Soldiers celebrate biggest festival at new home

Gurkha soldiers celebrated their biggest festival for the first time since moving to Suffolk

Gurkhas who relocated to a new military base have celebrated their biggest festival at their new home for the first time.

Over the summer, 70 of the Gurkha Parachute Squadron moved from Maidstone in Kent to join their parent unit, 23 Parachute Engineer Regiment, at Rock Barracks in Woodbridge, Suffolk.

More than 30 families relocated and on Wednesday they celebrated Dashain - Nepal's biggest Hindu and harvest festival that celebrates the triumph of good over evil.

Sgt Maj Nissan Lama, of the Gurkha squadron, said the regiment had been "very welcoming" and his soldiers were enjoying the local area.

Sgt Maj Nissan Lama said the families had been enjoying the move to Woodbridge

"For us to be here in Woodbridge for the first time and to celebrate this significant moment is very pleasing and rewarding," he said.

"I think the place is excellent for us.

"The families are enjoying it, everything looks good so far, so hopefully this will be our home away from home in Maidstone, and we can build the community that we want and the wider community can be part of our family."

Gurkhas, who are Nepalese soldiers, have been part of the British Army for more than 200 years and in 2009 veteran Gurkhas were given rights to settle in the UK.

The festival includes dancing and plenty of food for the soldiers and their families

Cpl Gobinder Rana Magar said Dashain was as important to his culture as Christmas was to Christians

Cpl Gobinder Rana Magar helped organise the celebrations and said it would "show all of the culture".

"Just to compare between western culture and Nepalese culture, this Dashain festival is quite similar to Christmas over here because Dashain is the greatest festival back in Nepal," he explained.

Ghanshyam Thapa worked for the past week to get the temporary temple ready for the celebrations

The squadron hoped to have a permanent temple at the barracks in future

Soldiers have used their engineering skills to convert a disused conference room into a temple at the barracks' community centre.

Ghanshyam Thapa, a sapper in the squadron, spent the past week setting up the temporary temple.

"This temple is really important for us, for the Nepalese community and the Gurkha community," he said.

"It is not only just a place to worship, it is the place where we find peace."

Lt Col David Crosbie has celebrated his first Dashain festival

Lt Col David Crosbie, of 23 Parachute Engineer Regiment, said it was his first Dashain as commanding officer.

"The British Army have recruited Nepalese soldiers, Gurkhas, for over 200 years," he said.

"They're incredibly professional soldiers, they're hugely proud of where they come from and they are supremely fit, time and time proven in operations over the course of history, and they are going to bring that to this regiment.

"We're really looking forward to [Dashain]. It's an incredible privilege and honour to be part of such an important time of year for our new Gurkhas in the regiment."

Lt Col Crosbie said the wider regiment had enjoyed welcoming the Gurkhas and they would look to welcome more in the future.