 You know, for the last 206 years, all the books written in the... about the Gorkhaja were mostly written from outside. Grabbing from the... from the village, sent by the... even the prisoners, everybody then we grab them and put on the truck and then send them to war. To be a friend with the British activity by that time, even today, even today, to be a friend with the British guy. And we're both published by the same wonderful publisher, Blacksmith Books in Hong Kong. Shall we say hello to Pete? Yeah, hello Pete. Is he there? No, no, but Pete Spurrier should get a shout out because Pete's the proprietor of Blacksmith Books in Hong Kong and he's... He's brought many... he's given the chance to many authors such as myself who have wonderful stories to tell, mainly based in Asia, aren't they? And it's a difficult... I don't know if you found this, but the publishing world is quite difficult to get a contract. But Pete will just look at a story and if he thinks it's got merit, if he thinks people will enjoy it and if he thinks it brings a benefit to Hong Kong or Asian non-fiction, then he gives you a chance and... Isn't a nice guy. Yes, so hello Pete and thank you for all your authors. So, yes, is Hong Kong hot at the moment, Tim? Yeah, it's very hot. It's 33, but last two weeks was okay because that was rainy continuously. But now it's a part again, it's 33, 34 degrees, so you know how it is. Yeah, the rainy season in Hong Kong is just... it's insane, isn't it? It just doesn't stop raining. And yet it's still quite hot or at least for us Europeans, it's still really hot. Which part of Hong Kong do you live in? I live in Kowloon, Kowloon side. Mostly we live this side here. Do you know Mong Kok? Oh yeah, I've been in Hong Kong from 1980s. You know it all, yeah. I lived in Mong Kok for about eight months. Then I moved to Wan Chai, working in the nightclubs and that's another story. But we're here today to talk about a fascinating subject, particularly fascinating to anyone that's got an interest in the military and that is our wonderful Gurkhas. But I shouldn't say our wonderful Gurkhas because the Gurkhas serve the United Kingdom, the Indian army and also the Nepalese army. Am I correct in that, Tim? Yeah, Nepalese army is the original one. So both Indian army and the British army was of course started by the British. So they just separated after 1947 when India got independent and divided the Gurkhas between themselves. And the institution has been continuing as of today for over 266 years now. Yes, and a very proud history we should say. Your book, it's very comprehensive. Has it been well received? Yeah, the main reason I wrote this book was because, you know, for the last 206 years all the books written in the, about the Gurkhas were mostly written from outside. There wasn't even one single book. Of course there was one or two or three, few of them in Nepalese language but not in English. So when I realized that there was a need for that, then I started working on it. Because, you know, when you have the book written from only one side, you become one sided because it only tells one side of the story from the outside, not from the actual side of our side of the story. Then I realized that that was the most important part of the reason why I have written this book. And actually I did a lot of research. I worked almost three years on the book, visited many places like the UK, Burma, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong, I know by heart. And I even went to Nepal for two times and visited from the east part of Nepal to the west part of Nepal. And went through all those areas where all those Gurkhas went and tried to get their story and put it into the book. Because I thought that it was imperative to put our side of the story that unfortunately hasn't been told until now. So that's what I thought then, that's what I did for the last three and a half years. Yes, and you've done a great job. Because traditionally the Gurkhas have had, let's just say talk about the British Gurkhas, they have a British officer. And whenever I see the Gurkhas talked about in the media, it tends to be the officer, the British officer who is speaking. So I guess your book is giving the voice to the actual rifleman themselves. Is that fair to say? I think it has been over one and a half years now since the book is published. Because my book is not only published by Pete, but also published by Penguin in Southeast Asia for those Malaysia, Singapore area. Also by Westland Book in Southeast Asia. And the Blacksmith book one is the third one. So this is the first one published by Penguin. And this is the second one published by the Southeast Asia market. And the Blacksmith one was the third one that we did for the international edition. And we're also having the Nepali edition is also coming very soon. So the book was well received from all over the world, especially now it's available everywhere. And mostly it was an eye opener for our people, the Gurkhas. Not only the Gurkhas, but also the Nepali people as a whole. Because until now there wasn't a book as I said before that covers the almost complete history of the Gurkhas. Already in brief, it's a long institution over 270 years old and it's almost impossible to combine in one book. So at least what I did was to give a brief detail from the start to 2018. So at least people have a general idea of the Gurkhas. Because until now, since the books are mostly written from outside, it's all about the bravery, how brave they are, how good they are, how loyal they are and that's all. But the Gurkha story is not only about bravery, it's also about our tragedy. So