Gurkhas: 2015
GURKHA: 25 YEARS OF THE ROYAL GURKHA RIFLES
THE LEGACY - THE ORIGINAL GURKHA ACTION ADVENTURE THRILLER!
QUOTES ABOUT GURKHAS
A SELECTION OF GURKHA quotes
When her brother is killed in a diving accident, journalist Amélie Lagarde asks ex-Gurkha Harry Parker to help her investigate. Together they get drawn into a desperate battle between an ambitious Prime Minister, the intelligence services and an ex-Taliban commander, now the world’s most wanted terrorist, leaving them with no choice but to gather a small team of Gurkhas and take matters into their own hands. And yes, the kukri gets a mention!
'Fast paced and action-packed from the start...well worth getting hold of.’ Soldier Magazine (the magazine of the British Army)
'Breathtaking read. Couldn't put it down! A real page turner. Had me on the edge of my seat throughout.' Amazon reader review
BOOKS ABOUT GURKHAS - WHAT MY RESEARCH LEADS TO!
a NEW BEST-SELLING gurkha action adventure thriller!
The Royal Gurkha Rifles (RGR) was formed on 1 July 1994 when the existing Gurkha regiments amalgamated to form a single Gurkha regiment of three battalions. Although the RGR has only existed for 25 years, it carries the traditions and history of its antecedent Gurkha regiments and has already established itself as a formidable fighting force. With a Foreword by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, the book provides a visual history of this elite unit.
'[A] fine study...Maj-Gen Lawrence, the third of the (so far) four honorary colonels, tells the story of the new regiment’s first 25 years and packs it with illustrations.' Country Life
'...this lavishly illustrated history makes engrossing reading...a very proud story expertly told.' Pennant, The Journal of the Forces Pension Society,
Gurkhas: 1815
Gurkhas: 1857
Quotes About Gurkhas
When I'm researching for my books (both the historical ones and the action adventure thrillers), I occasionally come across quotes about Gurkhas that I think are worth capturing. I continue to add to the list on this page in the hope that it provides a useful starting point for anyone wanting some pithy quotes about Britain's Gurkhas. For those interested in finding out more about Gurkhas generally, the 'Gurkha History' page - see the tabs above - provides an updated summary of their 200+ years of service to the British Crown. The details of my latest Gurkha history - which has lots of quotes are at the bottom of this page!
"Bravest of the brave, most generous of the generous, never had a country more faithful friends than you."
Professor Sir Ralph Turner MC, ex-3rd Gurkha Rifles
"If a man says he is not afraid of dying, he is either lying or is a Gurkha."
Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, Indian Chief of Army Staff (8 June 1969 - 15 January 1973)
"The nastiest part about parachuting is landing, and in this, with his compact light body and strong hill legs, he has a distinct advantage over most other races. For this reason I would say that, along with the Jap who is similarly built, he is probably the best natural parachutist in the world."
Lieutenant Colonel F J Loftus-Tottenham, 'Walkabouts and Laughabouts in the Raj' (Undated)
"I have never seen 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, for we were so near that every shot told."
Ensign John Shipp describing the Battle of Makwanpur, February 1816
"I must pause in this narrative especially to notice the determined hardihood and bravery with which our two Battalions of Ghoorkhas, The Sirmoor and Nusseeree, met the Sikhs, wherever they were opposed to them. Soldiers of small stature but indomitable spirit they vied in ardent courage with The Grenadiers of our own nation, and, armed with the short weapons of their mountains, were a terror to the Sikhs throughout this great combat."
General Sir Hugh Gough, dispatch after the Battle of Sobraon, 1846
"The Gurkhas were merry little chaps and the only native troops with whom British soldiers were friendly enough for joking and playing tricks."
Frank Richards, 'Old-Soldier Saheb' (1936)
"The Gurkha is a soldier of high battle-skill, a world-famed fighting man and respected in every country where men fought alongside us in the last war."
Lieutenant General Sir Francis Tuker, 'While Memory Serves' (1950)
"The Gurkha keeps faith not only with his fellow men but with great spiritual concepts, and above all, with himself."
John Masters, 'Bugles and a Tiger' (1956)
"To serve with a Gurkha soldier under the British Crown was, and is, a rare privilege which nobody who has shared it can ever forget."
Colonel B R Mullalay, 'Bugle and Kukri' (1957)
"The Almighty created in the Gurkhas an ideal infantryman, indeed an ideal Rifleman, brave, tough, patient, adaptable, skilled in field-craft, intensely proud of his military record and unswerving loyalty."
Field Marshal Viscount Slim, 'Unofficial History' (1959) - follow this link to find out more about the legendary Gurkha general who commanded in Burma
"It was easy to command such people. It was a privilege to be allowed to do so."
Patrick Davis, 'A Child at Arms' (1970)
"Hearing a British Gurkha officer discuss his profession was something like hearing a priest discuss his vocation."
Byron Farwell, 'The Gurkhas' (1984)
Gurkhas: 1914 - 1918
Decorated for bravery but now tired of violence, Gurkha veteran Harry Parker has settled in Nepal, seeking a quieter life. But a chance encounter with a beautiful academic soon shatters the tranquillity he craves and launches him on a high-stakes adventure to unravel a deadly conspiracy with the City of London at its heart.
'Think dogs of war and Bourne Series.' Michael Jecks, best-selling author and critic
'...a hard-to-put-down adventure that contains just the right mix of mystery, romance and intrigue. Verdict: This absorbing yarn should appeal to all tastes.' Soldier Magazine (the magazine of the British Army), September 2015
'A first-class debut novel...the plot is pacey, imaginative and intricate, with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing as to what might happen next.' Goodreads Review