Gurkha Army in Singapore

Background

Gurkhas have their roots in Nepal. Reputed for their fearless military prowess and loyalty, the Gurkhas in Southeast Asia were initially brought to Singapore as special soldiers on the payroll of the British Army. Today, the Gurkha Contingent is a unit in the Singapore Police Force and serves as a neutral safekeeping and counter-terrorism force.

Background

The Nepalese Gurkhas in Singapore are mostly of either Mongolian or Aryan descent, with the majority belonging to the former.1 They are mainly from the Nepali hill tribes of Magar, Gurung, Rai, Limbu and Sunwar. Gorkhas, or Gurkhas, were warriors who fought for Prithvi Narayan Shah, King of Gorkha, in the 18th century. The term Gurkha is an Anglicised version of King Prithvi's birthplace, Gorkha, which is a district in Nepal.The Gurkha soldier traditionally used a weapon known as the kukri – an 18-inch-long, curved, fighting knife. Although they were later armed with rifles, the Gurkhas still prefer to use their kukri. Ayo Gorkhali!, which translates to “The Gurkhas are upon you!”, is a much-feared war cry of the Gurkhas.They are predominantly Hindus, with some embracing Buddhism and animism.

 Enlistment of the Gurkhas 

The British had their first encounter with the Gurkhas during the Anglo-Nepal War (1814–16). Although the latter were outnumbered, their fighting prowess impressed the British.6 Subsequently, in a strange turn of events, the Gurkhas who held Lieutenant Frederick Young captive soon developed a deep respect for his patriotism and chivalry. Young then enlisted the first batch of Gurkha soldiers into the British forces. In April 1815, Gurkhas were recruited into four battalions. The association of the Gurkhas with the British led to the Gurkha diaspora in Southeast Asia. As the British presence became prevalent in this part of the world in the 19th century, the Gurkhas followed them.

Service in Singapore

In Singapore, the Gurkhas represent a small community living at Mount Vernon.The Gurkha Contingent was formed as a part of the Singapore Police Force on 9 April 1949.The contingent, made up of former Gurkhas from the British Army, replaced the Sikh unit within the police force that had disbanded.10 Major Scott Leathart was the contingent’s first commanding officer.Having fought in the defence of Malaya during World War II, the Gurkhas had proven themselves ready to defend while remaining impartial, but loyal. This was evident during the Maria Hertogh riots in 1950, the Hock Lee Bus strike and riot in 1955, and the 1950s riots by the Chinese High School.To this day, the Gurkhas are recruited as a unit of the Singapore Police Force, unaligned with any of the local races.The Gurkha Contingent is deployed during high-profile events in Singapore, such as the Trump-Kim summit in June 2018 and New Year’s Eve celebrations. They act as a deterrent force to possible security threats by patrolling in high visibility armoured vehicles.The Gurkhas come to Singapore when they are as young as 18 years old, and they return to Nepal after 15 to 20 years of service. They reside at the Mount Vernon Cantonment, a self-contained community that has its own temple, schools and mini-mart. Built in the 1950s, the cantonment is located at Mount Vernon, off Upper Aljunied Road, and is closed to the public.

Author : Renuka M.