Gurkha and the East India Company

[prashantsingh]

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.

[Vikram]

Thanks for a very interesting historical anecdote,Prashant.Would love to see those pics.


Best-
Vikram

[srswamy]

@Prashant ji,

Thanks a lot for sharing such an interesting piece of history.

I probably may visit Dehradun around July first week on an official trip.
I'll begin the must see list with this one ....if everything goes fine and I actually happen to be there.

I beg your Pardon, if this is an OT.

[Waquar Ahmad Afaque]

Thanks a lot for sharing

[Nitro Express]

Prashant!

Thanks for a very informative article.

A little know fact is that, the Khukri which a Gurkha Soldier gets after enlistment was known as the Dehradoone Issue till upto 1947.All the Gurkha units serving under the Crown during World War 2 were issued Khukris which were manufactured in and around Dehradun.

Nitro Express

[ckkalyan]

Illuminating article prashantsingh, thank you!

[prashantsingh]

Prashant!

Thanks for a very informative article.

A little know fact is that, the Khukri which a Gurkha Soldier gets after enlistment was known as the Dehradoone Issue till upto 1947.All the Gurkha units serving under the Crown during World War 2 were issued Khukris which were manufactured in and around Dehradun.

Nitro Express

Correct.
There is a gate called the "Laal Gate" (Red Gate) in Dehradun Cantt. dedicated to all the Gurkhas who laid down their lives for the crown. I will try and get a picture of it as well Nitro.

I probably may visit Dehradun around July first week on an official trip.
I'll begin the must see list with this one ....if everything goes fine and I actually happen to be there.

Be my guest Ram.

[shooter]

the sirmoor regiment faught very bravely in the seige of delhi and the sepoys with enfield rifles were beaten back by gurkhas' kukris in many battles.
When Delhi was captured by the rebels, the sirmoor regiment was sent to fight them.

[Bespoke]

Thanks for very interesting article Prashant.

The Gurkha soliders are regarded one of the best soldiers when it comes to defense.
more contemporary times we have seen their capabilities in Falkland Islands.

I was reading a little advertisement in a British sporting magazine sometime ago for The Gurkha Welfare trust which said
“They're too old to work, too proud to beg."

[dr.jayakumar]

mr.prashant,
thank you for sharing.never been to dehradoon,but the way you wrote,i can imagine!

[xl_target]

Thanks prashant,
Very interesting reading!

[prashantsingh]

Some snaps of the memorial.
Met up with Capt Rakshit Sharma on the week end and paid a visit to the memorial.

-----------------

When I went to this memorial I read a board which said that even the Gurkha women and children joined the soldiers in this battle to fight the British.

I was reminded of another War which took place much before this one.
The last of Ashoka's (the Great) conquests, in which women came out to fight his mighty army because all the men had been killed in battle.
Interestingly that War had also a similar name . Though it was fought centuries earlier and thousands of kilometers away.
The Kalinga War.

[Vikram]

Thanks for the trip into history,Prashant.Interesting pics.

Best-
Vikram

[shooter]

please post pics of the second plaque

[prashantsingh]

The plaques

One in memory of Gen Gillespie , his officers and men.

The other
"As a tribute of respect to our gallant adversary Bulbudder" and his men.
Bulbudder was a Captain in the Gurkha Army and the commander of the Fort.
He could not be captured in the Anglo Gurkha War.
He went on to join Maharja Ranjit Singh and became one of his Generals.
He and his men served the Lion of Punjab and were "shot down to the last man by the Afghan artillery."