Gurkhas here next week

Press, 15 February 1978, Page 2

Gurkhas here next week

About 120 Gurkha soldiers will arrive at Christchurch next week to spend a month on exercises in the South Island. The unit Is from the British Army’s 2/2 Gurkha Rifles, based at Hong Kong. It will be hosted while in New Zealand by 2/1 Battalion, at Burnham Military Camp. Hong Kong-based units from the British Army have made annual visits to New Zealand for many years, but it is believed this is the first Gurkha unit to come here for some time. Other groups

have included a detachment of the Black Watch. Royal New- Zealand Air Force aircraft will fly the Gurkhas from Singapore, the first contingent arriving on February 23 and the second a day later. The Hercules aircraft will also transport New Zealand troops to Singapore for month-long exercises. Correspondingly, the Gurkhas will return to Singapore aboard the aircraft when they go to pick up the New Zealand troops. Royal Air Force VCIO aircraft will transport the Gurkhas between Hong Kong and Singapore. While the Gurkhas are

in New Zealand they will take part in Exercise Kauri Pine. This will involve defence exercises in the Lake Tekapo area, jungle training at lake Hocksteiter on the West Coast, and deployment as part of 2/1 Battalion for "advanced contact” drills at Lake Coleridge. In their spare time they will visit a Darfieid farm, and a North Canterbury sheep station, as well as spending several days in Christchurch. They will also be invited to take part in the City to Surf run on March 18, in which the host battalion will take part.