One of the British Army’s most demanding and prestigious military skills competitions, Exercise Cambrian Patrol 2026, takes place across the unforgiving terrain and challenging weather of the Brecon Beacons in Wales.
For The Band of The Brigade of Gurkhas, this year’s event marked a truly historic milestone.
For the first time, a military band from the British Armed Forces took on the challenge and quite possibly became the first military band anywhere in the world to do so.
Cambrian Patrol is internationally renowned as one of the toughest military patrol competitions, over approximately 65km in 48hrs. Teams are tested across a demanding range of military skills, including section attacks, river crossings, CBRN, battlefield casualty drills, reconnaissance patrols, IED awareness and mine clearance, alongside the ability to navigate, endure and operate effectively under intense physical and mental pressure, all whilst carrying loads of approximately 35-40 kg.
The Gurkha Band Cambrian Patrol Team was awarded the coveted silver medal. This was an immensely proud moment for the team. To prepare for and complete such a formidable challenge alongside an already exceptionally busy Band programme makes their achievement all the more remarkable. Competing in gruelling conditions, over demanding terrain and under immense physical and mental pressure, they demonstrated exceptional teamwork, discipline, determination, grit and guile.
The team consisted of:
- Sergeant Doran Gurung – Patrol Manager
- Corporal (Cpl) Kapil Mani Ghising – Patrol Commander
- Lance Corporal (LCpl) Sagar Pulami – Patrol 2IC
- Cpl Amar Magar
- LCpl Ashish Tamang
- LCpl Tul Tamang
- LCpl Sagar Rai
- Musician (Musn) Deksan Rai
- Musn Dolakh Tamang
- Musn Ananta Purja Pun – Reserve
