Early History
In 1857, it was decided to augment the existing Gurkha regiments by raising another. Initially, this was known as the Extra Goorkha Regiment, before being numbered as the 19th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry. In 1861 it was finally designated as the 4th Goorkha Regiment.
The regiment's first major action came during the Second Afghan War, although in this time it also served on the North-West Frontier and during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900.
The regiment's first Victoria Cross came during operations in Somalia during the Third Somaliland Campaign in 1903, when then Captain William George Walker risked his life in an attempt to save the life of another officer who had been wounded during earlier fighting. Walker's VC was, however, earning serving in the Somali Camel Corps, not the 4th Gorkhas.
Read more about this topic: 4 Gorkha Rifles
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