In the UK dubbed the “Olympics of Military Patrolling”, the gold medal was bagged by the Indian Army which was represented by 4/5 Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) at the exercises.
The exercise was held from 13 to 15th October 2021 and after its sixth phase, the Gold medal was won by the Indian team which was among the only three out of 96 participating teams in the Exercise Cambrian Patrol 2021 at Brecon in Wales to win a Gold medal.
The Exercise
According to an official, under inclement weather and harsh terrain conditions, several challenges were offered in addition to the complex real-world situations which were simulated for assessing the reactions of the participating teams in a combat setting.
Considered as the ultimate test of human endurance and team spirit, the Exercise Cambrian Patrol is organized by the British Army. While sometimes the exercise is also referred to as Olympics of Military Patrolling among the militaries in the world, according to the Defence Ministry.
Including 17 international teams which were representing the special forces and regiments from across the world, the Indian Army had competed against 96 teams.
5th Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force)
Six Gorkha regiments had become part of the Indian Army as per the terms of the Britain–India–Nepal Tripartite Agreement since the independence of India in 1947.
The troops are mainly from the ethnic Gurkha community of Nepal and a Kukri knife, which is their signature, is always carried by them.
Comprising the Gurkha soldiers of the Nepalese Origin, the 5th Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army that was formed in 1858 as part of the British Indian Army.
As per records, The regiment’s battalion had efficiently served in the First World War and the Second World War as well. When the regiment was one of the Gurkha regiments which was transferred to the Indian Army in 1947, the regiment was known as the 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force) and received its current name in 1950.