Friday

The Invisible Force: Singapore Gurkhas
Chong Zi Liang & Zakaria Zainal
Singapore: Ethos Books, 2014
ISBN: 9789810910990

The Gurkhas need no introduction, with their storied reputation built up over two centuries of battlefield exploits around the world. A unit of these Nepalese warriors have been serving Singapore for more than 65 years, yet precious little is known about them. Indeed, the Gurkha Contingent clashed with communists and militant unions in its early days and continues to protect the island state’s most important places and people even today.

Discover the untold story of the Singapore Gurkha through the eyes of different generations who carried the famed kukri blade: The rigorous, punishing training that forges elite soldiers; the family lives of these paramilitary policemen; and the lengths their sons go to follow in their fathers' footsteps.

Above all, The Invisible Force reveals the loyalty and gratitude the Gurkha has for Singapore, and the struggles he and his family face upon retirement, including an unresolved request for better employment terms.

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