Brave Gurkhas Bring Welsh Town To A Stop

Historical accounts suggest that the Gurkhas first came to Brecon to serve in 1974.

And now Gurkhas from the Infantry Battle School march every year in the Gurkha Brecon Freedom Parade.

The parade of 41 Gurkhas was lead by Captain Giriprasad Gurung and supported musically by the Band of the Brigade of the Gurkha and two pipers from the 1st Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles.

Since arriving in 1974, the Gurkhas have played a pivotal role in the local community and have become an integral part of the society.

In November 1985 they were awarded the GSC Honotatry Citizenship of Brecon.

To mark the occasion the first known Bredon Freedom Parade was held in May 1986, and the tradition has continued ever since.

The company was renamed the Gurkha Company (Mandalay) in September 2004 and in 2014 due to the new structure of Army 2020 the company was reduced in size from 124 to 40.

Gurkhas have served the British Crown for almost 200 years.

They have fought during the early wars between the Honorable East India Company and the city-state of Gorkha, through the early Afghan wars, the two World Wars, the almost continuous post-war conflicts to modern day.

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