Borneo – The secret war : Lecture by General Peter Duffell KCB CBE MC
You are warmly invited to join us at the newly refurbished home of Gurkha heritage on Friday 18 September 2026 for an important illustrated presentation recounting the story of a complex and largely secret campaign known as Confrontation—operations in which the Gurkha rifleman played a significant and courageous role.
Lieutenant General Sir Peter Duffell KCB CBE MC, Vice Patron of the Museum, will speak through the prism of his own experience to illuminate this often-forgotten but strategically vital campaign fought some sixty years ago. British, Gurkha and Commonwealth troops operated in the dark and hostile Borneo jungle against an increasingly belligerent Indonesia. Within the geopolitical context of Malaysia, General Peter will describe the political, logistical, climatic and terrain challenges, the human dimension, and the offensive operations inside Indonesia that brought the three-year campaign to a successful conclusion in 1966.
As a young Gurkha company commander, General Peter led secret and hazardous cross-border operations codenamed CLARET, earning the Military Cross. During the same campaign, Corporal Rambahadur Limbu was awarded the Victoria Cross, and many other gallantry awards were presented to Gurkha soldiers whose collective performance shaped the history of the conflict.
This compelling account from a highly respected speaker will be of major interest to everyone associated with the Brigade of Gurkhas and will strongly resonate with a wider audience.
About Lieutenant General Sir Peter Duffell
Commissioned into the 2nd Gurkha Rifles in 1960, General Peter’s military career took him from Malaya to Whitehall, Northern Ireland to Germany, and from Subaltern to Lieutenant General, with extensive campaigning in between.
As Major General commanding British Forces in Hong Kong (1989–1992), he served on the Territory’s Executive Council during a critical period in its history while simultaneously holding the appointment of Major General, The Brigade of Gurkhas. Promoted to Lieutenant General in 1992, he became the Army’s Inspector General, responsible for training policy, resources, execution, fighting doctrine and international relations. He was appointed the first Regimental Colonel of The Royal Gurkha Rifles upon its formation in 1994.
Since retiring from the Army in 1995, General Peter has worked strategically for an American company across New York, London, Beijing and Moscow. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and served for many years as a Trustee of the Foyle Foundation, supporting the Arts.
His book, Gurkha Odyssey – Campaigning for the Crown (Pen & Sword, 2019), is available from the Museum shop (www.TheGurkhaMuseum.co.uk/Product/Gurkha-Odyssey-Campaigning-For-The-Crown/).
A Unique Experience – The Wood Lecture
Timings
1730 hrs – Review of new Borneo display in the redeveloped public galleries
1830 hrs – Refreshments in the second-floor gallery
1900 hrs – Lecture
Reserve your place
Do not miss the opportunity to hear General Peter’s exceptional first-hand insights and commemorate sixty years since the Borneo Confrontation at the heart of Gurkha history itself.
