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| Britain | |
| Gurkhas win UK citizenship rights | |
| 2004-09-30 | |
| Gurkhas who have served in the British Army are to be allowed to apply to settle in the UK and gain British citizenship. About time The announcement made by Tony Blair follows a government review and a campaign by the Nepalese soldiers. The Prime Minister said the Gurkhas had made an "enormous contribution" and it was important that their commitment and sacrifice were recognised. yes it's very important Gurkhas have fought as part of the British Army for almost 200 years. They have fought well indeed
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| Posted by:Sock Pupet of Doom |
| #15 Think about what it says about the British Army in that they beat these guys with FRIGGING FLINTLOCK WEAPONRY back in the early 19th century! |
| Posted by: Ernest Brown 2004-09-30 8:59:42 PM |
| #14 Yep. Only thing easier would have been for the MOD to keep say 4 DAMN PHANTOMS there and save a lot of money. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-09-30 7:17:57 PM |
| #13 Gurkha's were with the British expedition to retake the Falklands. If the stupid Argentinians had thought this over, they could have surrendered up front, and saved everyone a lot of trouble. |
| Posted by: Weird Al 2004-09-30 5:25:37 PM |
| #12 From the above: A true story told by General Sir (later Field Marshal Viscount) W J Slim. âEarly in his command of 14th Army he encouraged constant patrolling by all forward units. One Gurkha patrol on return presented themselves before their General, proudly opened a large basket, lifted from it three gory Japanese heads, and laid them on his table. They then politely offered him for his dinner the freshly caught fish which filled the rest of the basket.â |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2004-09-30 3:24:26 PM |
| #11 Great website Howard. Over here in the colonies we extended citizenship to everyone that serves in the Armed Forces. Good going Tony! |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2004-09-30 2:25:43 PM |
| #10 http://www.army.mod.uk/brigade_of_gurkhas/ |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2004-09-30 1:39:05 PM |
| #9 One of my law school classmates is a Gurkha--member of the Gurkha tribe, that is; he's never been in the military. Nicest guy in the world; very pleasant, generous, two cute kids--but give him and his homies orders to take a ridge line, and brother, look out. |
| Posted by: Mike 2004-09-30 12:57:39 PM |
| #8 Kewl... I think I'll get one for my daughter, the Marine. She likes knives, and always has a couple of them on her person, or within reach. |
| Posted by: Sgt. Mom 2004-09-30 12:55:03 PM |
| #7 The kukri... their weapon of choice. |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2004-09-30 12:11:03 PM |
| #6 George McDonald Fraser mentioned in "Quartered Safe Out Here" about seeing a unit of Gurkhas charging a small wood where the Japanese were dug in--- they charged it at a dead run, screaming like banshees, and just before they reached the edge of the wood, half of them flung away their rifles and went on with their knives, only!!!. (The Gurkha knives are about the size of a machete.) I noticed posters appealing for aid to the Gurkha veterans when I was first in England in 1970, the first time I had ever even heard of them. |
| Posted by: Sgt. Mom 2004-09-30 11:27:45 AM |
| #5 I believe even France confers citizenship upon the men who sign up for the French Foreign Legion. that's an incentive?? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-09-30 10:58:01 AM |
| #4 As far as I'm concerned, anyone who serves in a country's military ought to be eligible for citizenship. I believe even France confers citizenship upon the men who sign up for the French Foreign Legion. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2004-09-30 10:49:05 AM |
| #3 Blair's wife is a leading advocate for the Gurkhas, and has led the battle to get them pensions. |
| Posted by: Chuck Simmins 2004-09-30 10:48:05 AM |
| #2 Long time disgrace - in the days of Empire they were the only dark skinned soldiers to be treated as equals on the battlefield. A disgrace they weren't treated as equals off it. Damned good show! Know what you mean - I wish I could replace the local Somali/ Nigerian population with Nepalese. |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2004-09-30 9:21:50 AM |
| #1 Whether fact or legend I'm fond of this Ghurka story: it seems Lord Mountbatten stood before a group of Ghurka during WWII and announced that they would do battle with the Imperial Japanese after jumping from airplanes. They would fly at something over 2000 feet and jump. The senior Ghurka stepped forward and asked it it would be possible to jump from 1000 feet since more men might survive â THAT is dedication. The men knew no fear â sure they may not have understood âmodern warfareâ and the parachute but by God they were there to serve. Good on them! |
| Posted by: Anonymous6700 2004-09-30 9:18:08 AM |