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BASTION RUNNERS RAISE FIVE THOUSAND POUNDS FOR THE KOHIMA EDUCATIONAL TRUST AND GURKHA WELFARE TRUST

FOUR hundred and sixty five runners competed in the Khukuri 10 km race at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan and raised $5000 for the Kohima Educational Trust and Gurkha Welfare Trust. The race was organised by soldiers from 246 Gurkha Signal Squadron, 2 Signal Regiment who man the Helmand Information Communication Systems Signal Squadron which is based at Camp Bastion.

Race organiser, Warrant Officer Som Chochangi said “We expected around 150 runners. It is fantastic that over 400 people took part and helped make it such a successful event”.

Competitors from the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force were joined by comrades from the United States Marine Corps who are based next door in Camp Leatherneck and a number of civilian contractors. Group Captain Guy Van Den Berg, Commander Bastion, started the race which was run over a 10 km course around Bastion Camps 1 and 2. The fine sunny conditions with a light breeze allowed for some impressive performances.

First home in a time of 35.38 minutes was Leading Aircraft Engineering Technician Nathan Goseling who is serving with the Fleet Air Arm’s 857 Naval Air Squadron from Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose. He was presented with a Gurkha Khukuri by Colonel Tim Carmichael, Commander Joint Force Communication Information Systems.

Lance Corporal Jolandi Joubert from was the first female across the finishing line. The veterans’ races were won by Major Lesli Bell and Warrant Officer Derek Park. They also received ceremonial Khukuris. These were donated by Warrant Officer Som. All runners received a Khukuri 10 km Race T-shirt and additional prizes were donated by Paradigm, the company who provide the welfare telephone service for British Forces serving abroad.

The Kohima Educational Trust is a registered charity which was founded in 2003 by the surviving British veterans of the Battle of Kohima. The charity provides schooling for the children in Nagaland in India who are descendents of the local tribesmen that helped the British Forces defeat the Japanese at the Battle of Kohima in 1944, a turning point in the war in the Far East. Today’s soldiers in 2 Signal Regiment are maintaining a link forged by their wartime predecessors in the Regiment who fought in the battle as part of the British 2nd Division. Kohima has added poignancy for all the servicemen and women at Camp Bastion because the Kohima Epitaph is read at memorial services to mark the passing of fallen comrades.

The Gurkha Welfare Trust was established in 1969. It is the principal charity dedicated to the provision of aid to the Gurkha ex-servicemen and their dependants in their homeland of Nepal

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