Gurkha engineers pass Fit-For-Role inspection ahead of taking up ceremonial duties
A squadron of Gurkha engineers formed up on the Wellington Barracks parade ground, stepping away from their usual role to undergo a Fit-For-Role inspection.
The soldiers from 69 Gurkha Field Squadron, supported by the Band and Bugles of the Rifles, were inspected by Brigade Major Lieutenant Colonel Charles Foinette and other senior members of Household Division to ensure they were ready to start conducting public duties in London and Windsor.
In front of a formidable inspecting party, the soldiers put everything they had learnt and rehearsed into practice.
During the inspection, the unit was scrutinised from head to toe to ensure excellence in bearing, discipline and uniform, ensuring they were ready to step onto the parade in front of the King's residences at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle.
They began with a replication of the King's Guard Mount and Dismount of Buckingham Palace forecourt procedure.
The Gurkhas demonstrated their drill steps and orders for all of their guard mounts as well as the Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London.
This was all while being watched by the inspecting party to ensure the accuracy and timings of each movement were up to the required high standards.
A bugler playing the Last Post supported their rehearsal of the Ceremony of the Keys.
There was also a kukri inspection – the national weapon of Nepal – along with their sheaths, which must be highly maintained for cleanliness and shine.
Following the inspection, the Brigade Major shared his thoughts with the inspection party before talking to the 69 Gurkha Fd Sqn soldiers and letting them know they had passed the inspection.
"It was very good," Lt Col Foinette told BFBS Forces News. "As with all of these things, there are always a few points you want to reiterate and reinforce.
"They did very well indeed and I'm extremely impressed with the obvious effort that has gone into preparing for this."
Seal of approval
Lt Col Foinette told BFBS Forces News how "enormously important" the Fit-For-Role inspection is for the squadron.
"For units that don't do this regularly, it's the culmination of a period of training and preparation that has seen them firstly learn the manoeuvres required for these parades, then practise them, increasing confidence to a point where they're ready to do it in public.
"This is essentially our final assurance both for them and for us to give it the seal of approval that they are ready to go."
Sapper Dik Prasad expressed how proud he was of his squadron on his first time going through an inspection.
"It went pretty well... it was a bit challenging but with a lot of practice we nailed it and I'm very proud of it," he said.
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