Gurkhas

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Summary: Gurkhas
Review: I really liked it. It is not easy to find books on this topic, grab them when you get the chance.

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Summary: A history of honor, valor and integrity.
Review: In the history of human conflict, people have often fought simply for their pay and the love of a good fight. However, mercenary troops are generally of dubious quality, in that while they often fight with a great deal of ferocity, their loyalty to their employer is generally suspect. That is not the case for the Gurkhas, sturdy mountain men from Nepal, who have served in the forces of the British Empire for two centuries. Considered by many observers to be the best infantry units ever fielded, they exhibited a loyalty to the Empire that exceeded that of the British themselves. After British power in India collapsed and the carnage of religious strife began, the Gurkha units left in India were the only ones who could be counted on to keep the peace without taking sides.
This book is their story, of how they first came to be recruited to serve under the Union Jack, and a list of their many heroic exploits. You cannot help but be awed by their achievements in battle, where individual achievements often helped turn the tide of battles. Whole Argentine units deployed in the Falklands either surrendered or fled when they learned that they were about to be attacked by a unit of these extraordinary troops.
The history of human conflict is replete with tales of atrocities committed by troops of foreign extraction. In this book, you learn of soldiers who fought fiercely, giving their enemy no quarter while the battle raged. And yet, after two centuries of being engaged in battles all over the world, there are almost no instances of Gurkha troops injuring or killing a civilian, or engaging in any other unnecessary act of destruction. The old adage of "rape, pillage and burn" does not apply to these people, and this is the history of their valor, strength, courage and moral integrity. One of the most uplifting military histories that I have ever read.

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Summary: Fine account of these brave soldiers.
Review: The rousing history of the Ghurkas & their wonderful achievements are meat & drink for an author like Farwell & he certainly doesn't disappoint here. Good mix of general military history together with plenty of first hand, personal accounts of Ghurka bravery & quirkiness. These are a special people & this is a fascinating story of how their 200+ years of loyal service to the British Crown's Armed Forces came about &, sadly, ended on pretty poor terms. Recommended!

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Summary: Third Person narration fails to impress
Review: There are two kinds of books on history - one which relies on the author's own understanding of the subject and another that is acquired from another person's. This book unfortunately is of the latter.

While a young schoolkid growing up near the major Indian military base at Siliguri in Bengal, I had watched these slant eyed men with awe. They were indeed the best turned out soldiers with their slant hats, cross belts and the deadly "khukri"(hand knife)hanging by their side. I have ever since tried to read every book on this subject that I could get my hands on.

Mr Farwell looks at the Gurkha from a purely British perspective. At the end he is still a glorified mercernary to the British. It is as if the Gurkha's soldierly qualities started and ended with British rule in India. He is no doubt led to that opinion by former British Indian officers he interviewed for this book(who share a dim opinion along with the author of other Indian soldiers).

What the author does not mention is that Gurkhas were first used as mercernaries not by the British but Maharaja Ranjit Singh of the Punjab. Even their uniforms coopted by the British was designed by a member of his court. Gurkhas had the opportunity to eschew their mercernary ways when India evicted the British in 1947 and invited them to join the Indian army.Large numbers today serve that army with distinction and pride. Unlike the British, the Indians have treated them on par with other citizens. The British ostensibly claim that they pay Gurkhas less(a fifth or less of other British troops)so as not to disrupt Nepali social life. Also, they are free to settle in India and indeed large numbers of them have.

As for his claim of Indian troops not being impartial during the independence riots, it is a clear case of poor leadership. British officers left in great haste and as they trained very few Indians to replace them, men often found themselves confused as their country was breaking up around them. The British were so jealous of their Gurkhas that they even invented a reason to keep Indian officers out - some so called treaty with the king of Nepal. There are some juicy snippets of the British officers sleeping with their men( good reason for keeping the Indians out!!)

For those of you wanting to learn about the Gurkhas , John Masters' Bugles and a Tiger would be a wonderful source. Mr. Byron Farwell quotes him extensively in his book but misses his message.

