3rd Gurkha Rifles

Refer to general article Gurkha Rifles

Chronology

• 1815 raised as Kumaon Battalion
• 1826 became Kumaon Local Battalion
• 1860 became Kumaon Battalion
• 1861 became 18th Bengal Native Infantry
• 1864 became 3rd (Kumaon) Gurkha Regiment
• 1901 became 3rd Gurkha Rifles
• 1907 became 3rd Queen's Own Gurkha Rifles
• 1908 became 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles
• 1947 allocated to India on Partition

John Morris

John Morris served as a commissioned officer in the Indian Army with the 3rd Queen Alexandra’s Own Gurkha Rifles from 1918 until 1934 in Palestine, Afghanistan (the Third Afghan War in 1919), Waziristan and the North West Frontier of India. His autobiography Hired to Kill, Some Chapters of Autobiography was published in 1960. (London, Rupert Hart-Davis ). "Chapter Fifteen, in which he describes how he and his company were ambushed by Mahsud tribesmen on the frontier is a little masterpiece. In a quiet way, Mr Morris is one of the living masters of English prose style." Available at the British Library

External Links

• 3rd Gurkha Rifles British Empire website
• 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles Regiments.org, an archived website
• Military Cross awarded to Subadar Pahal Sing Thapa, 3rd Queen Alexandra’s Own Gurkha Rifles. He enlisted into 1/3 Gurkha Rifles in March 1924, served with the 1st Battalion during the Red Shirt Rebellion in 1931 and on the North West Frontier in 1936-37 . Subadar Pahal Singh Thapa was captured at Sittang Burma in February 1942 by the Japanese following the Battle of Sittang Bridge. In 1944 he was employed on road repairs near Tiddim, Burma and it was from here that he organised and carried out a highly successful escape. dnw.co.uk
• Military Medal (M M) (awarded to Naik Gopal Sing Thapa, 3rd Queen Alexandra’s Own Gurkha Rifles. He was also captured at Sittang Burma in February 1942 by the Japanese following the Battle of Sittang Bridge.dnw.co.uk