Funeral of fallen Gurkha Lance Corporal Gajbahadur Gurung

More than a thousand people have gathered in Aldershot for the funeral of a Gurkha soldier killed in Afghanistan. Lance Corporal Gajbahadur Gurung, from 1st Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, was on his third tour of Afghanistan when he was shot in January.

Gaj had joined the Gurkhas in 2004 and this was his third tour of Afghanistan. He had been on foot patrol in the Khar Nikah region of the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province working with the Afghan police. More than a thousand people gathered for his service, which took place at Princes Hall in Aldershot.

Fallen Gurkha's family mourn a "born leader of men"

The family and friends of a soldier described as a “born leader of men” stood quietly yesterday, 7th January, as they watched his body repatriated to the UK.

Lance Corporal Gajbahadur Gurung, from the Royal Gurkha Rifles serving with the 1st Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment, died after he received a fatal gunshot wound while on foot patrol in Afghanistan on 27th January.

The body of the 26-year-old was flown to RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where, following a private ceremony, the cortege left to travel to Oxford.

Read full story at the Yorkshire Post

Repatriation to UK of fallen Gurkha Gajbahadur Gurung

The Repatriation of Lance Corporal Gajbahadur Gurung of the Royal Gurkha Rifles from the 1st Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment will be on Tuesday 7th February 2012 at RAF Brize Norton.

The plane is due to land at 2:00pm and the cortege will pass by the Memorial Garden at 4:00pm, arriving at the John Radcliffe Hospital at around 5:00pm.

Norton Way will be closed from approx 1.00pm, whilst Station Road, Brize Norton, will be closed for approximately 10 minutes once the cortege leaves Britannia Gate at RAF Brize Norton.

There will be road closures in place at the Marston Ferry Road / Cherwell Drive Junction, Marston Road / Cherwell Drive Junction, and by the mini roundabout by the entrance to the John Radcliffe Hospital on Headley Way. Please expect severe delays in this area whilst these road closures are in operation.

Repatriation of fallen Gurkha - Rifleman Vijay Rai

The repatriation of Rifleman Vijay Rai from 2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles, who was killed in action in Helmand province on 15th October, will take place at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, on Thursday 27th October 2011.

The plane carrying his body is due to land at 2pm. The cortege will pass the memorial garden at 4.30pm, reaching the John Radcliffe hospital at 5.15pm. All timings are approximate.

We will update this posting if any of the above details change. 

About British repatriations

The sad, but proud, duty of receiving British fallen military personnel killed in action, transferred to RAF Brize Norton from RAF Lyneham on 1st September 2011.

The deceased are flown back on a C-17 of RAF Number 99 Squadron where members of their families are waiting at a new purpose built Repatriation Centre. Senior Military Representatives, including the Station Commander, will also be in attendance.

Gurkha Rifleman Vijay Rai

Rifleman Vijay Rai from 2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles was killed in action in Helmand province on 15th October 2011. His unit was protecting a checkpoint in Nahr-e-Saraj district when they were attacked by enemy forces. Rifleman Rai died from gunshot wounds.

Rifleman Rai was born in Bhojpur District, Deaurali, in the East of Nepal in August 1990. After passing the infamous Gurkha Selection, he joined the British Army in December 2008. He was posted to 2 RGR in Brunei when he finished his basic training.

On 14th October, his Company deployed with members of the Afghan Uniformed Police (AUP) and soldiers from the 1 RIFLES to a checkpoint in an area known to have a strong insurgent presence. Next day, Rifleman Rai was in position on the roof of the checkpoint when enemy forces attacked with small arms fire. Rifleman Rai was hit in the opening burst. He was given medical care on the ground and evacuated to Bastion hospital by helicopter but sadly he later died of his wounds.

Rifleman Vijay's family said: "Our family is shocked with the news of Vijay's death in Afghanistan on 15th October 2011. He was the youngest son. He followed his father's and brother's footsteps as his father and elder brother served as Indian Gurkhas and his middle brother is serving with Indian Gurkhas as a Sergeant. He rang his family a day before he was taken away from us.

"He was very proud to be a Gurkha, and died doing his chosen job. His father and family members are very proud of him."

Repatriation of Rifleman Vijay Rai will take place on Thursday 27th October 2011

British Gurkha, Suraj Gurung killed in action

Suraj Gurung

Rifleman Suraj Gurung from 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles was killed in Afghanistan on Saturday 2 October 2010.

Rifleman Suraj, serving as part of Combined Force Nahr-e Saraj (South), was killed during a follow-up foot patrol after an attack on his patrol base. He was caught in an explosion when a suicide bomber detonated himself and he was killed in action.

He died at the front of his platoon, leading the way as he had done for the previous six months.

British Gurkha killed in insurgent attack

Sapper Ishwor Gurung from 69 Gurkha Field Squadron, 21 Engineer Regiment, was killed in Afghanistan on Friday 13 August 2010.

On 13 August 2010, whilst constructing a new sangar to increase the protection and security of the soldiers at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Shahzad in south west Helmand province, Sapper Ishwor Gurung's Troop came under insurgent attack and he was caught in insurgent fire. Despite the best efforts of his Troop to save his life, Sapper Ishwor was killed in action.

British Officer, John Sanderson dies from wounds

Lt. John Sanderson

The Ministry of Defence confirms that Lieutenant John Charles Sanderson of 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment (Cheshire) [1 MERCIAN], attached to 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles Battle Group, died on Wednesday 11 August 2010.

Lt Sanderson was wounded in an explosion whilst on patrol in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province on 13 July 2010.

He was treated at the scene before being flown to the UK for further treatment.

On Wednesday 11 August 2010, surrounded by his family, he finally succumbed to his injuries.

