Gurkha veterans' toughest battle

Gyanendra Rai gazes at the smoke as it curls upwards from the funeral pyre and thins out over the rooftops of Pashuputi Nath, the world's most sacred Hindu temple.

Rai thought of this place when artillery shrapnel chewed into the side of his back and right shoulder while he was fighting for the British army in the Falkland Islands: he imagined his body lying there on the cremation ghat.

On June 11 1982, Lance Corporal Rai - a drummer with the 1st Battalion, 7th Gurkha Rifles - almost lost his life during the final assault on Port Stanley. Seriously injured, he received five pints of blood donated by British soldiers, and the skin that was grafted upon the cavernous hole in his back was taken from one of his fallen comrades.

Rai still struggles from the pain in his side, and when it thunders his mind scares itself back to that terrifying day. Now, however, Rai is involved in a battle not with his demons but the British government. He is leading a claim against the Home Office's refusal to grant settlement to Gurkha veterans who served Britain but retired from the regiment before July 1997 because they "failed to demonstrate strong ties to the United Kingdom".

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• British
• Army
• Gurkha
• Falklands
• War
• military
• human
• rights
• Gordon
• Brown
• Downing
• Street
• UK
• immigration

[supahurren]

We let in the crap of the third world who hate us into the UK, and we won't let these brave BRITISH SOLDIERS in the UK.

SHAME ON US!!!!!

[psywarorg]

See today's news :-) The Government has backed down after enormous public pressure, ably led by Joanna Lumley. The Pre-1997 Gurkhas will now receive the same rights as other Commonwealth soldiers serving with the British Army. It's a great victory for the Gurkhas and for Britain! Ayo Gurkhali!!

[MrBillybeetroot]

gurkha .....loyal to the british flag....thousands of them died for it !!!........show them the respect they deserve!!....they are british soldiers!!

[raaj612]

@bazurix wtf?? dude ?? Check your profile. it says you are from Zimbabwe.. Now fuckoff and get out from this .. you twat

[raaj612]

@bazurix You mothrfucker from Zimbabwe.. u black nigger twat..fuck off asshole..dickhead.. it is our matter you prick scumbag

[raaj612]

@juanulises u motherfucker twat.. Newzealanser idiot should mind ur own business.. motherfucker twat.. asshole... cocksucker..fuck off

[arivas713]

Fuck. If you Brits don't want them, please send them our way [America]. We need more Patriots like him.

[juanulises]

this mercenary dog tamed remind me my Pet Wogy . At least it did not cost a huge amount of money to the taxpayers.

[ATAHUALPA867]

Is a shame the brittish gvt, does not allow or provide care for these men, This happened in every country , veterans get treated like dogs , Gurkhas along with Iwias from Ecuador, natives that join the army to defend Ecuador in 1995, still are fighting to get ther benefits honored..

For the love of God. treat these men like soldiers ...

[Leogalvanhalen]

You all deserve this, fighting a war that wasn't your bussines, you deserve it no pity for you, at all. The british don't even counted you in their dead, if they did their deads would be over a thousands. YOU HAVE WHAT YOU DESERVE.

[Willw15]

World*