Borneo Confrontation: Recollections and reflections with Lieutenant Colonel JP Cross OBE

Online lecture | 11 August 2026

Join Lieutenant Colonel John Philip Cross OBE (JPX), one of the Gurkhas’ most distinguished and much-loved officers, as he shares his personal reflections on the Borneo Confrontation, sixty years after the conflict came to an end.

Offering a perspective unlike any other, JPX draws not only on his experiences commanding the Gurkha Independent Parachute Company during the clandestine cross-border operations into Indonesia, but also on a remarkable period beforehand when, as Commandant of the Border Scouts, he served for a year as Superintendent of the Sarawak Constabulary. This unique appointment exposed him to the political, policing and intelligence dimensions of the confrontation in ways few military officers ever experienced, providing insights far beyond those of conventional military command.

Drawing on more than eight decades of service with the Gurkhas, JPX recounts the realities of operations in the jungles of Borneo with the insight, wit and unmistakable storytelling that have made him one of the Gurkhas’ most respected officers.

Premiering online on 11 August, the 60th anniversary of the formal end of the Borneo Confrontation, this special lecture forms part of The Gurkha Museum Trust’s Borneo 60 commemorations, honouring the courage, resilience and enduring legacy of the Gurkhas.

1300hrs (UK – BST)
1745hrs (Nepal – NPT)
2000hrs (Brunei – BNT)

Through the eyes of an internationally acclaimed author, speaker, veteran and Gurkha officer, this is a rare opportunity to gain a deep understanding of a little-known conflict from someone whose experience spanned both its civil and military dimensions. Not to be missed.

A joining link will be supplied prior to the event.