Major James Bowman, Gurkha Rifles, killed

Major James Joshua Bowman, 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles, was killed along with two colleagues on 13 July 2010.

Major Josh Bowman was 34 years old and from Salisbury. He started his career in the British Army as a rifle platoon commander in B Company 1st Battalion The Light Infantry having commissioned from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1999. 

As a rifle platoon commander he deployed to Northern Ireland as part of the Rural Reinforcement Battalion. In Northern Ireland he operated from an isolated patrol base and for his outstanding performance throughout this tour he was awarded a General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland commendation. 

Following rifle platoon command he was posted as an instructor to the 3rd Battalion Infantry Training Centre in Catterick. He then returned to regimental duty in Paderborn, Germany, in the Armoured Infantry role as the Second in Command of D Company 1 Light Infantry. 

He deployed on Op TELIC 3 to Maysaan province, Iraq, before then taking command of the Mortar Platoon. 

It was following his Mortar Platoon appointment that Major Bowman began to broaden his horizons with numerous overseas postings. From August 2005 he completed a year in International Military Advisory Training Team (Freetown) Sierra Leone as the Operations Training Officer / Battalion Operations Advisor. 

In September 2006 he returned to the UK as an SO3 instructor in the Junior Officer Tactics Division to the Land Warfare Centre in Warminster. On completion of his two year appointment he had been selected for promotion to major. 

In August 2009 the Battalion conducted the Unit Move from Brunei to the UK and began the pre-deployment training for the Op HERRICK 12 deployment. 

His Gurkha soldiers developed a natural respect and affection for a leader who balanced the best traditions of a rifle regiment soldier with humanity and hospitality that found him at home in A (Delhi) Company.

Major Bowman had led his company through some of the toughest fighting experienced by the Battlegroup on Op HERRICK 12 thus far. 

He balanced the softer side of population centric counter insurgency with a genuine ability to motivate and lead his company onto the offensive when required. 

Read report of the three Gurkhas killed

Lt. Neal Turkington, Gurkha Rifles, killed

Lieutenant Neal Turkington, 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles, was killed along with two colleagues on 13 July 2010.

Lieutenant Neal Turkington was born in Craigavon in Northern Ireland and was soon to celebrate his 27th birthday. 

After graduating from Imperial College London he attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst from 2007. 

He commissioned into 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles in August 2008 and went on to successfully complete the Platoon Commanders' Battle Course in Brecon, South Wales. 

His first appointment at regimental duty took him to the jungles of Brunei where he quickly settled in at the helm of 2 Platoon within A (Delhi) Company.

Having settled in to regimental life in Brunei, Lieutenant Turkington continued his Gurkha education by attending the mandatory three months of language study in Pokhara, Western Nepal. 

A keen adventurer and traveller he found many similarities between the foothills of the Himalaya and the other parts of the world which he travelled to so frequently, notably South America. 

At the end of the language training he conducted a memorable trek through Nepal in support of the Gurkha Welfare Trust and perfected the art of speaking Nepali with an Irish accent.

On returning to Brunei Lieutenant Turkington turned his attention back to a profession that he showed a real zeal for. The demanding jungle of Brunei was the perfect environment for this passionate infanteer. 

He had the highest expectations of himself and his platoon, to whom he dedicated himself wholeheartedly. 

Lieutenant Turkington relished the intellectual challenges of infantry command as much as the physical. 

Ambitious for his platoon, he was constantly challenging accepted practices in order to improve himself and his team, a trait that bore real fruits in the initial three months in Afghanistan.

Lieutenant Turkington was in his element as a junior commander and leader in Afghanistan.

The time and effort that he had dedicated to his soldiers over the previous two years was paying dividends every day in the toughest of environments. 

Read report of the three Gurkhas killed

Gurkha Arjun Pun killed in action

Corporal Arjun Purja Pun, 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles, was killed along with two colleagues on 13 July 2010.

Corporal Arjun Purja Pun was 33 years old and was raised and recruited from Khibang village in the Magdi District in Nepal. 

He passed the notoriously gruelling Gurkha selection process and was enlisted into the British Army on 30 January 1995. 

His career was varied and successful and he was a hugely popular soldier wherever he served.

In 1998-99 he was a member of the Gurkha Reinforcement Company attached to B Company, 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment. 

Most recently, he was posted to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst where he supported the training of future Officers for the British Army and other national forces.

Corporal Arjun was in 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles based in Brunei at the time when they deployed on Op HERRICK 7 as the Reserve Battlegroup as part of Regional Command South based in Kandahar. 

He deployed on Op HERRICK 12 in early June 2010 as a battlefield casualty replacement. 

Read report of the three Gurkhas killed

British Gurkha Rifles lose three men

Major James Joshua Bowman, Lieutenant Neal Turkington and Corporal Arjun Purja Pun from 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles were killed in Afghanistan on Tuesday 13 July 2010.

L-R: Major James Bowman, Lt Neal Turkington, Cpl Arjun Pun

The three soldiers, serving as part of Combined Force Nahr-e Saraj (South), were killed in a suspected premeditated attack by a member of the Afghan National Army.

Secretary of State for Defence, Dr Liam Fox, said:

"The despicable and treacherous act which has taken the lives of these three brave men will not dent the resolve of the colleagues they leave behind.
"The efforts of 1st Battalion the Royal Gurkha Rifles have directly improved the security situation in the Nahr-e Saraj district; their bold acts have improved the lives of the Afghan people and their mission to partner and train the Afghan National Army is vital to our success.
"I extend my deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the servicemen killed in this atrocious attack, their sacrifice will not be forgotten."

Use following links to read about each man:

Major James Bowman

Lieutenant Neal Turkington

Corporal Arjun Purja Pun