that's what I was trying to put in and it has been very well received all over the world. And I'm very happy that after 200 years I happened to be the first person who got to write that book and I'm honoured as well. So we're doing very well. Yes, you've done the Gurkha regiments proud, definitely. And you yourself Tim, was it 12 years you served? No, I did 13 years. Actually, as you know, those who know about the Gurkhas, they're mostly before the World War II, all the Nepalese were allowed to join the British and British Gurkha in India. But after the World War II, mostly from the British side, they kind of selected, made a different, call it, there's only four tribes of peoples from Nepal. There were a lot to join in the army and they call it the Marshal races. And they were divided from two parts of Nepal, eastern part of Nepal and western part of Nepal. From western part, I will come in the Mughal and Guru like myself. And the eastern part come rise and remove. So after the World War II, most Gurkhas were from those tribes. So I came from, you know, I come from the middle western part of Nepal, which is the heart base of the Gurkha. So every village there is a Guru village. So you mean it's a Gurkha village, you can call it a Gurkha village. So as a Gurkha, you know, there wasn't a single family, you know, that has no connection whatsoever with the British, you know. So as a Gurkha, we grew up dreaming about becoming a Gurkha, because that was the only thing we saw. We were taught, you know. So even if we were very good at school, we still, because our last destination was always there. So like my grandfathers, my father, my uncles, I was no exception. So I joined the army in 17 in 1980, then came to Hong Kong. Then I retired in 1993 in the Army Corporal because there was a rundown coming on because Hong Kong was going back to China. At the same time, I also felt honestly that I wasn't cut out for the army. So I needed to find an alternative career for myself. So I went happily. So that's why I know, you know, what I mean is, I'm not only a Gurkha, I'm not only dissolved in the British Army, but I live as a Gurkha. So it's in me, it's in my society. So I know the inside out that that's why the book has become so authentic and real, because it tells the actual story of the Gurkha. It was very important and well received by everybody. And you were a corporal? Yeah, I was a corporal. I was a lance corporal. Okay. So now we have to call each other corporal, lance corporal. That's corporal. Tim, for our friends at home, can you tell us what is life like in Nepal? Obviously, it's very different depending on where you live. But what is a typical life for a young man who might be thinking of or might wish to join the Gurkhas? No, I think I cannot talk about the situation at the moment because I had came out of Nepal and I've been out of Nepal for a long time, you know, almost 40 years. I've been out of Nepal, but I can talk about is the time, you know, my time when I was in Nepal. At the time, I was in 1970s. As I said before, we had villages just from one or two hours from Pokhara. Pokhara was a small town where the British army came to situate it for the recommended purpose. And it is still there even today. And that time Pokhara was not very big and we lived in a village just a few hours from there, walking from there. But, you know, village, as I said, life was, everybody was farming. We were farmers and everybody, you know, we were a very closely needed family, you know, people, villages living in a village mostly, you know, descended from one couple. So we all share the same grandfather and one ancestor. So we're related like your father, uncle, sister, like that. So when you see your grandfather, father, uncles, everybody going during the army and coming back with nice clothes, little bit of nice clothes and some little bit more money. And it was actually a typical Gurung village, you know, Gurkha village. So we actually didn't see anything at all other than joining the British army. Of course, we had twice, three choices at the time. The first was actually in our village, we just had two choices. The first was the British army was the priority. And second was if we fail in joining the British army, then we would choose for the Indian army. There's another choice for the Nepal army, but I don't know why people from our village almost never went there. So one of the things we saw was, you know, British army. So no matter what you do in the day, you know, when you are big enough to have a growing up, you know, you have a, you are tall enough. There was a 5.2 inches and you can, the weight was 50 kilos. And your chest, you know, you can, there was 30 and 32 inches. So without, you know, it spread 30 inches after you spread 32 inches. So once you got that level, you go and line up. That was the only thing, you know. So also, there's even our family, like, you know, the sisters, the daughters, sister or aunties, everybody, you know, the first priority was, you know, to marry a worker. That was, that was, that was the reality in our time. And we had no other option. We thought no other option whatsoever at that time. So as you can see, I was, I was quite a bright student in my school and he still, I joined the army because of that. And I also had two reasons. One was I was the person of the family. So, you know, my father was in the army, in the Bokha army, Bokha. So we're in comparison, not that we're left in financial. So it was the honest, the responsibility was on me as a first son of the family to join the army. So that's the only thing we could see, nothing at all. Like a blinker, how a