UK Defence Forum

james k wrote:all, without exception, complete the full Combat Infantry Course. Nowhere else will you find that every Cook, Clerk, Bandsmen, Signaller, Medic, Combat Engineer and Logistic specialist is a fully trained infantryman.

Yes, for UK, but exactly the same in the USMC. Or some conscript armies, where (e.g.) artillery units can muster their own close protection, should the situation arise, as all members of the unit will have been through the infantry training.

http://www.janes.com/article/81826/uk-t ... a-soldiers

Nepal is always an active recruitment zone, in absence of finding it hard to get young British people to join, it does make sense to utilise Nepal for helping fill the gaps.

Not that there aren't large issues that could be fixed with UK recruiting, that is. It's not "the" solution, it's just one step toward it.

ArmChairCivvy wrote:

james k wrote:all, without exception, complete the full Combat Infantry Course. Nowhere else will you find that every Cook, Clerk, Bandsmen, Signaller, Medic, Combat Engineer and Logistic specialist is a fully trained infantryman.

Yes, for UK, but exactly the same in the USMC. Or some conscript armies, where (e.g.) artillery units can muster their own close protection, should the situation arise, as all members of the unit will have been through the infantry training.

Recruits for the USMC do not complete the full infantry course as a Marine Rifleman does, they do complete a shorter infantry based ground combat course but it is very different to being a fully qualified infantry soldier.

It isn't just conscript armies where support units "can muster their own protection, should the need arise" basic infantry skills are taught to all servicemen almost much universally during Phase I and phase II training. But they are not infantry soldiers, that is an advanced skill requiring many months of training.

james k wrote:basic infantry skills are taught to all servicemen almost much universally

I guess the operative word there is "basic". Ethos is one thing, accompanied with enough skills, and then the rest is a difference of degree; Details down to week level to be found here: https://www.quora.com/If-every-Marine-i ... imary-role

I had not heard a word about a Specialised Infantry Battalion of Gurkhas, but additional Gurkha sub-units have been on the way for a while. 2 more squadrons for 10 Queen's Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment are planned, and two more Signal Squadrons are also standing up: 249 in 3 UK Division Signal Regiment and 247 in 16 Signal Regiment.

Some growth within 36 Engineer Regiment was also expected, maybe a new Squadron to grow in there.

ArmChairCivvy wrote:

james k wrote:basic infantry skills are taught to all servicemen almost much universally

I guess the operative word there is "basic". Ethos is one thing, accompanied with enough skills, and then the rest is a difference of degree; Details down to week level to be found here: https://www.quora.com/If-every-Marine-i ... imary-role

No point in arguing with someone who's convinced they know everything already. I give up, you're right because you read it on the internet and I'm wrong because I've been there.

(Forces TV) 17th September 2018

Gurkha recruits in Catterick have discovered which units they will be heading to when their training is complete. In two months time, each recruit will be sent to one of six units in the Brigade of Gurkhas...

I don't believe there's ever been a Gurkha artillery, at least not in the British army. But I wonder if there's any mileage in them supplementing the RA / RHA ?

Been intrigued about how come there are 3 signals units for two deployable bns.

No guarantee that this is uptodate
2 Infantry Battalions consisting of:

1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles (1RGR)
2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles (2RGR)

Queen's Gurkha Signals:

250 Gurkha Signal Squadron
246 Gurkha Signal Squadron
248 Gurkha Signal Squadron

Queen's Own Gurkha Logistics Regiment
Queen's Gurkha Engineers:

69th Gurkha Field Squadron
70th Gurkha Field Squadron

Gurkha Company, 3rd Battalion, Infantry Training Centre, Catterick
The Gurkha Company (Sitang), Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Gurkha Company (Mandalay), Infantry Battle School, Brecon

but put 3 Coys together... and what do you get?
( knew about the one in Sandhurst, but not about the other two)

(Forces TV) 11 October 2018

More than 10,000 young Nepali men have applied for just 320 places in the Brigade of Gurkhas this year. Forces News was given exclusive access to join a selection day in the city of Dharan, to see the potential recruits being put through their paces...

