Lieutenant Colonel J.P. Cross, editor of Gurkhas at War - In Their Own Words, The Gurkha Experience 1939 to the Present, returned to the UK with his surrogate son and co-editor, Buddhiman Gurung, for a month of lectures and book signings. Co-editors Lt. Col. J. P. Cross and Buddhiman Gurung (nearest camera) sign copies of their book, Gurkhas At War at the Military History Circle, R.U.S.I., on Thursday 11 April. Cross is - uniquely - a homeowner in Nepal. He made this rare journey from his adopted homeland at a turbulent point in the nation’s history: financial and political instability in Nepal have now become a global concern. Cross’s first engagement was to speak at the Royal United Services Institute in Whitehall. He addressed a packed audience in the library about the historical, religious and political roots of contemporary Nepal, and, specifically, how the evolution of ideals has affected the Brigade of Gurkhas. The nature of the audience was a mark of the respect and attention Cross draws from the Defence Establishment. Among the attendants were General Sir Sam Cowan (Chief of Defence Logistics, Ministry of Defence), Brigadier M. G. Hunt-Davies (Chairman of the Gurkha Brigade Association), Colonel D. G. Hayes (HQ, Brigade of Gurkhas), Brigadier Christopher Bullock (Brigade of Gurkhas, and now curator of The Gurkha Museum), and Colonel Evan-Powell Jones (Director, the Gurkha Welfare Trust). There were also many eminent names from the world of academic military studies. Cross delivered a concise and enlightening lecture on what he confessed to be a difficult subject - a singling out of seminal events in Nepal, beginning with the arrival of the first Mongoloid tribes - the future Gurkhas - ‘unknown centuries ago’. He directed his listeners through Buddhism and Brahmanism; the tripartite relations between Britain, India and Nepal and their division of Gurkha loyalties; Cold War conflicts and the current unrest that has proved so favourable for the rise of Maoist philosophies. Of the future, Cross said: ‘I am an observer, not a prophet. ... I am a long-term optimist but, for the Brigade of Gurkhas, we need the old discipline and loyalty, new skills, an act of faith - and political will from the top.’ Afterwards Cross took questions from the audience. A number of attendants commented on the welcome controversy of Cross’s talk, and its infusion with personal anecdotes, both poignant and shocking - all of which are traits that have become synonymous with the name of John P. Cross. Copies of Gurkhas At War were on sale at the event, but sold out prior to the lecture. Cross journeyed next to Scotland to deliver a lecture at the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh. The RCS are currently working closely with the Brigade of Gurkhas in a bid to build up the medical skills of Gurkha officers. The author then returned to the R.U.S.I. on 11 April to talk to the Military History Circle about the writing of his most recent labour of love, Gurkhas At War. With co-editor Buddhiman Gurung at his side, he spoke of the genesis of his project - a conversation with Lionel Leventhal in 1998 - and the fulfilment of the quest, which involved a trek of thousands of miles across Nepal, collecting Gurkha stories. As related in his book, Cross conceded to difficulties of wheedling information from the ‘old and bold’ soldiers. The formal surroundings - desk and tape recorder - combined with the famous Gurkha stoicism, meant that all too often remembrances poured out after the tape recorder had stopped. This cathartic experience meant that the two editors were frequently regarded as ‘heaven-sent’ by some who had never, previously, been given the opportunity to give their side of the story, or to confess some wrongdoing from nearly sixty years ago. Cross was posed the question of whether he would be prepared to pen a sequel to the book, on the Indian Army Gurkhas post-1947. He smiled and said he was simply exhausted - but that there would undoubtedly be others to continue the legacy of giving the Gurkhas a voice in print. Cross’s second R.U.S.I. talk doubled as an unofficial launch party for Gurkhas At War, and the very many copies purchased by those who attended were signed by the authors at the event. Back to Greenhill Military Book News No. 116 Table of Contents Back to Greenhill Military Book News List of Issues Back to Master Magazine List © Copyright 2002 by Greenhill Books This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com