horse, you know, you just see it, nothing at all. So it wasn't like that, you know. But I think things have changed a lot now because now they, the Nepal has improved a bit. You have internet everywhere, you have road going, you know, at least the untapped road has been everywhere. And coming in most of them because of the mouse, mouse insurgency in 1980s, late 90s. People who had to flee, flee from the village and go to the town area to be safe. So people come to Bokha and all the other cities and they live here. So now I think that has changed a lot. Also, they have other options going to other countries. So at the same time, I don't think, and I had been out of Nepal for 40 years. So maybe I'm not qualified to talk in. Yes, I, Tim, I remember reading a long time ago. We're talking about 30 years ago now about the recruitment process in Nepal. And you had a British Army officer would walk, walk from village to village. Or, and I'm probably getting this a bit wrong. It was a long time ago, but these young men would come forward and their dream was to be a Gurkha. And they would have some criteria. So I think you mentioned it that chess would have to expand a certain amount of inches. Yes, they'd have to do the physical stuff and carry the carrier basket across a route march. And some of these young men, they would walk for days to get to the recruitment, the recruitment post. Does this sound about right? No, actually, at the early time, it wasn't the British officer. The British officer, they normally stay in the recruiting center, recruitment center. There was one in West Nepal, like Pokhara, my hometown. There is another one in Dharan, in Eastern Nepal. What they used to do normally was that there was those ex-Gurkhas who have served in the British Army, retired. And they're mostly a senior ranking officer, like a non-commissioned officer, not a commissioner, not an officer. But the non-commissioned officer, like Sergeant or a W2, or even a lefty like that. They used to call them Gullawal. Gullawal. So they are appointed by the British, the recruitment office in Pokhara in Nepal. And they went around for certain areas. They are located in certain areas. They go there and select the base one. And normally they will select all of them. Accordingly, to bring it to the final recruitment camp at Pokhara. We used to have a lot of days like all the fitness days, running days, medical days, education days, those kinds of normal things. They would mark the numbers and then select the base one. That was in our time. Later on nowadays, I think since the number of recruitment for the British Army has gone down significantly down. It's just 250 or 250 maximum a year before it was 200, even 1000 a year. But at the moment it's probably 200, I think it's 250 maximum like that. So what they do is normally they all come to Pokhara. They also have, in Dharan they have a very small one. They also bring from there. They come to Pokhara. Everybody go there. And the colleagues, like we say in the basket, they call it the dokoris. Dokoris. Dokoris is a kind of bamboo basket to carry things. And they put a weight or something like, I don't know, maybe 30, 60, I don't know, kilo or something like that. Then make them run for a certain period of distance. Then whoever are going up the hill and whoever comes first, they win. Because the competition is probably very tough. Probably 10,000, 20,000, even 30,000, 40,000 before. Now probably 10,000, 20,000 just for 200. So that's the case now. But before it was like you said, the Gullawala used to go all around the villages, collect his man, all the young guys and bring it to the recruitment center and do the test again and select the best one. That was the case. Is it in Nepal? I'm guessing it's a rural lifestyle, a lot of farming. There's a lot of hills or mountains. So the young men are probably quite strong anyway. It must mean that the guys that get through the recruitment process are really, really, really quite fit. They have to be fit, of course, because they have to win the doko race, carrying a basket race and come out of the hill. But at the same time, what has changed now? Because those Gurkhas also live in the UK now. They have to go to other countries like Afghanistan, Brunei, Singapore or whatever. They have to go, right? In that case, they have to be also well educated. So what they do now is, I think it's a combination of both. So they have to be well educated, also be fit. And so you become not only select from those from the hill, they might be strong, but they won't be able to survive in a civilized country, a society like this one. So I think it's a combination of both. That's why I saw in Nepal when I was going there visiting for my books, research for my books, they have created a lot of those training schools, physical schools, where those people will train those young youngsters for the British army. So they train there. They know what those requirements are. They train there. They already are well educated, most of them are university students. So they train there for a year or two, then they are educated. They train there physically fit and they go there. I think that's the only case now, because also most of the people in Nepal now live in those cities or some small towns. They don't live mostly in the village. Only those very poor and very old people live in the village nowadays. So that is the case now. What's it like, Tim, arriving in England or the United Kingdom for the first time? Nowadays or? Your experience, was it very different? No, for me it was not a big difference. Of course it was a big difference because everything was there. But