DAY 172 (Sunday 08 January 2012)

Today was the day that we had to be in work in the afternoon, all because we had a VVIP visit (I can tell you who it is now as the visit is over) from the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Maj Gen Sir David Richards GCB CBE DSO ADC Gen (for those who don’t know, the letters after his name are post nominals).  Anyway because he was the Col Comdt to the Brigade of Gurkhas this would be is last official visit so we had to be in work to show our support.

After a presentation of the Elizabeth Cross to the father of the late Rfn Vijay Rai, we all departed for the Kathmandu Mess where we were stood in our selective little groups so that the CDS could come around and briefly meet all of us for a quick chat, when the CDS got to me and realised that is was me that did his visit programme (with the help from the SO Coord in Pokhara on the trek part), he shook my hand and left a commemorative coin in my hand.

 

Front of the Coin                         

                                                                 

Rear of the Coin

After we had our little get together in the Mess it was time for a quick photo outside with the CDS and a presentation to him from us, before he then left to go back to the Comd’s house where he had been staying.  That was it for us; however, we have been told that because we “worked” today we will be getting an afternoon off in lieu.

 CDS Visit