A HAMPSHIRE military museum has celebrated its 50th birthday with champagne and samosas.

The Gurkha Museum in Winchester's Peninsula Barracks hosted hundreds of Gurkhas past and present to kick off the 

Sir Peter Duffell, former Lieutenant-General and author of Gurkha Odyssey: Campaigning for the Crown, addressed the audience with a stirring speech on the history of the famous fighters.

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Sir Peter Duffell in action (Image: Mick Latter)

Sir Peter, 85, said: "The last 50 years have seen many changes in the world and in the British Army."

He went on to stress the bond between Gurkha soldiers and British officers, as well as stressing the excellence of Gurkha soldiership. 

"I have been in some tight situations when I have been very pleased to have Gurkhas around me. They also became good friends."

This year marks 50 years since The Gurkha Museum opened its doors originally in Church Crookham. Six curators, thousands of collections and one relocation later, this August visitors will have the opportunity to reflect on the last half a century of collecting and curating Gurkha heritage, and contemplate what the next fifty years might hold.

The Gurkha Museum is based in Winchester, at the top of the high street set in the former Peninsula Barracks. It holds an annual exhibition to celebrate an aspect of Gurkha history.

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The 2024 Summer Exhibition, entitled Fifty Years of Curating Gurkha Heritage, will focus upon the illustrious history of Gurkhas over the last fifty years.

In addition to learning about Gurkha activity over the previous fifty years, there will be activities to engage our younger visitors; and the opportunity to review the (RIBA Stage 3) plans for the redevelopment.

Dr Daren Bowyer, CEO of the Gurkha Museum Trust, said: “The Gurkhas are a unique fighting force and have served this country for over 200 years. The Gurkha Museum is also unique – a military museum unlike any other, for ours is not just the story of developments in weapons and uniforms, or of campaigns and battles, but of the evolution of that special, cross-cultural relationship."