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First-Third Gorkhas celebrate 200 yrs of foundation

India Blooms News Service | | Apr 25, 2015, at 03:41 am

#First-Third Gorkhas celebrate 200 yrs of foundation

Kolkata, apr 24 (IBNS): The 1st Battalion of the 'Third Gorkha Rifles' (1/3 GR), one of the four pioneering infantry battalions that heralded the legend of Gurkhas as among the bravest warriors of Indian Army, turned 200 on Friday.

A ceremonial event was held on Friday at the Military Station, Sevoke Road, near Siliguri in West Bengal, where the ‘First-Third’, as they are also referred to as celebrated their bicentenary.

The Battalion was initially raised as the ‘Kumaon Provincial Battalion’ on April 24, 2015, under Sir Robert Colquhoum at Hawalbagh, Almora,and eventually became the ‘Third Gorkha Rifles’.

Incidentally, elsewhere in the Northern Sector, the 1st Battalion of the ‘First Gorkha Rifles’ (1/1 GR), which was also raised on this day in 1815, also commemorated its bicentenary.

Celebrations marking the historic commemoration of the ‘First-Third’ that began on April 22, culminated today with several events being held spread across three days.

A war memorial statuette depicting a solitary Gorkha soldier with his head lowered in reverance, palms placed on his reversed rifle, symbolizing paying of homage to his fallen comrades was unveiled by Maj Gen (Retd) OP Sabharwal, the senior most veteran present who also placed the first wreath.

Maj Gen Avinash Singh, Colonel of the Regiment, Col BS Sawian, Commanding Officer and others also placed wreaths at the memorial, which has been specially designed to serve as a mobile memorial to move with the Battalion whenever they relocate.

Later, a Sainik Sammelan was specially convened where nearly 850 veterans including a large number of retired soldiers from Nepal who came in large numbers attended the event sitting alongside serving soldiers and officers of the unit.

A special First Day Cover to mark the Bicentenary of the Battalion issued by the Army Postal Service was also released on the occasion.

Veer Naaris (war widows) of the unit were also among those felicitated at a separate function.

Bonhomie marked the celebrations as Gorkha soldiers, past and present, also lived up to the feisty spirit they are also associated with apart from their fame as soldiers of valour.

The Regimental Brass Band and the Pipe Band of First-Third played out martial tunes on the occasion while the Regimental Song was sung with gusto as the Gorkha soldiers heaved their chests with pride realising they were part of history.

Earlier various events were held in the preceding days that included weapon and tactics display, a fete called ‘pagal gymkhana’ and other traditional ceremonies and festivities where old bonds among comrades, some of them veterans of 1965 and 1971 wars, revived old ties.

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