, against
the communists in Greece, and in clearing the Japanese in Indo-China,
Java, and Indonesia.
Although
all the ten regiments had four battalions each, a fifth battalion was
raised for 1 GR, 2GR, and 9 GR in lieu of their second battalions
which were captured in Singapore. The expansion also resulted in
raising of five training battalions at the respective training
centres. These were 14 GR, 29 GR, 38 GR, 56 GR, and 710 GR. New units
designated as 25 GR and 26 GR as garrison units were also raised for
the defence of the Corps HQ, along with 153 and 154 (originally 3/7
GR) Gorkha parachute battalions. A large number of Gorkhas were also
recruited for non-Gorkha Brigade units, like the J&K State
Forces, Assam Rifles, Burma Rifles, Indian Pioneer Corps, Indian
General Service Corps, and Indian Medical Corps.
Recruitment
and Training Policy For the Gorkha Battalions
To
facilitate recruitment and streamline training of the Gorkha Units, a
Gorkha Recruitment Depot (GRD) was established at Gorakhpur in March
1886. A subsidiary GRD was established at Darjeeling in 1890, for
easy recruitment of Gorkhas from Eastern Nepal, which was relocated
at Ghoom in 1901. The recruits were screened and medically examined
at the GRD, before despatch to the respective training centres. In
1903, the GRD was shifted to Kunaraghat, its present location. After
1947, recruitment teams were allowed to visit Nepal to select and
bring the recruits to the GRD for screening. However, since 1995 full
fledged recruitment rallies are allowed to be held in Nepal. GRD,
Kunraghat conducts these rallies in conjunction with the District
Soldiers Boards, based on the forecasts of vacancies. After initial
tests and the medical screening , the inductees are brought to the
GRD and put through the written tests. Successful candidates are sent
to the respective training centres. GRD, Kunraghat today is a well
laid out facility and provides convenient transit for the recruits,
the veterans and the leave parties en-route to Nepal.
Final
Division of the Gorkha Regiments--Post 1947
After
detailed deliberations by the Governments of UK, India and Nepal, it
was decided that four Gorkha regiments (eight battalions) will form
part of the British Army, while six regiments (twelve battalions)
will form part of the Indian Army. The nomination of the regiments
was done unilaterally by British, based on their preferences for the
selected regiments. The British were keen to retain the two VC
regiments, the 2nd
and 5th
GR with the HMG. They were also keen to have the 9th
GR, as they were considered to be more intelligent and better suited
for the Corps of Signals and as Gunners in the proposed Gorkha
division. To ensure representation of the Eastern Nepal, it was felt
that either the 7th
or the 10th
GR should form part of the HMG. Finally, administrative
considerations of economy and logistics, and the future operational
employment in the Far East and Malaya became the deciding factors. As
2 GR, 6 GR, 7 GR and 10 GR already had a battalion each deployed in
Malaya and the far East, it was convenient to nominate them for
transfer to the HMG.
The '
Opt’ Option and the Tripartite Agreement
A
Tripartite Agreement was signed between the British, the King of
Nepal and the new Indian Government on 09 November 1947, for further
employment of the Gorkhas in the respective armies. The three
countries agreed to the continued service of the Gorkhas in the
Indian Army and the HMG Gorkhas, subject to the individual wish of
each man in service being ascertained through a referendum.
Accordingly, an option was sought from each regiment to give their
preference, including willingly proceeding on release from service.
The result of the “opt” was an eye opener, as less than 5000
opted for service with the British Army, and the remainder 70,000
opted to serve in the Indian Army. The ‘opt’ option did not go
well for the HMG, as the 1st
battalion of 2nd
GR and the 2nd
battalion of 6th
GR declined to serve in the British Gorkhas, en-mass, in spite of
these two regiments being selected by the British. This was also true
for the 2/7 GR, where only 40 of the soldiers volunteered for HMG.
This resulted in raising additional battalions in 5 GR and even a new
regiment, 11GR, to absorb them in India. The main reasons for this
situation, were that after nearly 4 to 5 years service overseas and
the war, the men wanted to be located nearer home. Perhaps proximity
of India to Nepal influenced the 'opt'. The delay in announcing the
pay and allowances by the British, also created un-certainty. On the
contrary India had clearly announced the policy of equating the
Gorkha troops, with the Indian Army in all respects, including grant
of commissions as Officers to the competent persons.
Posting
of Indian Officers in the Gorkha Regiments
The
British had deliberately kept the Gorkhas isolated from the Indian
battalions, so that the nationalist elements do not influence them.
They had also officered them exclusively by the British Officers.
During the period of transition, this void was filled by posting
officers from the Baluch, Punjab and the Frontier Force battalions,
which went to Pakistan. A few officers serving in the Indian
regiments like the Jats, Marathas, and Rajput regiments were also
selected for posting to the Gorkhas, thus giving a strong foundation
to these new units. To make the shortfall of officers, a decision was
taken to promote two deserving Gorkha JCOs each, as the Commissioned
Officers in all the Gorkha battalions (nineteen).
The Gorkha
regiments of the Indian Army have continued to display the highest
standards of valour, tenacity and dedication in all the Wars fought
by the Indian Army. Their contribution from the time of the
independence, in peace keeping, in the active operations, in
combating insurgencies, in the various UN missions, and in aid to
civil authorities has been outstanding and would require a detailed
narration. This is being covered separately. The honours and awards
earned for gallantry in the wars, and the distinguished service
medals and the citations in various contingencies are truly
impressive and a matter of pride for the Indian Army. Post
independence the Gorkha regiments have provided three of the Army
Chiefs and a galaxy of outstanding senior officers. Notwithstanding
the political situation and the periodic turmoil in Nepal, the Gorkha
soldiers of the Indian Army have continued to perform their assigned
tasks with dignity, loyalty and trust.
Gorkhas
in Other Arms and Services
. The
only Gorkha Artillery regiment was raised in Oct 1962 at Belgaon and
performed creditably in the operations both in1965 and the 1971 Wars.
The Gorkhas have now joined all Arms and Services of the Army, as
also the Indian Navy and the IAF. Beside the 41 infantry battalions,
there are two Rashtriya battalions (15 and 33), one Mech Inf (1/8GR)
and a sprinkling of Gorkhas in the Special Forces units. The
percentage of personnel in the Gorkha regiments is now 40% Indian and
60% Nepalese domiciled. To ensure post retirement employment of the
Gorkhas, the Army has established the Gorkha Resettlement Training
Unit (GRTU) at Raiwala for skill development, and extended all other
benefits including the ECHS facility to all the Gorkhas of the Indian
armed forces in Nepal. We have excellent Pension Payment Camps at
Pokhara and Dharan in Nepal, with hostel and other connected
facilities and a Sainik Nivas in Kathmandu. Gorkha soldiers are
entitled all the grants for gallantry and disability at par with the
other soldiers of the Indian army. The Gorkha regiments continue to
retain their elan and maintain their glorious military tradition
unique in the annals of military history.
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