 Some of the Gurkhas are going back to Nepal with their families |
More than 100 Gurkha soldiers are back at their Kent barracks after a tour of duty in Afghanistan, which included a two-week defensive operation. The members of the Royal Gurkha Rifles will now have more than two months' leave following their return to Shornecliffe Barracks in Folkestone.
Major Dan Rex said it was an "immense relief" to return with all 110 soldiers he took out to Helmand province.
They spent six months involved in fierce conflict with Taleban fighters.
Colour Sgt Yadhuchandra Lawati described their encounters as "suffocating, difficult and frightening".
'Skill and professionalism'
Major Rex said it was probably the fiercest fighting the Gurkhas have encountered since World War II.
"We were asked to hold and defend a district centre in a town," he said.
"When we took over it was relatively quiet. Then the Taleban came in and took over the town and started to prepare positions from which to attack us."
Major Rex said his men went through 12 days of engagements with their enemy, some of which lasted up to six hours.
One soldier came under heavy fire while reinforcing a machine gun position.
"He took a ricochet to his face and was also hit on the helmet - but he sat down, had a cigarette, and then carried on," said Major Rex.
He said returning to Kent with the full battalion was down to the skill and professionalism of the soldiers.
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