my biggest problem, I lived there in Sanders for a year. I didn't live there much. I lived there for a year in Sanders, the British official training center. I lived there for a year. My biggest problem was the winter, the cold. The other one was the coldness. It was too cold for us. When we were deploying the jungle, there was always snow everywhere. It was too cold for us. That's the only problem. But nowadays, I think because of the internet, the people they know and the young generation, they know most of the things. But now the Nepali youth goes everywhere all over the world. So it shouldn't be that method. That must travel for them, I think. Yes, it's a changing world, of course. And also technology and the internet brings everything closer to home. Was it difficult to learn the language? I worked with the Gurkhas. I did two parachute courses. And on each course, there was about a third, if not 50%, were Gurkhas. And it's quite incredible because learning to parachute is difficult enough. It's a life or death situation. If you get it wrong, it's going to be death. But of course, we're learning English and we're English. English or British guys or Commonwealth guys. I say guys, there were no girls on either of the courses I did. But for these young men from Nepal, they're having to learn all these difficult drills. But in a foreign language, that maybe they've only had a year, two years to learn. Was that difficult to learn English so quickly? Does everybody learn it? No, I don't think so. Because especially during my time, most of the Gurkhas didn't speak very well English. They didn't speak good English because it was almost impossible. Because all the lessons we had to take was in Nepalese and Gurkhalese. And English was only for reading. So we always lived with our own people. And as you know, the British officers were well in the air for the show. They come and back the order and then disappear, you know, most of the time. So we had to live with our own people. So we speak in Nepalese. So for most of them, the English learning, there wasn't a chance or necessity to learn English at the moment. But at the moment now they live in the UK. I think they also have to be quite good at English. That's why when they regroup to Gurkhalese from Nepal, I think that's why they look for the university graduates. Some of them, they already go to the basic English school in Nepal. And some of them, they even study in other like Singapore or Hong Kong or even in the UK. So they shouldn't have a problem for English. I think now the modern one, all the new soldiers, they have no problem in English. Tim, what rank can a Gurkha get to? Because I saw there was a Gurkha colonel and I didn't know you could become a colonel as a Gurkha. I always thought that was the British officers job. I think when the Gurkhas moved from India to Malaysia and Singapore, instead of integrating the Gurkhas into the British army as stipulated in the treaty, they signed a treaty in 1947 called the Trivatized Treaty between the British and the Gurkhas in Nepal and India. They created a completely separate system for the Gurkhas. So because of that we had a different system, we had a different rule of law, we had different pay, different pension, everything was different. So even within our time, when I was still there, a Gurkha can only promote to a major, it's a Gurkha major. That's not even a permission officer, it's a Gurkha major. So you have to go through a lens coprol, coprol sergeant like that, you know, from the basic, from the ground, then climb up to the Gurkha major. So Gurkha major was the most senior officer in a battalion who was responsible for an administrative job, welfare of the Gurkha soldiers and their family, and also assistant to a colonel who was the commanding officer of the British army, who was of course always a British army. And during that time, there were just a few of the very highly educated Gurkhas were allowed to join the, attend the British commissioning corps. There were just four or five of them who eventually became a lieutenant colonel. Even they, you know, the highest rank they could do as a lieutenant colonel. But after the Gurkhas left Hong Kong in 1947 and become part of the British army, I think they have changed the rule now and the Gurkhas were also allowed to get promoted beyond colonel. That's why I think you have some of them. I think we have four or five of them now. That's the main reason. But before that, we had no, there was no, nothing at all. And you know, the most amazing thing, you know, actually it was the irony or saddest thing because, you know, the Gurkha major, you know, the most senior Gurkha officer in a battalion with at least 20 years of service had to salute a second lieutenant, a British guy who was at the age of, he's even younger than his son. That was the, you know, the disparity between the British and the Gurkha. And that is the reason why we are still having this discrimination and having this problem. I think you are aware of the Hungary start going on in London, Whitehall, you know, opposite of the British Prime Minister's office. That's the reason, you know, that's the main reason why this is still going on. And what I want to tell you is, you know, the Gurkhas, like I said at the beginning, Gurkhas had always been a good friend and loyal friend for the British, for over two years, institution that lasted for over 200 years cannot be, cannot survive on loyalty alone and bravery alone. There must be something more. And I think after my research and reading the book, you know, our country has given everything they had, everything, even today, everything. But