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1
CONSTITUTION OF THE 2
nd
GURKHA RIFLES ASSOCIATION-UK
(SIRMOOR SATHIES) - JANUARY 2015
1.
BACKGROUND
1.1
The name of the Association is
2
nd
Gurkha
Rifles
Association-UK
(Sirmoor
Sathies),
abbreviated as
2 GR ASSOC-UK (Sirmoor Sathies);
and popularly
referred to as the
Sirmoor Sathies.
1.2
The 2
nd
Gurkha Rifles of the British-India Army was formed in Nahan, Sirmoor
State, India on 24 April 1815. The 2
nd
Gurkha Rifles was originally named as the
Sirmoor Battalion and was later renamed as 2
nd
King Edward VII’S Own Gurkha
Rifles. During the Military cutbacks undertaken by the British Army on 1
st
July
1994, the 2
nd
Gurkha Rifles Regiment (Sirmoor Rifles) was disbanded and
absorbed into the newly formed 1
st
Royal Gurkha Rifles (1RGR) by
amalgamating with the 6
th
Gurkha Rifles.
Sirmoor
Club
Nepal
(SCN) was
formally and legally
established
on
14
September
1994
from all ex-servicemen
of the 2
nd
Gurkha Rifles (Sirmoor Rifles) mainly for two reasons: to continue to
maintain the strong relationship between
Sirmoor
Club
UK
(
SCUK
) and
Sirmoor Club Nepal
(SCN) by upholding the Regiment’s unique traditions and
ethos. The members also felt strongly that the history of 2
nd
Gurkha Rifles should
be honoured and kept alive for as long as possible.
1.3
The first annual get-together of
Sirmoor
Club
Nepal
(
SCN
) was organised by
Hon Maj Lachhimiparsad Gurung MVO BEM, 2
nd
Bn, on 14 September 1994,
who was then the Gurkha Major of British Gurkhas Nepal (BGN), Kathmandu. 15
get-togethers took place at 15 different locations all over Nepal with the sole
purpose of reuniting all ex-servicemen of 2
nd
Gurkha Rifles and their families;
and together honouring and celebrating the
distinctively unique Battle Honour –
Delhi Day -
of
14 September 1857!
1.4
The grant of settlement rights for the ex-Gurkhas in 2004 by the British Government also
made a positive impact on the Gurkhas. The 2
nd
Gurkha Rifles’ numbers gradually
increased with members coming and residing in the UK. Initially, the Sathies were
formed unofficially on 14 September 2005 with the joint effort of Maj (GCO) Lalbahadur
Gurung (LB) and Maj Narkaji Gurung on the advice of the now deceased Lt-Col (Retd)
Clive Fraser of 2
nd
Bn, who was then the Hon Sec of Sirmoor Club UK (SCUK). Sadly,
Lt-Col Clive Fraser passed away of heart failure just a few days before the Sirmoor