Obituaries 2025-2026
| Name | Date |
| Lieutenant Colonel Lalbahadur Pun OBE MC. See also his obituary in The Times here. | 9 January 2026 |
| Major (GCO) Lalbahadur Gurung | 29 April 2026 |
| Colonel D R Wood MBE | 22 June 2026 |
| Captain Ganesh Gurung | 27 June 2026 |
Major (GCO) Lalbahadur Gurung died on 29th April 2026. Known as ‘LB’ to his friends, he was born in 1952 and became the adopted godson of Lieutenant Colonel Alastair Langlands (2GR 1947-73). He was educated at St Xavier’s in Godavari before enlisting in the Brigade of Gurkhas in 1970 at Paklihawa.
In May 1971 he joined the 1st Battalion in Singapore as a Rifleman in C Company. He quickly showed his potential and rose speedily through the ranks, becoming Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant as a WO2 from 1980-83. After completing the Jungle Warfare Instructors Couse and the Junior Officers Training and Education Scheme he was commissioned as a Lieutenant (QGO) in October 1984.
He did the Platoon Commanders’ Course at the School of Infantry in Warminster 1986 and was then seconded to the Staffordshire Regiment in Germany, going with them to the British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) in March 1987, remaining in Canada as Infantry Safety Officer until November that year.
On return to the 1st Battalion in Hong Kong, he became A Company Training Officer. He was promoted to Captain (QGO) in April 1988 and was Second-in-Command of C Company for a few months before commanding it from April 1989 to January 1990 in Hong Kong and Brunei. He passed the GCO selection board and examinations in 1990 and was briefly Operations/Training Officer for the Battalion. He attended the Junior Command and Staff Course in 1990 and again became a company commander, first of C Company of the 1st Battalion, then C Company of the combined 2nd Goorkhas (after the 1st and 2nd Battalions amalgamated in 1992) and latterly C Company of 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles (1RGR) when all the British Gurkha infantry regiments merged in 1994. His last appointment was commanding HQ Company of 1RGR from August 1995 to December 1997, shortly before he retired.
Lalbahadur was an accomplished all-round sportsman, playing in the 1st Battalion Nepal Cup team from 1971 to 1981 as well as being in the Battalion hockey and swimming teams. He was in all respects an outstanding Regimental Officer: supremely competent; physically very tough and fit; utterly reliable and trustworthy; devoted to the well-being of those under his command and to the good name of the Regiment. Highly-respected, he contributed an enormous amount to the Regiment both during his service and in retirement. Gregarious, good-humoured and the provider of much wise counsel, he made many friends among British and Gurkha Sirmooris alike, all of whom mourn his passing.
In retirement, he devoted his attention to setting up and running the ‘Sirmoor Sathies’, a branch of the Sirmoor Rifles Association for retired Gurkha officers and men in the UK, and of which he was the first Chairman. He also set up the Khilang Gurung Society UK and was for a time President of the Tamu Dhee Association UK.
He married Dilmaya in 1974 and they had three daughters, to whom we extend our heartfelt condolences.
Captain Ganesh Gurung, a football legend of the 1st Battalion died at Fishtail Hospital, Pokhara, on 27th June 2026. He was 85 years old. He had been suffering from Coronary Artery Disease. His funeral took place at Ram Ghat, Pokhara on 28th June. He leaves behind his widow, a son, three daughters and three grandchildren.
Ganesh enlisted on 2 January 1957 as a Boy Soldier and after 2 years training at Training Depot Brigade of Gurkhas at Sungei Patani in Malaysia, joined 1/2 GR in Slim Barracks, Singapore, in November 1959. He held several important roles in the Battalino and elsewhere in the Brigade including Regimental Sergeant Major, Battalion Training Officer, 2IC D Company, Assistant Unit Education Officers, Training Officer at Training Depot Brigade of Gurkhas in Hong Kong and Demo Officer at the Gurkha Demonstration Company, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
However, he will chiefly be remembered for his outstanding sporting achievements. In the 1960s he was selected for the British Army Football team in the Far East. He was one of the key players in the 1/2 GR Nepal Cup winning team of 1960, 1963, 1967 & 1968. He was Manager/Coach of the famous Nepal Cup team of the late 1970s and early 80s that won the Nepal Cup in 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979 and again in 1982, 1983 & 1984, a ‘double hat trick’ that has not been repeated since. This could have been a straight run of successes from 1975 to 1984 had it not been for the fact that the Battalion was in the UK from 1980-81. He was OIC of the Battalion Football Team that won British Forces Hong Kong Major Units Knockout Competition in 1976/77 & 1977/78 and won the British Forces Hong KOng Major Units League in 1981/82 & 1983/84.
Ganash (L) in 1979 with the Commandant of the 1st Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel (later Lieutenant General Sir) Peter Duffell
While on long leave in Nepal he captained the Gandaki Zone Football Team in 1972, which won the famous Inter Zone Football Tournament Nepal (Nar Trophy). Maj Kharkabahadur Gurung 2/2 GR and Maj Krishnakumar Ale 1/2GR were also in the winning team but Captain Ganesh was the only one to score a goal.
He retired rom the Army on 2 January 1987 and served in the Gurkha Reserve Unit from 1987 to 1993. He was subsequently very involved in social work in Nepal and was the president of his Village Society for over 14 years. He was an active participant in Sirmoor Club Nepal activities and a key adviser to the Pokhara Branch of the Club.