Getting something back

wasn’t good enough, because we weren’t brought up as English speakers at home,” she explains. “The language barrier was very challenging and also the cultural change was a big thing; including British food and the different values and standards in this country compared with what I was brought up with.”

She began her basic training at ATC Pirbright in October 2009 and found the 14-week transition from civilian to soldier another significant challenge. “As a woman I struggled with spending long periods in the field, without showers or normal sanitation facilities. I got through that, but there was one point, while on exercise in Wales, when I started to question my decision. I was not used to being cold and wet and living in such close proximity to so many people, but I said to myself, think about why you started this. When I thought why I started it, I knew I had to finish it!”

“I remember standing proudly on the parade square at Pirbright a couple of weeks later, thinking, despite the gruelling 14 weeks of training, you’ve done it. It was a great moment in my life.”

As a Chef, Sgt Kaur completed her 14-week Initial Trade Training at Food Services Training Wing (FSTW)at DCPLA Worthy Down. Her first posting was to 16 Air Defence Regiment Royal Artillery in Rutland. “After 12 months with 16 Regiment I volunteered to work with the Army Diversity Action Recruiting Team [DART] in Aldershot. There were soldiers from all cap badges, from all backgrounds and faiths and our job was to change perceptions of the Army. In teams of two or four we visited schools, colleges, Sikh temples, mosques and Hindu temples. We gave presentations about the Army, the different religions and cultures in the Army and about our own lived experience. Given my colour, religion, I am a Sikh, and nationality, I used to get so many people asking why was I in the British Army? My answer was, it’s not

8 Like mother, like son about being in the British Army or the Indian Forces, it’s about what you want from your life. For me, I was inspired by my forefathers fighting in WWI and WW2 and I wanted to continue that legacy and stand proud in this uniform and say this is who I am.”

Following her tour with DART, Sgt Kaur was posted to the Household Cavalry Regiment (HCR) in Windsor, working in the Sergeant’s Mess. During this time Sgt Kaur became pregnant and following the birth of her son and maternity leave she returned to Windsor. She says: “After returning to work at the HCR, I was selected for promotion to Lance Corporal. Following my promotion, I was posted to 1st Battalion The Grenadier Guards in Aldershot. It was a very good unit to work in and I gained so much experience and confidence as a chef and soldier as we were always on the move, going on overseas exercises, to places like Kenya and Latvia. Latvia was a big exercise, where I was involved in feeding the battlegroup. From there I volunteered to go with 36 Engineer Regiment to South Sudan. This changed my whole lifestyle, because I was working with the Gurkhas and Sudanese and I gained so much experience from the way the Nepalese cook. While Nepalese food is similar to Indian cooking, it has so many subtle differences in the way it is made. South Sudan was my first time on operations and we fed over 2,000 people at our base, which as much as it was challenging was really good for my own development as a chef. While I was there I organised a charity event for McMillan Cancer. My Mum had cancer and survived, so I decided to make 500 cakes in the field kitchen and raised over £400 with the money being donated by the multi-national forces there.”

On her return to the UK in 2019, Sgt Kaur was promoted to Corporal and was posted to 1st Battalion

The Royal Welsh as a production supervisor. She continues: “At this time, along with my normal duties, I became involved with the Defence Sikh Network as the female representative and helped with the Army Multi Cultural Network and

Army Service Women’s Network, promoting diversity and inclusion. I am often asked: do women get treated differently in the Army to men? My answer is no! We get treated the same as long as we are are playing as part of the whole team and accept we are part of one Army family. Through my work with the networks, I have done lots of live TV and radio interviews with Asian channels, BFBS and the BBC. The BBC was a programme where we set up a field kitchen with the Royal Welsh and demonstrated how they cooked for the troops during WW1. I was helped by WO2 Kerry Bale, who is the training officer at FSTW and WO2

Lee Lawrence, the RCWO at the Royal Welsh. While at the Royal Welsh, I also set up a fundraising page to raise money for the NHS Ambulance during Covid. I was inspired by Capt Sir Tom Moore and I ran a full marathon around the garden of my quarter in six hours 15 minutes.

During a deployment with the Royal Welsh battlegroup on Op CABRIT in June 2022, Sgt Kaur promoted for a third time and in October 2022 was posted as a Sergeant Instructor to Food Services Training Wing. On 14 December, while working out in the Worthy Down gym, she was called by the CO FSTW, Commander Tom Shaves RN, who asked her to come to his office. He told her to sit down and asked if she knew why she was there. Thinking something terrible had happened she says she broke down in tears of joy as he broke the news that she would be awarded an MBE in The King’s New Year’s Honours list 2023. “I couldn’t believe it,” she says. “Once I had calmed down, he explained that it was recognition for all my hard work since Covid kicked off, my charity fund raising, the work I have done to promote the Army, diversity and inclusion and my work within the Defence Sikh Network, all while delivering the desired outputs of my day job.”

