Chapter 01 — The Awakening
The mountains made them.
Scroll — thirty chapters
Chapter 02 — Origins
From these hills came ordinary boys.
Farmers' sons from the middle hills of Nepal.
Chapter 03 — The Peoples
Gurung · Magar ·
Rai · Limbu
Four peoples of the hills. One standard of courage.
Chapter 04 — The Doko
The doko
A basket of stones. A mountain. Run.
Chapter 05 — The Selection
Thousands climb.
Hundreds
are chosen
The hardest interview on earth
Chapter 06 — The Oath
The oath
Sworn in Nepali. Kept everywhere.
Chapter 07 — The Beginning
1815
The story starts here
Chapter 08 — The Legend
Braver than brave.
Chapter 09 — The Words
“If a man says he is not afraid of dying, he is either lying or he is a Gurkha.”
— Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, attributed
Chapter 10 — The Motto
Better to die
than live a coward.
Chapter 11 — The First Cross
Kulbir Thapa
1915 — the first of thirteen
Chapter 12 — The World Wars
100,000
in the Great War
200,000
in the Second
Two world wars. An endless column.
Chapter 13 — The Cost
A generation lost
Tens of thousands never came home.
Chapter 14 — Valor
Written in bronze.
13
Victoria Crosses earned by Gurkha soldiers
200+
years of unbroken service
Chapter 15 — Burma, 1945
Lachhiman Gurung
One hand held the trench.
Chapter 16 — Roll of Honour
Bhanubhakta Gurung
Agansing Rai
Ganju Lama
Chapter 17 — Roll of Honour
Gaje Ghale
Thaman Gurung
Netrabahadur Thapa
Chapter 18 — Borneo, 1965
Rambahadur Limbu
The most recent cross.
Chapter 19 — The Blade
Forged, not made.
Eighteen inches of curved steel.
Chapter 20 — The Standard
Thirteen
Thirteen crosses. One standard.
Chapter 21 — Partition
1947
Four regiments marched into the British Army.
Chapter 22 — Still Standing
The kukri still sings.
Two centuries on, the watch continues.
Chapter 23 — The Modern Wars
Falklands · Kosovo
Iraq · Afghanistan
Every generation finds its mountain.
Chapter 24 — Beyond Britain
Brunei · Singapore
The watch never ended.
Chapter 25 — The Source
The hills still send their sons.
Chapter 26
Unbroken
The promise never broke
Chapter 27 — The Collage
Every panel a life.
Chapter 28 — The Collage
Every frame a battle.
Chapter 29 — The Collage
The legend, in ink.
Finale
Ayo Gorkhali!
Two centuries. One legend.