in a, when you treated the British, I'm not saying the British people aged or not. British people love their Gurkhas. That's no doubt about it. It is the policy, the British government policy. That's disgusting. Okay. So for the last 200 years, we gave everything. We treated like our true friend. The Gurkhas, you know, they did their part. But in return, I think what the British government did or doing to us is disgusting. So I think those who read my book will understand what I'm saying this. But that is the reason, you know, because as you know, as I said, after 1947, they created a completely different separate system. Ten times less. Ten times less. Then the British counterpart doing the same job, carrying the same rifle and facing the same bullet. And you know how many Gurkhas have died. And the implication this institution has inflicted into the Nepal is actually massive. The problem is until now. I don't know why nobody has ever looked into it, researched into it and written into it. Nobody did until now. But the reason why Nepal is still one of the poorest countries in the world is because of the Gurkhas. That's the main reason. And you know, all the, even the first world war, second world war, there's so many Gurkhas died. They went home. And until in Malaysia, for ten years, the communist gorilla in Malaysia, then they fought the Indonesian in a war confrontation. And also they fought in Foglen, Kosovo, Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan, everywhere. But in return, what do we get? Nothing. I think everything was okay until when the Gurkhas were still in Nepal. They were still acceptable because the living in Nepal was low. The money, whatever we give, we can earn and we can get. From the British army was quite good when we were in Nepal. Then we could at least live a dignified and decent life with that principle. But when the campaign began, the Gurkhas, the city campaign began, and they moved to the UK in 2009. And then the real problem begins there because you are living in the UK as a British citizen. You have to pay the same for water, electricity and other bills and living standards. But you're still getting the Nepali pension. Then how can you expect them to survive? That was the biggest problem. And if the British were a little bit sensible and give them the equal pension, most of them would move back to Nepal and have a very comfortable and simple life. In a foreign country like those old guys who don't speak English, they don't know about the way of living there. They don't know about the culture there. And they don't speak English. How can you expect them to survive? It's very hard for them. And it is pretty simple that the British still treat our people like this. I feel very bad about that. And so I have to say this here. A10, the British government treat the British people like rubbish. You're not alone, brother. But I do understand. I spoke to the two Gurkhas and the Gurkha wife on hunger strike yesterday. And yes, what can we say? It's not just you guys. The British government hate veterans anyway. We're nothing to them. They work for other people. The Trillion Dollar Corporation controls our government. Our government are just puppets. But they believe that they're a bit special. So they hate the people. They think we're scum and that we won't rise up. Sorry to get political folks, but it has to be said. Life has become a joke in this country. And I don't care about me because I'm an old guy. But I care about the children and what their future is. And if we just keep allowing this disrespect, this segregation, this manipulation and control to happen. Well, it's not going to go to a good place because these guys play their own game. They don't care about us. But fortunately, through podcasts like this, people are slowly becoming aware of this team. And I hope it's all... Well, I'm going to do my best to make sure it goes to a better place. But I'm just... I'm one guy. Let's... Talk because was it... Sorry, let's talk about the Gherkes commitment because... Did I read in World War I, there was 200,000 Gherkes? And yet in Nepal, there's only five million people. And I don't know if that's the case. Gherkes? And yet in Nepal, there's only five million people. So that's... One intend didn't return home. Yes, one intend didn't return home. But of course, many return home injured. And so... They are mentally broken. Yeah, broken, damaged, blind, maybe lost their legs, arms. And yet they can't go back to work on their farms, their homeland. So the wife then has to look after them. And also, did I understand that people then would have hate for that family? Did I understand that? Or for the wife who lost her husband? I think that's a completely different thing. But at the same time, at that time, there were so many. So many of them and they were so overwhelmed by the... by the effect, by the war that... and sorrow and misery that they simply had no time to think. They hate or hatred or bitterly and think bitterness to other people. They were too engrossed, overwhelmed by their own problems. So they just tried to survive as a used up and thrown away. And you know how they are paid. There was one I also written in the book. It was in World War II. That time, Nepal had only 6 million people and 250,000 people grabbing from the village, sent by even the prisoners. Everybody then grabbed them, put on the truck and then sent them to war. Then over 33,000 died. And many of them were injured, like I said. But when they went back home, they were sent, given pocket money, a few hundred Indian rupees by then, and a white piece of cloth. There was one or two meter