Report on the Service held at St. Mary Abbots Parish Church, Kensington 24th February 2024 — 108 years later, at the same time, almost to the day and in the same church as the original service in 1916.

Background to the service

Descendants of the Lloyds of Waunifor, Ceredigion, Wales recently discovered a number of family papers that on closer analysis and several years of research, revealed the contribution made by two brothers, Captain Gwion Lloyd (5th Dorsets) and Lieutenant Duncan Lloyd (1/5th Gurkha Rifles Frontier Force) at Gallipoli.

Duncan Lloyd held a temporary command of 1/6th Gurkha Rifles following the assault on Sari Bair, during which all the British officers had either been killed or wounded. Tragically he was killed shortly afterwards, falling to a sniper, a week after his brother Gwion was killed at Suvla Bay.

Amongst the family papers was a record of a service at St. Mary Abbots Church, Kensington, held in memory of Officers of the 5th and 6th Gurkha Rifles who fell at Gallipoli. The two Regiments were particularly close, sharing a friendly rivalry and depot at Abbottabad on the North-West Frontier, India (now Pakistan). Amongst the congregation were Mr and Mrs Lloyd, bereaved parents of the two boys.

Lt. Col. G.H. Boisragon VC, wounded at Gallipoli whilst in command of the 1/5th Gurkhas, wrote to Mrs. Lloyd after the event.

11, Darlaston Road, Wimbledon, S.W.
5th March 1916

Dear Mrs Lloyd,

Thank you very much for your letter. I am so glad you and your husband were able to come to the Service and that you liked it. Mrs Bruce did all the arranging of it. I thought it was a beautiful & appropriate service in memory of those who gave their lives so willingly for their country. The Battalion is on its way back to India. I hope to be able to join it soon. It will be a very sad return for all of us, Abbottabad will never be the same again to me. I shall miss your son very much. He was such a splendid officer.

With kind regards to you and your husband.
Yours Sincerely, G. Boisragon

The service in 2024

The service incorporated elements of the original service in 1916 and remembered the Officers and Men of the four Gurkha Regiments from the 1/4th, 1/5th, 1/6th and 2/10th Gurkha Rifles who fell at Gallipoli.

The Revd. Emma Dinwiddy Smith, Vicar of the Parish welcomed the congregation, followed by a 'Background to the Service' by organiser Capt. Robert Llewellyn-Smith, 6 GRRA. A tribute to the Gurkha Rifles at Gallipoli was read by Maj. Anthony Vosper, 6 GRRA followed by a prayer for the Gurkhas, read by Capt. Mike Channing, 6 GRRA.

Lord Karan Bilimoria read the lesson from Ecclesiasticus, Chapter 44: 1, and 8-14 which was followed by the Address from the Vicar Revd. Emma Dinwiddy Smith.

Reading of representative names of those who fell at Gallipoli from the

• 1/4th, was spoken by Roddy Lloyd Esq, 4 GRRA,
• 1/5th, by Lt. Col. Brian O’Bree, 6 GRRA
• 1/6th by Capt. Mike Channing, Vice President 6 GRRA
• 2/10th by Lt. Gen. Peter Pearson CB, CBE President 10 GRRA

There was then the words of Kemal Ataturk read by Col (Gp Capt) Gokhan Tozman, the Defence and Air Attache, Embassy of the Republic of Turkiye.

This was followed by the Exhortation by The Hon. Dr. Hugo Slim 6 GRRA and after the one minute’s silence, the Kohima Epitaph.

Wreaths were laid by

• Lt. Gen. Sir David Bill KCB
• Roddy Lloyd, Esq.
• Lord Karan Bilimoria CBE, DL, FCA
• Major Gen. Ray Bett CB, MBE, DL, FRSA
• Lt. Gen. Peter Pearson CB, CBE
• Capt. Begindra Limbu
• Col. (Gp. Capt.) Gokhan Tozman

Photos were taken outside after the service which was followed by tea.

The Gallipoli Association was represented by Hester Huttenbach, Events Co-ordinator & Trustee for The Gallipoli Association; & members Mr Nick Staines and Capt Robert Llewellyn-Smith.

Photo credits: Freya Llewellyn-Smith