BRITAIN DECLARED WAR ON GERMANY
At the start of the Second World War there were nearly 20,000 Gurkhas serving in the Indian Army. By 1945, over 137,000 Gurkhas had fought in the war sustaining 23,655 casualties of which over 9,056 died.
Gurkhas fought in the North African desert and Italy as part of the 8th Army, and in a number of smaller theatres across the Europe and the Near East, such as Greece, Iraq and Syria. Most famously, Gurkhas saw action across the Far East. From North Malaya to Singapore and from the Siamese border back through Burma to Imphal and the borders of India and then forward to Rangoon. From 1942 to 1945, Gurkha troops of the 14th Army fought in one of the most brutal continuous campaigns of the war.
In total 12 Victoria Crosses were awarded to members of Gurkha regiments during the Second World War. Sadly 5 of these were awarded posthumously, with their recipients being killed during their V.C. actions