something like that. White piece of cloth. I don't know why they give it. Because in Nepal, white piece of cloth is actually an insult. Because it's a cloth that is used for the dead one. White piece of cloth is a cloth that is used for the dead people. So I don't know whose idea was or who's idea was that. But I just couldn't believe when I found it out. But one thing I have to say now here is that I know how the British did that because they wanted to pay as much as possible. But if the Nepal government and our rulers were not in collusion with the British, it would have never happened. Because I'm not here to blame anyone. I'm just here to tell the truth. So our Nepali leaders are also as blame, must be as guilty as the British policy. If they hadn't, they were not complicit with the kind. That would have never happened. Because they had a very weakness for the British to be a friend with the British actually by that time, even today, even today, to be a friend with the British guy, big guy with a lot of embellishment and star over his uniform and take a picture with them was an honor for them. Even today, and I think my research I found, whenever the British needed more people, they used to stand a general or some big guy with a lot of star all over his place and come with the Nepali leader and take a picture and the Nepali would just collapse and they would just say yes to everything even today. That's the case. And there's another thing is, you know, there's funny that I was so sad, but it's also funny that in return for that, in both World War I and World War II and also after the border confrontation in 1989 and also in 1969 and 1994, whenever the British needed the more people, they got it. Then they, after the incident is over, they send back to their home and what they did is in return for the favor, as a favor, they give all those, you know, the honorary ranks, you know, like night food, general colonel of the regime and all those things to Nepali leader because it cost them nothing. It cost them nothing. Yes. You're so funny about this. It's so horrible. Tim, from my experience, Gurk is incredibly loyal. I mean, incredibly friendly. They just love to learn and to talk. They love dancing. I love dancing, but so full of life. But what is it that, how come they so fearless? Is that for the loyalty or is that something to do with Nepalese culture? I think there's a lot of things, but I'm not a psychologist, but I think it's a commitment to what you do, give your best because in our culture, whenever somebody gives you a job, you do your best because you respect the guy who gives you a job. That's one thing. And the other thing is the upbringing, you know, that you have to give your best, do your best to your master. And third is, I think it's also the Gurkha, they don't like serious stuff. They just want to play around and joke around and do their job and go home and drink party like that. And the other thing, the most important thing is, I think, the most important thing is, as I said, they don't like serious stuff. So they don't know how the world is. They don't care how the whole world, how people manipulate, how people take advantage of you, how people use you, things like that, you know. And for interest people do anything and then they are very easy to, they also have perseverance, skill, they have tenacity, also adaptation. They have everything. But also, I think, is also the stupidity that also plays a part. I'm sorry to say that, but that also plays a part. That's why, you know, they don't fear or they go and die. They're ready to die. I think that's another thing. And they are also easily, easily manipulated. They can be easily manipulated. That's another reason. Yes, of course. Tim, tell us about the swimming because Nepal is a landlocked country. I obviously have many rivers, but I gather that many girls have to learn to swim. Yeah, I think that's the reason because Nepal is a landlocked country. There's not much river. There's no swimming pool, obviously, in the village. So in the river, because the place is so hilly, you know, mountainous. There's no point swimming place to learn swimming. So there's no river. Only rivers are, you know, just very, very steep. So most of them, they almost never swim, especially during our time. We didn't swim. We just walk on the river and never learn to swim. So we had to learn swimming when in the regular training. But nowadays, I think they have some swimming pool in those cities area. So they should be able to swim, I think. Nowadays, it should be a different story. And you know who is Nim Stuy? Yeah, I know another guy. Yeah, he was a girl who joined the SBS, so he had to swim really well. And then for Friends List, and Nim Stuy has been on the podcast. He climbed the world's 14 highest peaks in record time. The previous record was eight years and Nim Stuy and his... Yeah, with just his Sherpa team, so all Nepalese climbed in six months. I bet the country is very proud of them. Do you think so, Tim? Nepal is very proud of what Nim Stuy has done? Oh, yeah. I think a lot of people know them, but Nepal, like I said, Nepal has a lot of issues. Their way of thinking, way of life is a little bit different than what we do mostly in western countries. Because we have this caste system, we have these social problems, we have this political system, we have this religious system, we have a lot of problems. Because of this, people have rather narrow-minded and short-sightedness. As I said, I think they still have to grab the importance of being famous or brightening, making your name popular around the world. They still have to grab things. In