Gurkha and the East India Company
Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2011 3:45 pm
Of lately I have been reading a few posts on the Gurkha soldiers on IFG.
Not many of us actually know HOW the Gurkha became a part of the British Forces.
I would like to share of what I have read of the history of these brave foot soldiers.
It all started from the Doon valley in the foot hills of the Himalaya.
In 1803 the Gurkhas occupied Dehradun.
The East India Company had by then extended it's conquests to the foot hills of the Shivaliks in the adjoining district of Saharanpur.
Both the British and the Gurkhas were keen on expanding their empire.
The Gurkhas drew first blood killing more than a hundred british troops stationed on a post ........and thus started the Anglo Gurkha War.
Battle of Kalanga
was fought in November 1814.
The British had a larger and a technically superior force. There were 3 men in the British Forces for 1 Gurkha soldier.
Yet it was one of the bloodiest battles fought.
It was also the first time when an officer of the rank of a Maj General was killed in actual combat.
Maj General Gillespie.......shot through the heart.
The Gurkhas fought till the end.
On the Banks of the Rispana river, which flows through the Kalanga hills facing the scene of the epic struggle , stands a monument erected by the British.
Probably the only one of it's kind in the world.
A monument which pays tribute to both the opposing forces. Two concrete obelisks standing on a common concrete base.
One dedicated to Gen Gillespie,his officers and his men
and the other dedicated to the brave adversary . The fearless Gurkhas.
A young officer Frederick Young (who later went on to become a General and was also the founder of the famous hill station Mussoorie.)was given command of the newly raised Sirmoor Regiment , after the Battle of Kalanga.
He was also given the charge of Dehradun and the adjoining areas.
Young was also asked to deal with the Gurkha prisoners-of-war. In his earlier days he had picked up their language and customs and was well respected amongst the hill folks.
He went into the P-O-W camp one day (in Saharanpur) and to every ones surprise ordered the release of all the prisoners in the camp.
"You have faught for your master. Now will you fight for me?" he asked the proisoners.
Not one man backed out.
Young later wrote in his diary "I went one man and came out 3000."
Three Battalions of the Sirmoor Regiment were formed with these 3000 men.
In later years Frederick Young noted
"In unexpected panic a temporary defection has been shown by a British soldier. But NEVER, NEVER have I seen a Gurkha turn his face.......prefering death to inglorious safety."
The first of the Gurkhas were drafted into the 68th Native Infantry. Later called the Sirmoor Rifles and finally known as the 2nd King Edwards own Gurkha Regiment. With it's head quarters at Dehradun.
Thus started the comradeship in arms between the Gurkhas and the British. Something which continues even today after so many years.
On one of my visits to a War museam in England I was pleasantly surprised to see a section dedicated to the Gurkha soldier.
The monument mentioned still exists and is walking distance from Capt. Rakshit Sharma's (an IFG member) residence.
I will put up some snaps when I go there next.
Not many of us actually know HOW the Gurkha became a part of the British Forces.
I would like to share of what I have read of the history of these brave foot soldiers.
It all started from the Doon valley in the foot hills of the Himalaya.
In 1803 the Gurkhas occupied Dehradun.
The East India Company had by then extended it's conquests to the foot hills of the Shivaliks in the adjoining district of Saharanpur.
Both the British and the Gurkhas were keen on expanding their empire.
The Gurkhas drew first blood killing more than a hundred british troops stationed on a post ........and thus started the Anglo Gurkha War.
Battle of Kalanga
was fought in November 1814.
The British had a larger and a technically superior force. There were 3 men in the British Forces for 1 Gurkha soldier.
Yet it was one of the bloodiest battles fought.
It was also the first time when an officer of the rank of a Maj General was killed in actual combat.
Maj General Gillespie.......shot through the heart.
The Gurkhas fought till the end.
On the Banks of the Rispana river, which flows through the Kalanga hills facing the scene of the epic struggle , stands a monument erected by the British.
Probably the only one of it's kind in the world.
A monument which pays tribute to both the opposing forces. Two concrete obelisks standing on a common concrete base.
One dedicated to Gen Gillespie,his officers and his men
and the other dedicated to the brave adversary . The fearless Gurkhas.
A young officer Frederick Young (who later went on to become a General and was also the founder of the famous hill station Mussoorie.)was given command of the newly raised Sirmoor Regiment , after the Battle of Kalanga.
He was also given the charge of Dehradun and the adjoining areas.
Young was also asked to deal with the Gurkha prisoners-of-war. In his earlier days he had picked up their language and customs and was well respected amongst the hill folks.
He went into the P-O-W camp one day (in Saharanpur) and to every ones surprise ordered the release of all the prisoners in the camp.
"You have faught for your master. Now will you fight for me?" he asked the proisoners.
Not one man backed out.
Young later wrote in his diary "I went one man and came out 3000."
Three Battalions of the Sirmoor Regiment were formed with these 3000 men.
In later years Frederick Young noted
"In unexpected panic a temporary defection has been shown by a British soldier. But NEVER, NEVER have I seen a Gurkha turn his face.......prefering death to inglorious safety."
The first of the Gurkhas were drafted into the 68th Native Infantry. Later called the Sirmoor Rifles and finally known as the 2nd King Edwards own Gurkha Regiment. With it's head quarters at Dehradun.
Thus started the comradeship in arms between the Gurkhas and the British. Something which continues even today after so many years.
On one of my visits to a War museam in England I was pleasantly surprised to see a section dedicated to the Gurkha soldier.
The monument mentioned still exists and is walking distance from Capt. Rakshit Sharma's (an IFG member) residence.
I will put up some snaps when I go there next.
....if everything goes fine and I actually happen to be there.