2/8 Gorkha Rifles, which won a Gold medal in Cambrian Patrol, is one of the most professional and competent Battalion of Indian Army.
Cambrian Patrol
A patrol-team of 2/8 Gorkha Rifles, Indian Army, on 21st October, 2016 won a gold medal in one of the most gruelling exercises in the world called Cambrian patrol in Wales, UK.
Cambrian Patrol is an annual international military patrolling exercise that makes its participating units cover a 50-mile (80 km) course in less than 48 hrs while performing numerous types of military exercises placed throughout the rugged Cambrian Mountains and swamp lands of mid-Wales. The exercise is held in Wales and is delivered by HQ 160 Infantry Brigade.
ALSO READ: Mercedes – S Sedans Revealed!
Cambrian Patrol is arduous and concentrates on leadership, teamwork, physical fitness and achieving the mission. The aim of the exercise is to test leadership, self-discipline, courage, physical endurance, and determination. This year 120 countries participated.
The Cambrian Patrol is an exercise and not a competition. It is conducted for the benefit of units and there is no final order of merit. The exercise is designed to be within the capability of any well-led and well-trained patrol from any Arm or Service. The exercise is the same for Regular and Reserve Forces .
2/8 GR -Origin.
Second Battalion of eight Gorkhas in the Indian Army is called 2/8 Gorkha Rifles (GR). The eight Gorkhas traces it origin to the 16 Sylhet Local Battalion, that was raised in 1824. It was raised as part of the British East India Company and later transferred to the British Indian Army after the Indian Rebellion of 1857.Out of 10 Gorkha regiments, seven (1 GR, 3 GR, 4 GR, 5 GR, 8 GR ,9 GR and 11 GR) joined the Indian Army following India’s Independence.
2/8 Gorkha Rifles was raised in 1835 at Guwahati to deal with the insurgency in parts of Nagaland and Manipur.
The most famous member of 2/8 GR family is Field Marshal SHFJ Manekshaw, who’s parent unit was 12th Frontier Force Regiment that moved to the Pakistani Army, became a part of the 8 GR. 2/8 GR is known as Sam Bahadur’s own.
Character
2/8 GR is one of the most professionally competent Battalion of Indian Army. The battalion is known for its professionalism, valour, forthrightness, calling a spade a spade . There is an excellent camaraderie of officers and men and it extends beyond retirement. After the devastating earthquake in Nepal in 2015 , all the retired officers of 2/8 GR contributed towards a corpus of fund to assist the retired men of 2/8 GR in Nepal.
History of heroism
The history of the battalion spans two centuries and is replete with tales of heroism, guts, glory and sacrifice.
The first action was in 1891, when the entire platoon of 21 men was decorated with Indian Order of Merit (IOM) at par with Victoria Cross {which was only given to the British till then}
World War I (1914–18) testified to the enigmatic valour and heroism of the battalion during the course of combat service in France. During the fighting in France, the 2/8 GR distinguished itself by fighting virtually to the last man during the Battle of Loos’ on 25 September 1915, hurling themselves time after time against the weight of German defences. Having mustered almost eight hundred men to begin with, by the end of the day they were left with one officer and forty-nine men.
In 1948 the 2/8 GR was ordered to march-self-contained to Ladakh via Kulu-Manali and save Leh which was under attack from Pakistan razakars. The Battalion accomplished the task to save Leh for which Major Harichand was awarded Mahavir Chakra (MVC) and four JCOs were given Vir Chakras.