f death they seemed to have no fear, though their comrades were falling thick around them, for we were so near that every shot told… (Brief History of the Gurkhas 1). Though the British were the victors the casualties were very high. They suffered the loss of 31 officers and 750 other ranks, while the Gurkhas had casualties closer to 520 total (Farwell 31). This pricey triumph set the British back and the campaign was called off. It was resumed in 1815, but it also failed, though this time it was more do to poor organization, and incompetent leaders (Masters 48). It was April 24 of the same year that the 1st Gurkha Battalion was formed. This duty was given to Lieutenant Frederick Young who recruited his 3,000 plus soldiers from POW camps (Farwell 32). The third campaign began in 1816. A force of 17,000 was mustered and under new leadership, they soon made short work of the Gurkhas. When the Gurkhas surrendered at Malaun, the were held in such high esteem by their adversaries, that they were permitted to keep their colors flying and all personal property (Farwell 34). In those days this was very rare.A treaty was signed March 4 of that year, one of the main articles of this treaty stated that no one would be permitted to use the Gurkhas as mercenaries with out the permission of Britain, such was the extent of the respect the British felt for their fearsome adversaries that they certainly did not want to face these men in battle another time. It was shortly after this that Young formed the Sirmoor Battalion which later became the 2nd King Edward VII’s Own Gurkha Rifles, a battalion which still exists today. The British were so eager for more of these great fighters that they soon formed two other battalions, the Nasiri Battalions, which were later amalgamated into the 1st Gurkha Rifles (Morhiyo Gurkahli 2).The Sirmoor Battalion had already seen action by 1825, but it was at the sieg...
