Film Night - The Gurkhas versus Everest
This year we showed the documentary of The Gurkhas versus Everest 2015 and 2017.
The evening of Saturday 4th October 2025 was pretty cold and it was pleasing that as many as 45 ventured out to support our annual Film Night, showing films with a military connection.
This year we showed the documentary of The Gurkhas versus Everest. This embraced both the 2015 attempt which was aborted when the earthquake in Nepal wiped out Everest Base Camp, and the successful attempt in 2017. On that occasion the oldest man to have climbed Everest was part of the group seeking to reach the summit again. He was still fit and alert despite being in his 80s.But during the course of the ascent and after a day’s climbing he suffered a fatal heart attack. Very sad of course but all on the expedition gave him a great send off when the helicopter picked up his body and all agreed that it was a fine way for him to die.
13 of the expedition reached the summit. A second group of 7 were repulsed by deteriorating weather.
It was a fine film in which many of the participants explained what the expedition meant to them as Gurkhas., and natives of Nepal.
There was some excellent hot Nepali food before the showing of the film.
We were also very touched to receive a beautiful ceremonial kukri (see photo) from Shri Gurung and his Gurkha friends with a very generous citation about the warmth in which they hold the Garrison Church and the Commonwealth and Gurkha Garden. Tim Barnes. Eamonn O’Leary, Davd Ball and Andrew Blundy were the Trustees present on the occasion and made it clear how much the presentation meant to us.
We have still to decide where to display it.
