6th Queen Elizabeth's Own Gurkha Rifles
| 6th Queen Elizabeth's Own Gurkha Rifles | |
|---|---|
 6th Queen Elizabeth's Own Gurkha Rifles cap badge | |
| Active | 1817–present |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch | British Army |
| Role |
|
| Size | 2 battalions |
| Garrison/HQ | British Hong Kong |
| Colors | Green, faced black |
| March | Young May Moon (Quick March) |
| Insignia | |
| Abbreviation | 6 GR |
The 6th Queen Elizabeth's Own Gurkha Rifles, abbreviated as 6 GR, is an infantry regiment in the British Army. Alongside other regiments in the Brigade of Gurkhas, the 6th Gurkhas recruit soldiers from Nepal. The regiment currently consists of two regular Powered Infantry Battalions, the only such in a Gurkha regiment. Currently, 1st Battalion is serving as a part of 48 (Gurkha) Airmobile Brigade in Hong Kong while 2nd Battalion is part of 5 Airborne Brigade from Church Crookham, Hampshire, England.
The regiment was originally part of the British Indian Army and its battalions fought under various Indian Infantry Brigades during the Pacific War. With India's indepedence, the 6th Gurkhas were transferred from the British Indian Army to the British Army and later named in honor of Queen Elizabeth II. The 6th Gurkhas have participated in every conflict involving Britain east of the Suez since the end of the Pacific War.
Current Role
With tensions rising in Europe in the 2050s, the United Kingdom put a point on the, until then gradual, wittling down of its commitment to Chinese security. The British government made a big show publicly of withdrawing the two rotational Armoured Brigades stationed in the Republic of China itself. This was meant to signal frugality and not wasting British lives on other nations' far away problems. However, to placate the United States, the British Army subtley re-roled the 48 (Gurkha) Infantry Brigade garrisoned in Hong Kong to compensate for the loss in capability. From 2058-2060 it was converted into 48 (Gurkha) Airmobile Brigade and had its rotational Gurkha battalions re-equipped. While not stationed in China itself, should war kick off the brigade would deploy rapidly into China by helicopter and establish an anti-tank blocking force to blunt any communist offensive. To support this, the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 6th Queen Elizabeth's Own Gurkha Rifles were each re-roled as Type B Powered Infantry Battalions. They swap stationing with each other in Hong Kong or England every 3 years, providing the 48 Airmobile Brigade in Hong Kong and 5 Airborne Brigade in England with one battalion equipped with the Armour Body Powered Infantry (ABPI) power armor system.
Type B Powered Infantry Battalions are intended to support the Airmobile Brigade's two Light Role Infantry Battalions specialized in the air assault mission. They would provide protected fire support, utilizing the ABPI's high level of protection against small arms and assisted lift capability to enable a high concentration of support weapons. Such weapons include the Taden Mk4 general-purpose machine gun (GPMG), MAT-H anti-tank guided missile, and 60mm mortars with minimal crewing and without burdening the light infantry with ammunition carriage. The Type B battalion also includes one Boarhound Powered Infantry Carrier (PIC) Platoon that is capable of mechanizing one Rifle Company at a time. The PIC is 6×6 wheeled armored personnel carrier specially designed to carry six ABPI systems (a Rifle Section) externally, from which the operators can mount under armor.
The battalion's three Rifle Companies are not motorized or mechanized by default, though. "Type B" battalions generally aren't, compared to "Type A" Powered Infantry Battalions of certain Mechanised Brigades which have organic transport. This is because the Airmobile Brigade's Powered Infantry Battalion is intended to operate dispersed in support of light infantry units. The usually concept of operation would be for one Rifle Company Group to be attached to each Light Role Battalion, which would deploy to the battlefield by helicopter and walk once on the ground. The third Rifle Company Group could be attached similarly, or be mechanized and form part of the brigade's mobile reserve. The latter task would generally be carried out alongside the brigade's Armoured Recce Squadron or an attached Tank Regiment. Because each battalion is intended to operate dispersed, the Type B Powered Infantry Battalion lacks a centralized Fire Support Company as with the Type A battalion. Rather, Rifle Companies in Type B Powered Infantry Battalions operate organically in a near-Company Group configuration (excluding logistics and support outside Infantry Battalions). This includes an organic 3-inch Mortar Section with a Mortar Fire Controller Party, an Assault Pioneer Section, and an attached REME Power Section to charge the batteries of the company's 94 power armor systems.
Battalion Organization
- Infantry Battalion Type B (Powered)[1]
- Battalion HQ (4 Officers and 3 Men)
- Company HQ
- Battalion HQ Platoon
- Quartermaster Platoon
- Powered Infantry Carrier (PIC) Platoon
- Motor Transport Platoon
- Catering Platoon
- Signals Platoon
- Pay Section
- HQ Company (16 Officers and 160 Men)
- 3× Powered Infantry Rifle Companies, lettered A, B, C (4 Officers and 114 Men each)
- Company HQ
- 3× Rifle Platoons
- Mortar Section (3x 3-inch mortars and Mortar Fire Controller Party)
- Assault Pioneer Section
- Power Section (attached)
- Light Aid Detachment REME (1 Officer and 23 Men attached)
- Battalion HQ (4 Officers and 3 Men)
Notes
- ↑ Staff Officers Handbook (SOHB) 2060, Chapter 2, British Army.