Sgt Kaur’s previous CO (Col Rupert Streatfield) at the Royal Welsh wrote her citation in recognition of dedication and achievements and she says the Battalion, her CO and her chain of command supported her at every step and she makes special mention of her immediate boss at the Unit, WO2 Lawrence (RLC).

While in Phase 2 training, Sgt Kaur discovered her passion for personal fitness. For the growing number of followers of her numerous social media channels, she combines her love of cooking, healthy food with some serious workouts and her posts and vlogs are all intended to inspire others to eat healthily, to exercise and to look after their bodies. She says: “Fitness became a main priority for me. I wanted to be physically and mentally strong and I have worked at it ever since. My messaging on social media, is also about putting across the right perceptions about us as soldiers. If we look fit and healthy, we present a good, the right, image of ourselves. If I can inspire only 10 people from the thousands that follow me, to make a positive life change, then I think I have done something good.”

While deployed in South Sudan Sgt Kaur participated in the Indian Independence Day celebration run with over 200 other runners and was the first placed female medal winner. On Op CABRIT, Sgt Kaur took part in the Estonian Scouts Battalion march over 30km carrying 15kg and completed it in 4 hours 26 minutes. She adds: “I am very competitive with myself and always push hard. In Estonia to get a medal in the Scouts March you must complete in under 4 hours 30, so I just dug in and did it.”

In terms of family matters Sgt Kaur is a single mother and she says she has been able to achieve her army career and personal goals, thanks to incredible help and support from the Army throughout her service and from her extended family. When deployed, or at busy times, her son’s paternal grandparents look after him and while she has found it tough not seeing him for long periods, now she is instructing at FSTW she can look forward a period of family stability. She also has a brother in the Army. Guardsman Harwinder Singh Bhopal, is currently serving with the Scots Guards in Catterick.

Sgt Kaur reflects on one of her other career highlights to date. She explains: “I felt truly blessed to be selected to visit to India and Pakistan with the Defence Sikh Network. It was a dream come true, to visit all the holy places. On 12 September 1897, 21 Sikh soldiers fought to the last man at the battle of Saragarhi, defending a military outpost against 10,000 Afghans. It is one of the greatest stories of sacrifice and is hugely significant for Sikhs. We visited the site of the battle to pay our respect to the fallen soldiers.

“So it has been an incredible journey for me so far, and I owe so much to the Army and the people I have served with,” she concludes. “And it’s far from over! While I have never served in an RLC unit, my loyalty is 100% to the Corps. When I left Phase 2 training I wanted to serve with the combat arms, but now I am at the level I am, an opportunity might arise to serve in an RLC unit in the future. My personal career plan from now is to keep pushing myself as hard, and for as long, as I can and I would love to return to ATC Pirbright as the RSM. My ultimate ambition is to be selected for a Late Entry Commission. But only God knows the future, so let’s see what he has in store for me.”

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa

Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.

Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal! (“Whoever utters, shall be fulfilled”)

Often called “The Forgotten War”, this brutal and bloody conflict resulted in millions of deaths and caused Korea to be split into two halves, along the 38th parallel. Korea remains divided today, with an oppressive and cruel regime ruling the North and a highly developed and industrialised society thriving in the South.

The fighting ceased 70 years ago this year, with the signing of an armistice, although the actual war never officially ended. Most of the remaining Korean veterans are now in their 90s and it is perhaps appropriate to remember and reflect upon what they went through.

Forming Corps of The RLC were deployed as part of the British and Commonwealth contingent to this United Nations Operation. Around 60,000 members of the British Armed Forces served in Korea and many of these were National Servicemen. It was the beginning of the Cold War and the American led forces fought the communist North Koreans, Chinese and Russian forces, often in fierce hand to hand pitched battles.

The drivers of 57 and 78 Coys RASC worked throughout the war, picking up and dropping off supplies and troops using their QL Bedford’s. However, Air Despatch and the amphibious DUKWs also played their part.

27 Ordnance Field Park and 4 Ordnance Composite Depot were the two main RAOC units deployed. Their vital role was to keep British troops supplied with ammunition and equipment to maintain military operations during this arduous campaign.

The Chefs of the ACC established cookhouses all along the lines of communication and in the rear