Britain: Brave Gurkhas Win Another War

The Gurkhas, who originally hail from Nepal, enjoy a pride of place in the pantheon of the British and the Indian armed forces. They still serve with dedication and loyalty the army regiments in these two countries. So it was a well-deserved victory in a British court for these Gurkhas who earned the right to settle in Britain after their retirement.

“For generations, they have shown great courage and loyalty, fighting for Britain in countless wars. Last night, the Gurkhas were celebrating one of their most famous victories – in a legal battle that has given them the right to settle in the UK,” reports The Independent.

“The landmark ruling by the High Court was an official recognition of the unswerving service that the fearless Nepalese soldiers had given to Britain, often at great personal cost. This, said the judge, Mr Justice Blake, earned them ‘an unquestionable moral debt of honour’ from the British people.

“Under current rules, former Gurkha soldiers who retired before 1997, when the Brigade of Gurkhas moved its base from Hong Kong to Hampshire when the city reverted to Chinese control, have to demonstrate ’strong ties’ with Britain to obtain permission to settle.

“The actress Joanna Lumley, whose father served with the Gurkhas in Burma during the Second World War, had attended the case to express her support. She said: ‘This day is more important than I can tell you because it gives our country the chance to right a great wrong and to wipe out a national shame that has stained us all’.” More here…

(The British Queen with the veteran Gurkha soldiers. A file photo courtesy AP/Richard Vogel)