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Summary: Inspiring and Educational
Review: This book was well written and very informative in all areas pertaining to those durable soldiers, the Gurkhas. I couldn't put it down and was so enthralled with it that I had to take off from a day of work to finish it. This book has taught me of a warrior tradition I only knew from conversations. It has inspired me to find out more and more of this story. A must read for any military enthusiast

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Summary: "Ayo Gurkhali!" The Gurkhas are Coming!
Review: This is another splendid book by Farwell. Over the years he has written many books chronicling the life of the British soldier and his many gallent campaigns in the days when the sun never set on the Union Jack. The Gurkhas have established themselves as one of the world's elite fighting forces, and justly so. Farwell does a nice job telling their story from their beginnings in 1815 when the British first encountered these redoubtable hillmen as enemies. Over the decades they steadily gained the trust and respect of all who commanded them in India. Their exploits during the Indian Mutiny of 1857 firmly endeared their trust to the British who were justly weary of the loyalty of any native troops after the attrocities committed by seapoys in that rebellion.

The Gurkhas identified themselves as Rifles, or Light Infantry and assumed many of the traditions of the Rifle Brigade and Royal Green Jackets. This includes the fast 140 pace, the green hued uniforms, the use of bugles and the like. This is also seen in the style of performance in the band of the Brigade of Gurkhas who perform in their own unique style at Tattoos with fast paced marching and music. Past association with Scottish regiments resulted in another carry over tradition, the inclusion of pipes in all regimental music. Again, the Gurkhas have developed their own keen style of piping, including many traditional Napalese tunes as well as Scots pipe music. Too bad Farwell did not touch a little more on these interesting traditions which make the Gurkhas quite unique.

Sadly in todays much reduced British army all of the Gurkha regiments have been reduced to one, the Royal Gurkha Rifles, with a paltry two battalions. Farwell's book is as much social history as well as military anedotes. This is a standard feature of many of his works. Since the book was written back in the 1980s it does not reflect any of the recent conflicts and peace keeping missions which the Gurkhas have been involved with, nor their current force reductions. Still an entertaining and informative book nonetheless.

Rating:
Summary: "Ayo Gurkhali!" The Gurkhas are Coming!
Review: This is another splendid book by Farwell. Over the years he has written many books chronicling the life of the British soldier and his many gallent campaigns in the days when the sun never set on the Union Jack. The Gurkhas have established themselves as one of the world's elite fighting forces, and justly so. Farwell does a nice job telling their story from their beginnings in 1815 when the British first encountered these redoubtable hillmen as enemies. Over the decades they steadily gained the trust and respect of all who commanded them in India. Their exploits during the Indian Mutiny of 1857 firmly endeared their trust to the British who were justly weary of the loyalty of any native troops after the attrocities committed by seapoys in that rebellion.

The Gurkhas identified themselves as Rifles, or Light Infantry and assumed many of the traditions of the Rifle Brigade and Royal Green Jackets. This includes the fast 140 pace, the green hued uniforms, the use of bugles and the like. This is also seen in the style of performance in the band of the Brigade of Gurkhas who perform in their own unique style at Tattoos with fast paced marching and music. Past association with Scottish regiments resulted in another carry over tradition, the inclusion of pipes in all regimental music. Again, the Gurkhas have developed their own keen style of piping, including many traditional Napalese tunes as well as Scots pipe music. Too bad Farwell did not touch a little more on these interesting traditions which make the Gurkhas quite unique.

Sadly in todays much reduced British army all of the Gurkha regiments have been reduced to one, the Royal Gurkha Rifles, with a paltry two battalions. Farwell's book is as much social history as well as military anedotes. This is a standard feature of many of his works. Since the book was written back in the 1980s it does not reflect any of the recent conflicts and peace keeping missions which the Gurkhas have been involved with, nor their current force reductions. Still an entertaining and informative book nonetheless.