Britain is absolute disagrace, we let any tom dick and harry into the country, we give them housing money and education,and a percentage throw in back in our faces, even to the point where we house them and then they want to go away for terrorism training and to fight our own soldiers.

The gurkhas have supported our forces over the 200 years,have fought on the frontline with our troops even though they have no commitment to our country, they have now been refused citizenship to our rather pathetic and s*** country.These guys are true heroes, please support their cause by showing your support.

http://www.gurkhajustice.org.uk/

A little of gurkha history

Where are the Gurkhas from?

The 3,500 Gurkhas in the British Army all originate from the hill-town region of Gorkha, one of the 75 districts of modern Nepal. But their name comes not from the place but is said to derive from an 8th century Hindu warrior-saint Guru Gorakhnath. Legend has it that it was he who gave the Gurkhas the famous curved bladed knife, the kukri. The Gurkhas are mainly impoverished hill farmers.

How do they come to be in the British Army?

Almost 200 years ago troops in support of the British East India Company invaded Nepal. They suffered heavy casualties at the hands of the Gurkhas and signed a hasty peace deal and offered to pay the Gurkhas to join their army. A soldier of the 87th Foot wrote in his memoirs: "I never saw more steadiness or bravery exhibited in my life. Run they would not, and of death they seemed to have no fear, though their comrades were falling thick around them".

Some 200,000 Gurkhas then fought in the British Army in the First and Second World Wars - in France, Flanders, Mesopotamia, Persia, Egypt, Gallipoli, Palestine, Salonika and in the desert with Lawrence of Arabia and then across Europe and the Far East in World War II. They have since served in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Borneo, Cyprus, the Falklands, Sierra Leone, East Timor, Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan.

How tough are they?

Around 28,000 Gurkha youths compete for just 200 places in the British Army each year. To qualify they must be able to do 75 bench jumps in one minute and 70 sit-ups in two minutes. Then they participate in the world's most arduous military selection test, the doko - running 5km up a steep track in the foothills of the Himalayas, carrying 25kg of rocks on their back, in less than 55 minutes. No wonder the Gurkhas are famed for their resilience, self-restraint and courage.

Are they really outstandingly brave?

Their motto is "Better to die than be a coward". In the First World War, in which 20,000 of them were casualties, they won almost 2,000 awards for gallantry. At the Battle of Loos in 1915 a Gurkha battalion fought literally to the last man. At Gallipoli they were the first to arrive and the last to leave. Sir Ralph Turner MC who served with them then wrote an epitaph: "Bravest of the brave, most generous of the generous, never had a country more faithful friends than you". If there was a minute's silence for every one of the 23,000 Gurkha casualties from World War II, the nation would have to fall quiet for a full fortnight.

How many Gurkhas have won the Victoria Cross?

There have been twenty-six awards of this highest badge of courage made to members of the Gurkha regiments, half to Gurkhas and half to their British officers – more than to any other regiment.

Some of the acts of bravery were extraordinary, like that of Rifleman Tul Bahadur Pun, now 87, who won the VC fighting the Japanese in the jungles of Burma. Only three of his section survived the onslaught from the enemy. When all his comrades were dead or wounded he snatched up a Bren gun and made a solitary charge across 30 yards of open ground to take a Japanese machine gun which he then used to give covering fire that save a large number of Britsih lives, including that of Major James Lumley, whose actress daughter Joanna is now one of the staunchest campaigners for the Gurkha cause. (extracted from the Independant)

So to my fellow brits i say - these are our closest friends.............please please support them.

i agree..

Gurkhas who retired from the British Army after 1997 can automatically stay in the UK, but those who retired earlier must apply, and many have been refused and face deportation. Pension rights for years served by Gurkhas before 1997 count at only around a quarter of the level of years served after that time.


the goverment are looking into changing the laws as we speak.....apparently


peace

Good one peter, even being from same country, i didn't have some of knowlege about the facts. Good for them if they are allowed to stay here, i think they deserve it.

I signed the petition a few weeks back Pete... I really hope it can help them.

An absolute quality post peter well done and well said. this country has a history of letting people in and all they want to do is take,take and give nothing back but the GURKHAS as you said have been fighting for us for years (often they ARE our frontline)and for them to have to even ASK to be let in is nothing short of disgraceful!!!