the Far East, initially during the Malayan Emergency from 1948 to 1960. Following this, the regiment's two battalions alternated between Malaya, Borneo, Brunei and Hong Kong, before receiving a regimental depot at Church Crookham in Hampshire. In 1992, while serving in Hong Kong, the 1st and 2nd Battalions amalgamated to form a single 1st Battalion. This was followed in 1994 by the regiment being amalgamated with the 6th Queen Elizabeth's Own Gurkha Rifles to form the 1st Battalion, Royal Gurkha Rifles. Battle honours The regiment was awarded the following battle honours: Bhurtpore, Aliwal, Sobraon, Delhi 1857, Kabul 1879, Kandahar 1880, Afghanistan 1878–80, Chin-Lushai Expedition 1889-90, Tirah, Punjab Frontier First World War: La Bassée 1914, Festubert 1914 '15, Givenchy 1914, Neuve Chapelle, Aubers, Loos, France and Flanders 1914–15, Egypt 1915, Tigris 1916, Kut al Amara 1917, Baghdad, Mesopotamia 1916–18, Persia 1918, Baluchistan 1918 Afghanistan 1919 The Second World War: El Alamein, Mareth, Akarit, Djebel el Meida, Enfidaville, Tunis, North Africa 1942–43, Cassino I, Monastery Hill, Pian di Maggio, Gothic Line, Coriano, Poggio San Giovanni, Monte Reggiano, Italy 1944–45, Greece 1944–45, North Malaya, Jitra, Central Malaya, Kampar, Slim River, Johore, Singapore Island, Malaya 1941–42, North Arakan, Irrawaddy, Magwe, Sittang 1945, Point 1433, Arakan Beaches, Myebon, Tanbingon, Tamandu, Chindits 1943, Burma 1943–45. Victoria Crosses Major Donald MacIntyre (Bengal Staff Corps attached to the regiment) – 4 January 1872, Lalgnoora, India. Subedar Lalbahadur Thapa – 6 April 1943, Tunisia. Rifleman Bhanbhagta Gurung – 5 March 1945, Burma. Colonels-in-Chief 1904–: F.M. King Edward VII 1910–: F.M. King George V 1977–: Lt-Gen. Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, KG, KT, GCB, AK, QSO, ADC Regimental Colonels Colonels of the Regiment were: 1946–1956: Lt-Gen. Sir Francis Ivan Simms Tuker, KCIE, CB, DSO, OBE, FRGS, FRSA 1956–1969: Maj-Gen. Lewis Henry Owain Pugh, CB, CBE, DSO 1969–1976: Brig. Simon Patrick Martin Kent, CBE 1976–1986: F.M. Edwin Noel Westby Bramall, The Baron Bramall, KG, GCB, OBE, MC, KStJ 1986–1994: F.M. Sir John Lyon Chapple, KCB, CBE 1994: Regiment amalgamated with 6th Queen Elizabeth's Own Gurkha Rifles, 7th Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles and 10th Princess Mary's Own Gurkha Rifles to form The Royal Gurkha Rifles Uniforms After a brief period of wearing their own indigenous clothing, the Sirmoor battalion adopted green jackets with red facings. These were worn with loose fitting blue trousers and a bonnet like headdress. By 1828 black facings, black leather equipment, white trousers and sandals had