Gurkha Independent Parachute Company
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA short-lived airborne and special-operations company formed from volunteers across the British Brigade of Gurkhas and active in the Borneo operations of the 1960s.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Gurkha Independent Parachute Company was a British Army unit formed within the Brigade of Gurkhas on 1 January 1963. It was created from volunteers drawn from all eight regiments and corps units of the brigade and initially numbered 128 officers and soldiers across all ranks. Its original mission was the seizure of airfields in support of the planned 17th Gurkha Division. The unit was therefore organized and trained as an airborne formation, with parachute instruction conducted in Malaya and selection carried out at Johor Bahru under Captain Bruce Niven of the 10th Princess Mary's Own Gurkha Rifles. The company's early operational experience differed from its intended airborne mission. Under Major Peter Quantrill of the 7th Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles, it was first employed as an infantry unit during the confrontation between Indonesia and Malaysia. It deployed to Sarawak in small groups to train and command the Border Scouts, an Iban force. The arrangement proved ineffective, and following the incident at Long Jawi the Border Scouts were disarmed and limited largely to intelligence-gathering duties. This change released the Gurkha company for more flexible employment. The company was then concentrated at Kuching and used in a rapid-reaction or “fire brigade” role, moving at short notice to areas requiring reinforcement. It conducted operations in support of 3 Commando Brigade around Lundu. In 1964 it returned to the Malay mainland and was based at the Kota Tinggi Jungle Warfare School near Johor Bahru. It was subsequently selected for conversion to a role modeled on the operational methods of the Special Air Service. Lieutenant Colonel John Woodhouse of 22 SAS assisted Major L. M. “Phil” Phillips in planning the reorganization. The revised structure replaced three conventional platoons with sixteen five-person patrols. Each patrol consisted of a commander, a medical orderly, two assault pioneers and a signaller. The arrangement preserved the company's ability to conduct an airfield assault while allowing small patrols to operate independently. Training and selection were intensified, with assistance from two members of 22 SAS. Queen's Gurkha Signals supplied signallers, while patrol medical personnel received training at the British Military Hospital in Singapore. By August 1964 the reorganization was complete. The attempted Indonesian invasion of the mainland provided an initial operational test. In October the company returned to Borneo, relieving No. 1 (Guards) Independent Company at Sibu. It maintained a continuous patrol cycle for approximately six months, although the available account records no enemy contacts during that tour and notes that some unauthorized crossings of the Indonesian border occurred. After returning to the mainland in April 1965, it established a new base at Kluang, came under Major John Cross, and undertook retraining and recruitment before returning to Borneo in September to participate in Operation Claret's cross-border operations. The unit was formally affiliated with the Parachute Regiment in June 1966. Its personnel adopted the regiment's maroon beret and cap badge, with the badge displayed on a rifle-green backing carrying the colours of the Brigade of Gurkhas. In 1968 the company abandoned its SAS-style organization and reverted to a conventional rifle-company structure, again focusing on its original airfield-seizure mission. It was based at Kota Tinggi and served as a demonstration company. When the Brigade of Gurkhas moved to Hong Kong in 1971, no continuing airborne role was planned for the brigade. The Gurkha Independent Parachute Company was consequently disbanded on 31 October 1971. Its recorded active-service periods in Borneo were October 1964 to April 1965 and September 1965 to April 1966.
