09/04/2024
𝗚𝘂𝗿𝗸𝗵𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲
On this day (9th April) 75 years ago, The Gurkha Contingent was formed.
Major Percival Scott Leathart MBE, the contingent’s first commanding officer, in his book - 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐔𝐑𝐊𝐇𝐀𝐒 𝑰𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒂, 𝑺𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒂𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒆, 𝑴𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒂, 𝑰𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒂 1940 - 1959 - wrote, "The Japanese surrender in August 1945 and the reoccupation of Singapore found the Police Force a shadow of former itself; morale had collapsed, corruption was rife and, indeed, the reinstituted Colonial Government had virtually nothing with which to enforce its authority. The pre-war Sikh Contingent had disintegrated in dishonour under the impact of foreign force, no longer existed. Against this background, the Commissioner of the Police, Mr R. E. Foulger started negotiations with a view to replacing the Sikh Contingent with a similar unit of Gurkhas. In the autumn of 1948, after many tedious delays, permission was finally given to raise the unit and the Nepalese Government sanctioned the recruitment of its nationals. An establishment was worked out and true, to form, the total manpower came to the nice 'square' figure of 149. The Gurkha Contingent, as it was to be called, was to have a British Officer (subsequently increased to 2), 5 Gurkha Officers and usual compliment of NCO's and men to make up a company of 4 platoons. It was decided that the Gurkha Officers should be former VCO's of the old Indian Army and that all men should have previous military experience. It was also decided that two thirds of the men should come from West Nepal and one third from the East of that country."