the same time, we have a lot of fighting going on in Nepal mainly because of the religion and caste system. Because of that, people think that the thinking is a little bit different. They still have to come as a... They still have to unite as a national team. In that sense, I think it's still lacking. I think they still have a lot to learn before they start appreciating those kind of great work done by the people of Nepal. Yes, of course. In fighting, I always call it divide and conquer. You know, you get the people arguing with each other and then they don't see how they're being controlled. They are more busy on personal interests while missing the big picture. Yes, exactly. Tim, we should talk about battle owners, famous battles. I just don't want to finish the podcast without talking about the huge commitment that the Gurkhas have put in. On the back of your book, it says it all. I mean, First World War, Second World War, Malaya, Singapore, Borneo, East Timor, Hong Kong, Cyprus, Falklands, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo. There's a massive commitment there. Can you give us some ideas of maybe some incidents that have taken place in some of these wars? Maybe some, I don't know, like honours that the Gurkhas have won? Yes, I think, as you know, the Gurkhas started joining the British Army in the middle of Anglo-Gurkha war. That did happen in two phases, in 1814 and 1816. When the British fought the Gurkhas in a small hill, on the first phase of the First World War, sorry, the Anglo-Gurkha War, there were just about 600 men, including wife and children. And the British had almost 22,000 people with advanced artillery weapons like that. And they were so impressed by the bravery and the tenacity of the Gurkhas. They decided right away on the spot that they should better be on my side and fight with me. That's why they started in 1815 with 5,000 men with three Gurkha battalions. And they played a significant role from 1815 to 1947 to establish the British Raji in India. And they fought all those main wars like the Maratha wars, the Jats war, the 26th war, Afghanistan war and Burmese war like that. But it was in the Sipoy, the Indian mutiny in 1857 and 1858 when the first, second battalion, the Gurkhas called the Sipoy battalion, 327 men died out of 490. They got surrounded by all the mobs and they still fought on and they won that from there on, only from there on the Gurkhas were given the rank of soldiers from that Sipoy mutiny. And during the Sipoy mutiny, not only the Gurkhas fought alongside the British but also the Nepal army sent around 9,000 to 15,000 Nepalese army from the hill down, coming down and taking down all the mutinies along the way then saved the British. Otherwise the British Raj would have been finished in 1857. It started from there. There was not even a single war since then. There wasn't the Gurkhas fighting alongside the British. As I said in the first world war, more than 200,000 people came down to fight for the British. They came to Europe in the 14 Middle East and Africa. And in the second world war they came to Europe also 14 Middle East and Africa. The German general was defeated in Africa by the Gurkhas. And they also fought in Burma which was the biggest war. They fought and there were so many people died. Then all together the British won 13 VCs, the Victoria Cross. 13 VCs. 13 VCs. Two in the first world war, 12 in the second world war, one in the Borneo Confrontation. And the living Vici in Kathmandu today is still alive today. He is the only living Vici in the colony. Because if the Vici was only allowed, permitted to be given to the Gurkhas in 1911, because before that it wasn't allowed. So you can imagine it was a lot before it could have been many more. So then as you know in Malaysia, Borneo Confrontation, in Foglen war, in Kosovo, in Afghanistan all together. In Afghanistan I think from 2001 to 2014 12 Gurkhas were killed and 16 were injured. And after that I don't know because I didn't find the result from then one. So for 206 years it's like and you should remember one thing is Nepal war. It wasn't even a colony of British. It's a separate sovereign country. You just go there and it's like a tap water. You go there and you open the tap and take the water on whatever water you need. And you close it and come back. Every year go there, in somebody's country. Take the best cream of their youth and make them fight for your country. And in return you treat them like a class. Yes. We need to stop war. I don't like it. I like love. Love and friendship is the best way I think. What, Tim, in the Foglen's, were the Gurkhas angry? Am I correct? They didn't get to fight a battle? Not their fault but they weren't ordered into battle? I think it's all the British propaganda mission. I don't think that is the case because like as you say, before the Foglen war when the Gurkhas was to fight with the Argentine, the British propaganda mission used the propaganda paper and they keep distributing millenia propaganda paper saying that Gurkhas are like a beast, you know, blood sucking beast. They take out the concrete and without sucking, killing everybody and sucking the blood they won't put it down. Things like that, you know, they were supposed to be your friend, your brother on arms, you know. You don't say those things, you don't even solve those things. And that's why the Argentinean went away and that's the reason they weren't that way. That's not the way to treat your own people, you know, your brother on arms. There are those who fear about the propaganda thing. So that was propaganda? Propaganda, there's nothing to do with the Gurkhas. They're