MEMBERS of the Queen’s Gurkha Signals are celebrating after being granted the Freedom of the City of York.

Councillors voted to confer the honour on the 116-strong unit based at Imphal Barracks.

It will be the first time that a Gurkha unit has been given the right to march through the streets of York with “drums beating, colours flying and bayonets fixed”.

But, unlike the traditional military Freedom Parades that are held around the UK in recognition of loyal service, soldiers of 246 Queen’s Gurkha Signals Squadron (QGS) will be carrying their traditional khukri knives.

The granting of the Freedom of the City to 246 QGS, which will be exercised in September, comes during their 200th anniversary year.

The parade will be particularly poignant for Captain Bharat Shrestha, the senior Gurkha in the garrison and acting Officer Commanding of 246 QGS.

He said: “I first came to York as a corporal after the handover of Hong Kong in 1997. We had been a regiment in Hong Kong, but came to Imphal Barracks as just a troop of 25.

“In May 2002, 246 QGS was formed, bringing the number to 116 and, later this year, our strength will increase under the new Army structure, so that there will be 150 Gurkhas taking part in the Freedom Parade.”

Corporal Sanjay Rana, 28, who has served in York for the past three years, said: “Many young men in Nepal aspire to join the Gurkhas and most are following in the footsteps of their fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers, so we are not only celebrating our own service, we are also honouring that of our ancestors.”