Duty amid disaster: Nepal floods weigh heavily on Gurkhas as they pass out at Catterick
Three hundred and twenty Nepali recruits have completed Phase 1 and 2 infantry training – officially becoming professional Gurkhas.
The soldiers who passed out at ITC Catterick earned their places in the British Army from an initial pool of more than 13,000 applicants.
But their achievement comes against a backdrop of personal tragedy.
In August, catastrophic floods and landslides struck Nepal, directly impacting the families and villages of some of the recruits.
It gave the parade added significance and made the achievements of the young Gurkhas all the more remarkable.
Nine long months
This year's intake of recruits to the Brigade of Gurkhas arrived from Nepal in February. BFBS Forces News was there as the men landed at Manchester Airport before crossing the Pennines to the Infantry Training Centre, Catterick – their home for the next nine months.
Unlike non-Gurkha recruit training, Nepali soldiers undergo additional courses to learn English and understand British cultural life. That included trips to places like London and Whitby, where some of the recruits experienced the seaside for the first time.
BFBS Forces News also joined the recruits at various stages of their infantry training. This included an early-stage fieldcraft exercise, an advanced urban warfare exercise and one of their final tests in the field – the infamous Defence Ex, which sees recruits digging trenches for days on end.
Another key moment came when the recruits learned which unit within the Brigade of Gurkhas they had been selected for, with many securing positions in one of the two Royal Gurkha Rifles battalions.
Nepal floods
Since then, the men have been focused on reaching the end of training and joining their new units.
But it was during this final stretch that Nepal was hit by the worst floods and landslides in generations – a disaster that brought widespread devastation, weighing heavily on the young men training in North Yorkshire.
Yet the Gurkhas are nothing if not a brotherhood.
During this difficult period, the recruits pushed through training, closely supported by their corporals and permanent staff. While remaining focused on the task at hand, the recruits and training staff raised thousands of pounds for domestic disaster relief efforts.
A proud day
Some of the new Gurkhas spoke moments after the passing out parade concluded. One of the soldiers, Private Roshan Thapa, who is joining the Gurkha Staff and Personnel Support (GSPS) branch of the Adjutant General's Corps, said the day had been one of the most significant of his life.
"I'm feeling very happy and proud," he said. "This day will be the most memorable day of my life."
They were sentiments echoed by others, including Private Kabin Phagami, who is also joining the GSPS.
"I feel absolutely amazing. I'm really proud to be a part of the Gurkhas," he told me.
"The training was really hard and tough, but at the end of all the sacrifices I made, I'm standing here and I'm proud of what I did."
Top general leads parade
The passing out parade was led by one of the Army's top generals, Lieutenant General Zac Stenning, Commander Land Forces.
He told the soldiers they had joined the Gurkhas at a pivotal time, and that their service would be vital in an increasingly volatile world.
The 320 new Gurkhas will now take well-earned leave over the coming weeks before joining their battalions or embarking on trade-specific training across the UK.
Selection for next year's intake of Gurkhas is already underway in Nepal.
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