History
Formed on 1 January 1963, the Gurkha Independent Parachute Company was an airborne unit of the British Brigade of Gurkhas. Its 128 personnel came from volunteers across all eight Gurkha regiments and corps units. The original concept was to provide a force capable of seizing airfields for the 17th Gurkha Division. Parachute training took place in Malaya, while selection was conducted at Johor Bahru under Captain Bruce Niven. The company's first operational employment was in Sarawak during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation. Rather than immediately conducting airborne assaults, it served in an infantry and advisory capacity. Small detachments trained and led the Iban Border Scouts, but the arrangement was unsuccessful. After the Long Jawi incident, the Border Scouts were disarmed and restricted primarily to information gathering. The Gurkha company was then concentrated at Kuching and employed as a rapid-response force supporting 3 Commando Brigade in the Lundu area. In 1964 the unit returned to the mainland and was stationed at the Kota Tinggi Jungle Warfare School. It was soon directed to adopt an SAS-style organization for operations in Borneo. Major L. M. Phillips worked with Lieutenant Colonel John Woodhouse of 22 SAS to redesign the company. Three platoons were replaced by sixteen five-person patrols, each containing a commander, medical orderly, two assault pioneers and a signaller. The patrol structure reflected the continuing airfield-assault requirement while improving the unit's ability to conduct independent reconnaissance and combat tasks. Two 22 SAS personnel assisted with training and selection; Queen's Gurkha Signals provided communications specialists, and the patrol medics trained in Singapore. The revised company completed its training in August 1964. It was tested by the Indonesian attempt to invade the mainland and returned to Borneo in October, relieving No. 1 (Guards) Independent Company at Sibu. It patrolled continuously over the following six months, rotating teams through the base for rest. The record describes no enemy contacts during this tour, although some unauthorized border crossings took place. After returning to the mainland in April 1965, the company moved to Kluang, where Major John Cross oversaw retraining and recruitment. In September it returned to Borneo and participated in Operation Claret, the British cross-border campaign conducted during the confrontation. In June 1966 the company was affiliated with the Parachute Regiment. Its soldiers wore the regiment's maroon beret and cap badge, with the badge mounted on rifle-green backing in the colours of the Brigade of Gurkhas. In 1968 the unit ceased its SAS-style patrol organization and reverted to a conventional rifle company, restoring its original airfield-seizure role. Based at Kota Tinggi, it became a demonstration company. The Brigade of Gurkhas moved to Hong Kong in 1971, where an airborne role was not envisaged. The company was therefore disbanded on 31 October 1971.
- 1971
Disbandment
[1]The company was disbanded on 31 October after the Brigade of Gurkhas moved to Hong Kong.
- 1968
Return to conventional rifle-company structure
[1]The company abandoned its SAS-style organization and resumed its original airfield-seizure role.
- 1966
Parachute Regiment affiliation
[1]The company formally affiliated with the Parachute Regiment and adopted its maroon beret and badge.
- 1965
Operation Claret
[1]After retraining and recruitment at Kluang, the company returned to Borneo and participated in cross-border operations.
- 1964
Conversion to patrol organization
[1]The company was reorganized from three platoons into sixteen five-person patrols for a role influenced by 22 SAS methods.
- 1964
Return to Borneo
[1]The company relieved No. 1 (Guards) Independent Company at Sibu and began a sustained patrol deployment.
- 1963
Formation
[1]The company was formed on 1 January from volunteers from all eight regiments and corps units of the Brigade of Gurkhas.
Products and positioning
A specialized British Army Gurkha formation combining an airborne airfield-assault mission with rapid-reaction infantry and small-patrol operations during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation.
Brand decisions
1971
Disbandment following relocation to Hong KongOtherBackground
The Brigade of Gurkhas moved to Hong Kong, where no airborne role was planned for the brigade.
Action taken
The Gurkha Independent Parachute Company was formally disbanded on 31 October.
Aftermath
The unit ceased to exist as an active British Army formation.
1968
Reversion to a conventional rifle companyStrategyBackground
After its period of small-patrol and SAS-influenced employment, the company no longer required that organization.
Action taken
The unit reverted to a conventional rifle-company structure and resumed its original airfield-seizure function.
Aftermath
It operated from Kota Tinggi as a demonstration company until its eventual disbandment in 1971.
1964
Adoption of an SAS-style patrol structureStrategyBackground
The company's initial deployment exposed the need for a more flexible organization suited to dispersed operations in Borneo while retaining the capacity for airfield assault.
Action taken
The three-platoon structure was replaced by sixteen five-person patrols, supported by specialist signallers and medics.
Aftermath
The reorganized company completed training in August 1964, served in Borneo, and later participated in Operation Claret.
Sources3 sources
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