On Friday the 8th February 2019, 400 new Gurkha recruits took to the parade ground in Pokhara, Nepal for their Attestation parade and the start of their journey as Gurkhas in the British Army.
Many hundreds of family and friends gather by a rain soaked parade area at the Barracks in Pokhara to watch their young men proudly stand to attention and take the oath of allegiance to Her Majesty The Queen.
The inspecting officer was Major General DF Capps CBE (General Officer Commanding Regional Command. He welcomed the new soldiers to the British Army and stated; “Today is a proud day and one which you shall long remember”. I am honoured to be here today in Pokhara to take your attestation parade, and to witness your oath of allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second”.
This important occasion marks the start of your new careers as soldiers of the Brigade of Gurkhas within the British Army. I know that the last months of selection have been hard and that the competition has been intense. But you have been successful. You have shown yourselves to be fit and worthy to be selected for the Brigade of Gurkhas. You have shown yourselves ready to be called a Gurkha. Tulo sha-bash!”
Recruit Intake 2019 have now travelled to the UK and arrived at the Infantry Training Centre Catterick where they will undertake 9 months of training before joining there assigned units in the Brigade in mid-November 2019.
