Donate

Call us on 01962 842832

Monday to Saturday 10am - 5pm

Bangle with Leaf

Bangle with Leaf

Bangle with Leaf

£5.95

Split gold colour bangle with leaf design.

Fair trade, eco and ethical – Made in India

Gurkhas and the Battle of Aubers Ridge – 8th/9th

Gurkhas and the Battle of Aubers Ridge – 8th/9th May 1915

In March 1915 a major Allied offensive around the area of Neuve-Chappelle in France had made some gains but failed to capture the objective of Aubers Ridge, a heavily fortified area of high ground which gave the Germans the advantage of shelter from British Artillery and a view of British movement. To follow up this attack, an assault on Aubers Ridge was scheduled for the 8th/9th of May 1915. It was to be undertaken by the British 4th Corps, the Indian Corps and the British 1st Corps between Richebourg l’Avoue and Fromelles. The primary purpose of this action was to pin down German reserves during a large-scale operation being carried out by the French, to the south. The 2nd Battalions of 2nd, 3rd and 8th Gurkha Rifles (2/2 GR, 2/3GR, 2/8GR) and 1st Battalion of 9th Gurkha Rifles (1/9GR) were all involved. 1st/9th moved forward early on the morning of May 9th but were recalled due to heavy casualties faced by advancing forces ahead of them, and 2nd/2nd received heavy casualties during their attack. The allied attack fell short of its objectives but was renewed on May 15th as the Battle of Festubert.

Victory in Europe Day – May 8th 1945. On the 8

Victory in Europe Day – May 8th 1945.

On the 8th of May 1945 the unconditional surrender of Axis forces in Europe was accepted by the Allies, marking the end of hostilities in that theatre. Though not present in the northern theatre of Europe during the Second World War, the Allied 8th Army had relentlessly marched north, from Africa through Italy and towards the underbelly of Germany, all the while facing determined resistance at strongpoints like Medicina and Monte Cassino, forcing the surrender of the German forces in Italy on 2nd May 1945. The 8th Army’s 4th Indian Division, containing thousands of Gurkha troops, had been part of the campaign for almost the entirety of the war and faced some of the harshest fighting seen in Europe. Two Victoria Crosses were awarded to Gurkhas in Italy, both posthumously, to Riflemen Sherbahadur Thapa and Thamang Gurung, in September and November 1944. #VEDay #VEday2021

The 3rd Anglo-Afghan War. Gurkhas have fought in

The 3rd Anglo-Afghan War.

Gurkhas have fought in every British conflict in Afghanistan including the 3rd Anglo-Afghan War of 1919. In 1919 the Emir of Afghanistan, Habibullah Khan, a pragmatic ruler who had steered Afghanistan clear of involvement in the First World War, was assassinated and replaced by his son Amanullah. Suspected of complicity in his father’s death, needing to cement his rule and convinced that much of the world, including Britain and India, was exhausted by the four brutal years of conflict during the First World War, Amanullah decided to launch an invasion of India. This he did, on May 6th 1919, marching to India via the Khyber Pass. Though the Afghan army had some initial successes, Britain immediately fought back, sending large numbers of British Indian troops, as well as (for the first time) aircraft, in the form of squadrons from the fledgling RAF. These forces launched a counter-attack on May 11th and quickly pushed the Afghan troops back. Two battalions of the newly-raised 11th Gurkha Rifles led bayonet charges in what is known as the 2nd Battle of Bagh. British forces advanced into Afghanistan and by June 3rd an armistice was signed. Units from all 11 Gurkha regiments took part in the war, and it was the highlight of 11th Gurkha Rifles’ brief existence, as the regiment would be disbanded shortly thereafter.

Gurkhas and the Tunis Battle Honour. In early 19

Gurkhas and the Tunis Battle Honour.

In early 1943 Allied forces in North Africa, recovered from their defeats at Tobruk the previous year, managed to blunt an assault by the new Axis commander Hans-Jurgen Von Arnim (who had replaced Field Marshal Erwin Rommel earlier in the year). After months of back and forth fighting, the Allies got the better of Axis forces and by April 30th were moving in huge numbers and preparing for a thrust towards the city of Tunis. On May 5th the attack began with the 1st Battalion of 9th Gurkha Rifles leading the 5th Brigade of the 4th Indian Division. Previously unprecedented levels of artillery had been brought up to support the attack and by 4:40am on the morning of the 6th the enemy line began to break under the force of combined air, artillery, armour and infantry assaults. After suffering only 137 casualties, the 4th Indian Division had successfully cracked the enemy line allowing allied armour to storm through to reach Tunis. On May 12th General Von Arnim was discovered in his headquarters by Lieut.-Colonel Showers and Rifleman Sargahna Limbu of 1st Battalion, 2nd Gurkha Rifles and, along with over 1,000 German soldiers, fallen in for surrender. At the time, Arnim was the second most senior Nazi prisoner.

The Battle Honour ‘Tunis’ was designated to serve for this final section of the North African campaign. #gurkhas #gurkhaherritage #onthisdayinhistory

Stick the date in your diary because two weeks fro

Stick the date in your diary because two weeks from now we'll be open! To celebrate we are offering FREE entry to everyone all week, starting Monday 17th May. See you then! #visitwinchester #thingstodohampshire #gurkhas #gurkhahistory #museumshampshire

10th Princess Mary’s Own Gurkha Rifles Regimenta

10th Princess Mary’s Own Gurkha Rifles Regimental Birthday.

The 10th Princess Mary’s Own Gurkha Rifles, an antecedent regiment to today’s Royal Gurkha Rifles, has its origins in the Kubo Valley Military Police Battalion and the 10th Madras Infantry. The Kubo Valley Military Police Battalion had been formed in May 1887 and based in Burma, and the 10th Madras was one of the oldest units of the Indian Army, raised at Vellore in 1766. On May 1st 1890 these two units were merged into the 1st Burma Rifles, a unit of the Indian army but specifically for service in Burma, which had then only recently been folded into the British Empire. It was converted subsequently into a regiment manned solely by Gurkha soldiers, but retained some of the insignia (including the image of an elephant surmounted by a fortress) and regimental plate of the 10th Madras Infantry. The regiment had little time to adapt to its new situation before seeing its first service, in the Shan States of Burma in January of 1891.
#gurkhas #gurkhaheritage #onthisday

© The Gurkha Museum Trust Winchester - Registered Charity Number 1169920 (formerly 272426)