Talk:Gurkha Contingent

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An entry from Gurkha Contingent appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page in the Did you know? column on 18 October 2005.

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Contents 1 Other deployment 2 Did you know? 3 LKY's comment 4 Maria Hertogh riots 5 Compliment/Complement? 6 Whole Article

[edit] Other deployment

I'm surprise they are now stationed at International schools. But I know of some other places of deployment, I've seen them at the US Embassy, and the one beside it (can't remember whose, maybe Australian or UK) They are also at Changi Prison, Yes! Not those with contact with inmates, but they stand at the high sentry post. When you travel along Changi Road, even though he is quite far away, you can recognize the Gurkha easily with his distinctive headwear (how do you call that?) and his posture. Also on the night before Elections, when the ballot boxes are left at the polling stations for the night, it's the Gurkhas who guard the ballot boxes and polling stations, this is said to ensure impartiality. Man ... they are doing everything, how large is the Contingent actually? They seem to be overworked, do they have OT pay? I have seen them training in Palau Tekong, they were by far the best soldiers I've seen. --Vsion 05:00, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

Well I once saw them even at the American club at Stevens Road, and yeah, they guard the British embassy, which is beside the American one. I wont be surprised if they are at the Australian one too. As for prisons, they seem to have stopped guarding it? I notice cisco has taken over much of its security now. Another location where I noticed them was at Currency House in Pasir Panjang Road....to guard money of coz! :D

Not too sure if they ever get OT pay...but in some less sensitive locations (like Currency House), I notice they are replaced by our own SOC troopers during the night. So they only hv to work during office hours. I suppose they are still around at other impt places thou? The hat is called the "Hat Terrai Gurkha", whatever that means. ;) I will expand this article in due course, while you are free to add anything too. Oh..and pictures are coming up too! ;)--Huaiwei 07:22, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

I do suppose they are overstretched now, so that the prison duty is a lesser priority. I also read before about their recruitment which is very stringent. The page Brigade of Gurkhas confirms that, only 270 are selected out of tens of thousands of applicants each year! Every family in those mountainous tribes who has two sons or more will send one of them (eldest, I think) to take the test. Look forward to the pictures. :D --Vsion 07:53, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

Hehe...just finished writing most of the text. Wodnering how best to add in the "social life" section thou coz that is relatively unknown unless I go grap one of those Nepalise kids and start demanding answers (I do know a few of them personally.) Sekali they run home and tell their fathers I and I get exterminated by these robots moments later! :D--Huaiwei 09:49, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

Haha, you don't want to mess with them. Excellent article and pictures of an intriguing topic. They being so quiet, maybe you can't get much infor. about them, that's partly what make them legendary and "fearsome". What is inside their side pouch, gas mask? --Vsion 11:36, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

Four pictures so far...still got a few more and I am kinda wondering which one is best for display haha. I doubt I can expand much from what is displayed here too...unless...hmm....interesting things happen in which they were deployed? Oh yes that remind me. the Tekong incident!! Think I gonna add a new section soon. :D And yeah, they are carrying a gas mask. You must be wondering how I manage these shots in the first place? ;)--Huaiwei 12:02, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

I'm wondering indeed, I was guessing you could be on duty yourself, but then you won't be carrying a camera, unless you are an insp misusing his power a little bit, ;-), care to enlighten us? I encountered the Gurkhas in Tekong several years before the manhunt incident, and I saw how they dashed across a large area in a flash, and in full combat order! I've seen troops from different countries training before, but have never seen soldiers that can run as fast as them, not even close! They really struck me as fearsome warriors. --Vsion 12:47, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

Haha....some of those photos I displayed here...I actually just went right ahead and snapped them with my big camera. I was in civilian wear. But I have to wait for them to be distracted. The other shots I managed to do it while on duty...haha. Discretely of coz! ;) But all these were taken in public areas, and the event is long over, so its no more a security issue to display them now. So enjoy these rare pieces. :D Meanwhile, I hope those who manage to snap them in NDP could contribute here...saw some really impressive shots over at clubsnap.

Talking about the Tekong incident...mind adding the info in? Under a new section called "incidents involving GC officers" or something bah. I am tring to dig up other incidents too....wonder if you aware of a case in which a GC was killed by lightning?--Huaiwei 17:50, 15 October 2005 (UTC)

Actually I didn't know the details of the Tekong manhunt until now after reading what you added. So the score is what, erh... Gurkhas 2, PCG 1, SAF *kosong*. This is really malu for the SAF, defeated in their own turf! Haha.. --Vsion 06:06, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

Wah it was big news back then. And yes...beaten on their own turf indeed! :D--Huaiwei 17:16, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Did you know?

This looks eligible for "Did You Know"? We just have to NPOV it a bit. ;-)

Already nominated in Template talk:Did you know. Anyone wanna make the senence smoother and more "interesting"? :D--Huaiwei 17:17, 16 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] LKY's comment

Just for infor, here is how Lee Kuan Yew put it in his memoir, in a rather direct manner [1] (He was describing the time when Singapore just gained independence.)

..., When I returned to Oxley Road, Gurkha policemen (recruited by the British from Nepal) were posted as sentries. To have either Chinese policemen shooting Malays or Malay policemen shooting Chinese would have caused widespread repercussions. The Gurkhas, on the other hand, were neutral, besides having a reputation for total discipline and loyalty.

The racial-thing is no longer relevant today, still Lee's trust in the Gurkhas is so strong that he continue to use them and furthermore post them at every important places in the country. Talking about using foreign talents, this is quite the ultimate. :D --Vsion 01:57, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

Hah! Please add the quote to the page! :D Meanwhile, I believe race is still an issue, in the same way Malays are still preferably sent to the police or SCDF. His sense of insecurity still prevails no matter what. :D--Huaiwei 02:06, 18 October 2005 (UTC)

race is an issue, the older generation who lived that era are still active and they tend to be more racist lol. it has declined much and is a fair small problem compared to other countries. LKY's social engineering of mixing people together while not perfect result, has notable improvements. there is still some mistrust by the government of giving key responsibility to malay, i hope they engage them more or the malay will become isolated again. Akinkhoo 12:18, 22 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Maria Hertogh riots

What roles did they play? Could details be added to Maria Hertogh riots? --Gbleem 19:41, 4 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Compliment/Complement?

New at this so I don't dare to go make the change directly. Just thought under the Deployment section, "Gurkha troopers...complimented the police's stringent security measures" should it be "complemented" instead? --Sentri 01:42, 8 February 2006 (UTC)

Corrected, thanks! --Vsion (talk) 02:10, 8 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Whole Article

I think this article needs to be re-written. It is a little too prosy. It speaks more like someone rather than a Wikipedia Article.

Does anyone else think that this article is like this man who thinks "Oh wow GURKHA!" and "These guys are really, really effective! I should put this on a Wikipedia Article!!!" And this would be what you get. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 165.21.155.89 (talk) 14:36, 4 March 2008 (UTC)