(Forces TV) 15 Nov 2018

A new group of 267 riflemen have been celebrating with family and friends after they successfully passed out from Gurkha Company in Catterick after nine months of intense training.

(Forces TV) 1 April 2019

Soldiers from 1 Squadron The Queen's Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment have been preparing for guard duties in May. They are also introducing some of their own traditions to the role. Each soldier on parade will carry a kukri, a traditional Gurkha knife, instead of a bayonet.

ArmChairCivvy wrote:Been intrigued about how come there are 3 signals units for two deployable bns.

Not anymore as army.mod.uk website had this a month back:
"The 3rd Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles will be established as a Specialised Infantry Battalion and will begin recruiting in 2019.

The 3rd Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles will join other members of the Specialist Infantry Group, to complete plans set out in the 2015 Defence Review to establish up to five Specialised Infantry Battalions. These specialised Infantry Battalions are designed to provide expert capacity building and training skills "
- a Specialised Inf Bn is about the size of the half bn that deployed to A-stan on force protection duties... so may be a fourth signals unit coming, to make such deployments easy also in the future?

(Forces TV) 9th July 2019

Prince Charles has presented Operational Service Medals to soldiers of the 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles (1RGR). The Prince of Wales met troops from 1RGR at their home, Sir John Moore Barracks in Shorncliffe, Kent, presenting medals to them for their work on Operation Toral in Afghanistan.

(Forces TV) 23rd July 2019

This year's Gurkha recruits have been learning how to operate in urban warfare. The soldiers, who make up the biggest intake of Gurkhas in more than 30 years, have now reached the halfway stage in their riflemen course. On a course at Whinney Hill training area at Catterick Garrison in North Yorkshire, the trainees were shown the basics of urban operations, including search drills and explosive methods of entry.

(ForcesTV) 25th November 2019

The largest intake of Gurkhas ever trained at Catterick has passed out in a ceremony in North Yorkshire. Days later, the record group of 399 were then assigned their new regiments. All but one of the original 400 recruits passed out, with one remaining rifleman having to wait a couple more months to recover from a broken leg.

More: https://www.forces.net/news/largest-gur ... passes-out

(Forces TV) 30th December 2019

Every year 10,000 Nepalese men apply to take on Gurkha selection and join the British Army. It can be the start of a life-changing career or the end of a dream. This year, 400 were selected - the largest amount to join the British Army in 30 years. We joined them to get a close look at their journeys.

(Forces TV) 10th February 2020

Sixty-nine Gurkhas have officially joined the Royal Corps of Signals, pledging their oath to the Queen and their regiment. This year's number of Gurkhas joining the Signals is almost double 2019's total. As they marched onto the square at Gamecock Barracks in January, trainee Gurkha signallers knew the parade marked the beginning of a new stage in their British Army careers. In Nepalese, they attested their oath to the Army and were formally welcomed into the Queen’s Gurkha Signals.

(Forces TV) 20th February 2020

The Chief of the General Staff has visited Nepal and inspected the latest recruits to be selected to join the Brigade of Gurkhas. General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith took the salute and addressed the 432 Gurkhas - an increase of 32 on last year's record-breaking recruitment year. The inspection marked the start of their British Army journey as they prepare to get to grips with life in the UK.

A new feature film to focus on the Gurkhas.



Gurkhas: Beneath The Bravery

The writer and director of a film, inspired by the heroic actions of the first Gurkha to be awarded a Victoria Cross Award, has spoken of his hope that the project will help elderly Gurkha veterans be accepted in the UK.

The crowd-funded charity feature film is inspired by the true story of Sergeant Kulbir Thapa during the Battle Of Loos in 1915.

Read More: https://www.forces.net/services/gurkhas ... th-bravery

(Forces TV) 11th August 2020

Earlier this summer, Gurkhas serving with the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps took on a special challenge in aid of the NHS. The soldiers took part in a unique version of a Doko Race at Imjin Barracks in Gloucestershire by virtually climbing the height of the world's three tallest peaks. The doko is a traditional wicker-type basket found in Nepal and nearby territories. It also plays a part in the selection process for the recruitment of new Gurkhas. The basket - which weighed 25 kilogrammes - was strapped to the heads of the personnel who in total covered 26 kilometres.