Editing Brigade of Gurkhas (section)

== History ==
{{anchor | History }}
{{See also | British Indian Army | Gorkha_regiments_(India) | l2=  Gurkha regiments history | Royal_Gurkha_Rifles#History | l3 = Royal Gurkha Rifles history | Gurkhas }}

During the [[the Gurkha War|war in Nepal]] in 1814, in which the British failed to annex [[Nepal]] into the Empire, Army officers were shocked by the tenacity of the Gurkha soldiers and encouraged them to volunteer for the [[Honourable East India Company|East India Company]]. Gurkhas served as troops of the Company in the [[Pindaree War]] of 1817, in [[Bharatpur, Nepal]] in 1826, and the [[First Anglo-Sikh War|First]] and [[Second Anglo-Sikh War|Second]] Sikh Wars in 1846 and 1848. During the [[Indian Rebellion of 1857|Sepoy Mutiny]] in 1857, the Gurkha [[regiment]]s remained loyal to the British, and became part of the [[British Indian Army]] on its formation. The [[2nd Gurkha Rifles]] (The Sirmoor Rifles) and the [[Royal Green Jackets|60th Rifles]] famously defended [[Raja Hindu Rao|Hindu Rao]]'s house.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/nepal/1339272/Artist-captures-key-moment-of-Gurkha-loyalty.html|title=Artist captures key moment of Gurkha loyalty|publisher=The Telegraph|date=2 September 2001|access-date=16 May 2014}}</ref>

[[File:Imphalgurkhas.jpg|thumb|right|Gurkhas advancing with [[tank]]s to clear the [[Empire of Japan|Japanese]] from the Imphal–Kohima road]]

During the [[Malayan Emergency]] in the late 1940s, Gurkhas fought as jungle soldiers as they had done in [[Burma]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.colonialfilm.org.uk/node/3278|title=Operations by 1st Battalion 6th Gurkha Rifles during the Malayan Emergency|access-date=16 May 2014}}</ref> The Training Depot Brigade of Gurkhas was established on 15 August 1951 at [[Sungai Petani]], [[Kedah]], [[Federation of Malaya|Malaya]].<ref name=scmp/> After the conflict ended, the Gurkhas were transferred to [[Hong Kong]], where they carried out security duties.<ref name=scmp>{{cite web|url=http://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/1458561/nepalese-community-hong-kong-looks-preserve-gurkha-legacy|title=The Nepalese community in Hong Kong looks to preserve Gurkha legacy|date=28 March 2014 |publisher=Lifestyle|access-date=16 May 2014}}</ref> The troops patrolled the border checking for illegal immigrants entering the territory, most crucially during the turbulence of the [[Cultural Revolution]]. They were deployed to contain crowds during the [[Hong Kong 1966 riots|Star Ferry riots of 1966]].

After Indian independence and [[Partition of India|partition]] in 1947, under the [[Britain-India-Nepal Tripartite Agreement|Tripartite Agreement]], six Gurkha regiments joined the post-independence [[Indian Army]]. Four Gurkha regiments, the [[2nd Gurkha Rifles|2nd]], [[6th Gurkha Rifles|6th]], [[7th Gurkha Rifles|7th]], and [[10th Gurkha Rifles]], joined the British Army on 1 January 1948.<ref name=research>{{cite web|url=http://www.thegurkhamuseum.co.uk/Research/16|title=The Gurkha Museum Winchester|access-date=15 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141216154247/http://www.thegurkhamuseum.co.uk/Research/16|archive-date=2014-12-16|url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles)|1st/2nd Gurkha Rifles]] was deployed to [[Brunei]] at the outbreak of the [[Brunei Revolt]] in 1962.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80019433|title=British officer served with 1/2nd Gurkha Rifles in Brunei Rebellion, 1962–1963|publisher=Imperial War Museum|access-date=16 May 2014}}</ref> In 1974 [[Turkish invasion of Cyprus|Turkey invaded Cyprus]] and the 10th Gurkha Rifles was sent to defend the British sovereign base area of [[Dhekelia Cantonment|Dhekelia]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.10gr.com/html/History.htm|title=A short history of the 10th Princess Mary's own Gurkha Rifles|access-date=16 May 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517114320/http://www.10gr.com/html/History.htm|archive-date=17 May 2014}}</ref> In 1982, during the [[Falklands War]], the 7th Gurkha Rifles formed part of 5 Infantry Brigade and was responsible for capturing Mount William shortly before the Argentinian surrender.<ref>{{cite book |last=Middlebrook |first=Martin |title=The Falklands War |year=2012 |location=Barnsley, UK |publisher=Pen & Sword Military |pages=374-375|isbn=978-1-84884-636-4}}</ref>

On 1 July 1994, the four rifle regiments were merged into one, the [[Royal Gurkha Rifles]], and the three corps regiments (the Gurkha Military Police having been disbanded in 1965) were reduced to [[Squadron (army)|squadron]] strength. On 1 July 1997, the British government [[handover of Hong Kong|Handover of Hong Kong Sovereignty]] to the [[People's Republic of China]], which led to the elimination of the local British garrison. Gurkha HQ and recruit training were moved to the UK.<ref name=scmp/> The Royal Gurkha Rifles took part in operations in [[Kosovo]] in 1999, in [[UN peacekeeping operations]] in [[East Timor]] in 2000 and in [[Sierra Leone]] later that year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rgrra.com/index.php/history|title=The Royal Gurkha Rifles: Regimental History|access-date=16 May 2014|archive-date=27 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427015121/http://www.rgrra.com/index.php/history|url-status=usurped}}</ref>

[[File:Gurkhas exercise DM-SD-98-00170.jpg|thumb|right|Gurkhas undergoing an urban warfare exercise in the United States. Note the [[kukri]] on the webbing of the nearest soldier]]

In September 2008, the High Court in London ruled that the British Government must issue clear guidance on the criteria against which Gurkhas may be considered for settlement rights in the UK. On 21 May 2009, and following a lengthy [[Gurkha Justice Campaign|campaign by Gurkha veterans]], the British [[Home Secretary]], [[Jacqui Smith]], announced that all Gurkha veterans who had served four years or more in the British Army before 1997 would be allowed to settle in Britain.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8060607.stm|title= Gurkhas win right to settle in UK|work= BBC News|date= 21 May 2009|access-date= 24 May 2009}}</ref>