Major Dammarbahadur Shahi and the Brigade of Gurkhas Secretary, supported by John Anderson, Paddy Lewis and Brian O’Bree (all 6 GR), represented the Gurkha Brigade Association and the Brigade of Gurkhas at the 76th Annual Chattri Memorial Service in Brighton.
The Service honours the Indian and Gurkha soldiers who fought on the Western Front during the First World War. More than 12,000 wounded soldiers from the Indian Army were treated at hospitals across Brighton. Of these, 53 Hindu and Sikh soldiers who died of their wounds were taken to the Sussex Downs for cremation, with their ashes later scattered at sea. The Chattri Memorial was subsequently built on this site to mark their sacrifice.
“Chattri” means umbrella in Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu, reflected in the memorial’s distinctive pillars, dome and three granite slabs positioned over the original cremation platforms.
This year’s service was attended by over 500 members of the Sikh and Hindu communities, alongside representatives of the Armed Forces, local authorities, and the emergency services. Wreaths were laid in remembrance, with Major Dammarbahadur Shahi placing the wreath on behalf of the GBA and the Brigade of Gurkhas.
A particularly poignant moment came when the grandsons of Captain Ian Henderson and Jemedar Jahan Singh, now elderly men, jointly laid a wreath. Jemedar Jahan Singh had saved Captain Henderson’s life on the Western Front, but later died of his wounds in Brighton.
Nine Gurkha soldiers are commemorated at the Memorial
- Rifleman (Rfn) Gangu Burathoki – 1st KGO Gurkha Rifles
- Rfn Manjit Gurung – 2nd KEO Gurkha Rifles
- Rfn Tulsiram Sarki – 2nd KEO Gurkha Rifles
- Rfn Durgasing Thapa – 3rd QAO Gurkha Rifles
- Rfn Lal Bahadur Ghale – 8th Gurkha Rifles
- Rfn Mansing Gurung – 8th Gurkha Rifles
- Rfn Debibahadur Thapa – 9th Gurkha Rifles
- Rfn Ramparshad Thapa – 9th Gurkha Rifles
- Rfn Ranbahadur Sahi – 9th Gurkha Rifles
Following the service, guests attended a reception at the Brighton & Hove Albion Football Stadium, featuring displays from the Royal British Legion, the Imperial War Museum and local community organisations.
Photographs by Mrs Wendy Bandeira.
Find out more about the Chattri in Brighton