Page 25 - QARANC Vol 14 No 12 2016

Op MARMAT
Reconstruction Operations in Nepal with the Queens Gurkha Engineers
The devastating earthquake measuring 7.8 magnitude that hit Nepal in April 2015 and subsequent aftershocks of which the largest was 7.4 magnitude in May 2015, resulted in 8,000 people losing their lives, more than 21,000 injured and hundreds of thousands left homeless. Entire villages were flattened across many districts. The situation was made even worse by the earthquake occurring during the monsoon season, with floods and landslides cutting off remote villages. For those who managed to survive the monsoon, winter then brought very cold temperatures particularly in the high mountain villages and communities are still living in hastily and temporarily built shelters.
Since May 2015, the Queen’s Gurkha Engineers (QGE) of 36 Regiment in Maidstone, have been in Nepal to assist with the massive task of helping to rebuild the country. The initial deployment, named Op LAYLAND, was a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operation. This subsequently developed into Op MARMAT, began to focus more on reconstruction tasks with the help of the Gurkha Welfare Scheme (GWS), a charitable organisation supporting retired Gurkhas and their communities. It has now evolved into more deliberate operations, working closely with the Area Welfare Centres (AWC) of the GWS to identify those in need the most. In October 2015, 70 Gurkha Field Squadron of the QGE deployed on a four month reconstruction project and as a Military Nurse Practitioner (MNP), I joined J Troop to provide Pre-Hospital Care cover and medical support.
After quickly getting used to being called ‘SNO Mem-Sahib’ as opposed to ‘Ma’am’, it was then a case of trying to remember everyone’s names. First names are used in preference to surnames to distinguish all those who share the same, although we still had a few Sappers and LCpls with the same first name and surname to test me.
Our first task site was in Jiri to construct a new school, repair an existing one and construct an accommodation block at the AWC where the Area Welfare Officer (AWO)
An aerial view of a school renovated by the QGE in Jiri
THE GAZETTE QARANC 23
for GWS and his staff live and work. Jiri is a small town at an altitude of just under 2000m and approximately 9 hours drive east of Kathmandu. The town was badly damaged by the earthquake but had only received limited support. It is also known as the classic ‘start point’ for many trekkers heading to Everest Base Camp, as this is where Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay started their successful quest to summit Everest in 1953. Although basic facilities such as accommodation and tea houses were available, tourists had unfortunately not yet begun to find their way back here after the earthquake.
Our troop harbour area was conveniently located next to the AWC which did mean the ‘luxury’ of having access to power and lighting and not having to rely on generators. It also meant having access to running water but as the temperatures at night began to quickly drop, cold showers were not appealing and a large metal pan was used to heat water over an open fire. Local tap water was not potable therefore a Water Purification Unit (WPU) had to be used throughout the deployment. Accommodation was in tents which we were relieved to discover did not leak on the few occasions that it rained. Fresh
Local women carrying doko’s
rations were provided for most of the deployment and meals were typically the renowned Gurkha curry of chicken, goat, pork, mutton or even buffalo cooked in a karahi (a very large metal cooking pot similar to a wok) over an open fire. Although alternative meals were provided I surprisingly did not tire of the curry and fortunately they were never too hot. I also got used to typical Nepali cuisine such as dal bhat (rice and lentils), sel-roti (a type of sweet ring-shaped rice bread/doughnut) and momo (steamed dumplings with a meat filling), although I did have to ask the chef to stop putting curry powder on the salad!
Work began quickly after arriving and the Gurkhas soon established a demanding daily routine that generally ran from 0630hrs until 1730hrs with one day off a week. I was reassured