talking like the Gurkhas are not like a machine, you know. Without blood filling or thinking mine or nothing, it's like a blood machine. You just go there and kill and come back and dance and things like that. We are also human. Tim, we all understand that but I think it's a bit of maybe military folk tale that allegedly some of the Argentines believe if the Gurkhas get you, they're going to eat you, right? But it's actually not about... That's a fearsome reputation. So it's not... That's what the British had done from the beginning. It's only about privilege but never talk about their tragedy, never talk about their feeling, never talk about their warfare, never talk about their family, never talk about their life. That's the problem. Yes, of course. Of course. This is why so many people have been fighting for the Gurkhas' rights over the years. And yeah, Britain is... People won't like to hear this but historically we've been... Well, it goes both ways but we have been quite a racist nation. It still continues today and you see it... You see hints of it... I mean, I grew up in the 70s. It was incredibly racist time, much different to young people today. We were led to believe we were superior to other countries and other colours. And it's a horrible thing that I have to live with that. I have to live with that's how I was programmed when I was a kid by sort of cultural influences, by comedy and... Not comedy but by humour. We made fun of everybody but... Yeah, exactly. Even the Gurkha Bhatani looked British official and they had the same attitudes. They had the same activity. They did the same separately. There was a two different system. Yes, in irony, it's when I look at the world now and then I look at the way that tribes live. Nepal is a tribal country. Those guys have got it right. They have family, community, honour, simplicity. They don't destroy the planet. They have it all right. The way that the West is going or the globe now... It's toxic. Everything is so wrong. All this nonsense. It's just so... I'd rather be in a Nepalese house drinking some whiskey, dancing around the fire, telling stories, than spending an evening just watching rubbish on my phone or pretending that people like me when they probably don't even care about me. Can we talk about the... Do I say it right, kukkuri? Kukkuri, yeah, kukkuri. Kukkuri, the legendary... In Nepal, we say it's kukkuri. Kukkuri. Yeah, kukkuri. And each one is handmade by a blacksmith, by a craftsman. Yeah, mostly it was the case. There was a craft of craftsmen around those Gurkhas area. Some of the Gurkha battalions during the World War II, they even produced by themselves. We found that here. Yes, I mean, everybody wants a kukkuri. They're a special tool, I'm going to call it a tool, not a weapon, but I guess it's both. The famous knife, yeah? Yeah, the famous knife. Okay, I'm going to put some questions to you, Tim. Maybe some are silly. I don't know, but this is stuff I've grown up with, but hearing about the Gurkhas, every time you draw the kukkuri, you have to draw blood. I think this is nonsense, but it's bullshit. I knew it was. Is it true it's sharp enough that you can cut the head off a cow? I saw some photo years ago. Some of them, because they're a little bit bigger, because in Nepal they have this bigger and longer sacrificial knife. The kukkuri is bigger, so they use normally for their sacrificing the animals. Some of them can. And I've been seeing a story on the media. Gurkha, did he take out 30 Taliban in Afghanistan? Is this a true story or apparently they were surrounded and just picked up every weapon and emptied every magazine? I haven't really read too much about it. There was one guy who got the guy from the Gurkhas. He took out 17 Taliban with one machine gun. That's a real story. I think he won the G.C.B., you know, the gallantry out. Yes. That's true, but that is another story. That one Gurkha, that's an Indian Gurkha, he took out 30 bandits alone with a kukkuri. That happened in an Indian train when he was going home. There were some bandits trying to loot, trying to rob the passenger. The guy with the kukkuri who was going home on leave, then he single-handedly chased them all away. That's also true. Tim, I live in Plymouth. That's a normal day for us. Every time we go outside the front door. Tim, listen, this has been a fascinating chat. Thank you so much for coming on the show. I really hope we can meet in Hong Kong at some point. I don't know when I'm back in Hong Kong, but it would be nice to come over. Not only, my brother, and thank you very much for everything. Yes, and I wish you so much luck with the book. Friends at home with... Do I have a book? Yes. We're going to put links for the books, friends below the video on YouTube. Grab a copy. It's an incredible read. It's just so fascinating. There's so much stuff here that you're probably not going to hear in books that are maybe written by British officers. Yes, this is the other side of the story. If you were to step on above the book, we'll change after reading this book. It's a very nicely flowing read. You start reading and you can't put it down. Grab a copy. Tim, just stay there when I hit off the record button. I can thank you properly. Can I say Ayo Gurkali? Yes, Ayo Gurkali, yes. Thank you so much, Tim. Thank you so much. I know that honour is all of ours, and I wish you all the good cause and the people in the poor, all the best for the future. To our friends at home, I hope you enjoy this as much as I have. If you can like and subscribe and share this video, that will really help our channel. Much love to you all. Look after yourselves. Thank you.