After 37 weeks of intense military, education and cultural awareness training, 337 newly trained Gurkhas were on parade in Catterick for their pass out parade on the 8th of November 2024. A 100% pass success rate from those selected in Nepal in January this year.
Parading before senior guests, friends and family members, those on parade delivered an excellent parade, with the Trainees almost stretching across the whole of the very large parade square in Catterick.
This inspecting officer was Major General G M Strickland DSO MBE (Colonel Commandant Brigade of Gurkhas). The parade commander was Major James Hornby (The Royal Gurkha Rifles (RGR)), Second in Command was Captain Deepak Kumar Gurung (RGR) and the Company Sergeant Major was Warrant Officer Class Two Dipendra Rana (RBR).
In his address, Major General Strickland congratulated the newly trained Gurkhas, and stated the importance of being a highly professional soldier as their careers moved forward. They should all be proud of their success and he wished them well in the future.
The parade was supported by the Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas.
Prize Winners
Overall Champion Recruit – Trainee (T/Rfn) Rifleman Manoj Roka Magar (1 (Tigris) Platoon
Unit Champion Recruits
• 1 RGR – T/Rfn Manoj Roka Magar – (1 Tigris) Platoon
• 2 RGR – T/Rfn Nabin Khatri – (2 Kandahar) Platoon
• Queen’s Gurkha Engineers – T/Rfn Bibek Limbu – 4 (Iraq) Platoon
• Queen’s Gurkha Signals – T/Rfn Rohit Seling – 1 (Tigris) Platoon
• Queen’s Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment – T/Rfn Umesh Magar – 4 (Iraq) Platoon
• The Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas – T/Rfn Samar Sing Syangtan – 5 (Helles) Platoon
• Gurkha Staff and Personnel Support – T/Rfn Nischal Thapa Magar – 3 (Tobruk) Platoon
• Fittest Trainee – T/Rfn Milan Rai – 4 (Iraq) Platoon
• Most Improved in English Language – T/Rfn Anil Malla – 7 (Sobraon) Platoon
• Best Platoon Commander – Captain Bishwahang Rai – 4 (Iraq) Platoon
• Role Modey Trophy – Corporal Binod Tumbahangple – 5 (Helles) Platoon 1 Section Commander
• Champion Platoon – Lieutenant Alexandre Jacob – 2 RGR
• Champion Section – 1 (Tigris) Platoon 3 Section, commanded by Corporal Hem Bahadur Gurung 2 RGR
Watch the highlights from the parade
Overall Champion Recruit Trainee Rifleman Manoj Roka Magar (RGR)
The Commandant’s Trophy Sergeant Santosh Rai (QOGLR)
The Role Model Trophy Corporal Binod Tumbahangphe (1 RGR)
Champion Platoon Commanded by Lieutenant Alexandre Jacob (2 RGR)
Best Platoon Commander- Captain Bishwahang Rai (2 RGR)
