#Monument
The Gurkha Soldier Memorial
The Gurkha Soldier Memorial in Horse Guards Avenue commemorates the men from Nepal who served in the Gurkhas alongside the British Army during the First and Second World War. The memorial was designed by Phillip Jackson and was unveiled by Queen Elizabeth II on 3 December 1997. It was the first memorial to Gurkha soldiers in the United Kingdom.
Gurkhas have served in the British Army for 200 years, from the First World War onwards. They played a significant role in the Second World War and are renowned for their bravery, loyalty and combat skills.
During the Second World War the Gurkhas were involved in battles across Asia, Africa and Europe. In East Asia, North Asia and Southeast Asia, they fought the Japanese Imperial Army during the Burma Campaign and on the Indian front. These were in the terrible conditions amid jungle, where the environment made for a hostile location to fight, from the terrain to tropical diseases.
From 1942 onwards, Gurkhas fought in Northern Africa and in 1943 took part in the Italian Campaign. This was alongside British and Canadian troops as they pushed to liberate Italy. Notable battles in which they fought in include Monte Cassino.
Through the war, Gurkha soldiers displayed remarkable courage, loyalty and effectiveness in combat, noted by their allies and enemy alike. After the war, Gurkha units continued to serve in various conflicts and continue today to be an integral part of the British Army.