Edward Gopsill - Revision history

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	==Early life==		==Early life==
	Gopsill was born in [[Birkenhead]] in 1921. He left school at fourteen and took a job with a brick-making company as his family was suffering financial hardship. He continued his education at nightschool where he studied accountancy.<ref name=Times>{{cite web \|url=http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/lt-col-edward-gopsill-qtnhhxw2w\|title=Lt-Col Edward Gopsill \|work=[[The Times]]\|date=20 August 2016\|access-date=23 August ~~2022~~}}</ref>		Gopsill was born in [[Birkenhead]] in 1921. He left school at fourteen and took a job with a brick-making company as his family was suffering financial hardship. He continued his education at nightschool where he studied accountancy.<ref name=Times>{{cite web \|url=http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/lt-col-edward-gopsill-qtnhhxw2w\|title=Lt-Col Edward Gopsill \|work=[[The Times]]\|date=20 August 2016\|access-date=23 August 2016}}</ref>

	==Military career==		==Military career==
	Gopsill enlisted in [[King's Regiment (Liverpool)\|The King’s (Liverpool) Regiment]] at the outbreak of the [[Second World War]]. His capabilities were noticed and he was selected for officer training. In 1942 he was [[Officer (armed forces)#Commissioned officers\|commissioned]] into the [[1 Gorkha Rifles\|1st Gurkha Rifles]] and served with the 3rd Battalion in [[Burma]]. At the age of 23 he was awarded the [[Military Cross]] for his actions in [[Cochin-China]].<ref name=Times/><ref name=Dunn>{{cite book \|last=Dunn \|first=Peter M. \|date=1985 \|title=The First Vietnam War \|location=London \|publisher=Hurst \|isbn=9780674023925}}</ref>		Gopsill enlisted in [[King's Regiment (Liverpool)\|The King’s (Liverpool) Regiment]] at the outbreak of the [[Second World War]]. His capabilities were noticed and he was selected for officer training. In 1942 he was [[Officer (armed forces)#Commissioned officers\|commissioned]] into the [[1 Gorkha Rifles\|1st Gurkha Rifles]] and served with the 3rd Battalion in [[Burma]]. At the age of 23 he was awarded the [[Military Cross]] for his actions in [[Cochin-China]].<ref name=Times/><ref name=Dunn>{{cite book \|last=Dunn \|first=Peter M. \|date=1985 \|title=The First Vietnam War \|location=London \|publisher=Hurst \|isbn=9780674023925}}</ref>

	In 1947 Gopsill transferred to the [[7th Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles\|7th Gurkha Rifles]] as his former regiment had been incorporated into the new [[Indian Army]].<ref name=Times/> He was posted to [[British Malaya\|Malaya]] where a communist insurgency had started.<ref name=veergorkha>{{cite web \|url=http://www.veergorkha.com/2016/07/in-22-photos-200-years-of-fierce.html\|title=In 22 photos: 200 years of the fierce, fearless Gurkha warriors\|publisher=Veer Gorkha\|author=दीपक राई \|date=16 July 2016\|access-date=23 August ~~2022~~}}</ref> In 1949 he was awarded the [[Distinguished Service Order]] for his exemplary bravery.<ref name=Times/><ref name=NationalArchives>{{cite web \|url=http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7621718\|title=Recommendation for Award for Gopsill, Edward Rank: Captain\|publisher=[[National archives#United Kingdom\|National Archives]]\|access-date=23 August ~~2022~~}}</ref>		In 1947 Gopsill transferred to the [[7th Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles\|7th Gurkha Rifles]] as his former regiment had been incorporated into the new [[Indian Army]].<ref name=Times/> He was posted to [[British Malaya\|Malaya]] where a communist insurgency had started.<ref name=veergorkha>{{cite web \|url=http://www.veergorkha.com/2016/07/in-22-photos-200-years-of-fierce.html\|title=In 22 photos: 200 years of the fierce, fearless Gurkha warriors\|publisher=Veer Gorkha\|author=दीपक राई \|date=16 July 2016\|access-date=23 August 2016}}</ref> In 1949 he was awarded the [[Distinguished Service Order]] for his exemplary bravery.<ref name=Times/><ref name=NationalArchives>{{cite web \|url=http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7621718\|title=Recommendation for Award for Gopsill, Edward Rank: Captain\|publisher=[[National archives#United Kingdom\|National Archives]]\|access-date=23 August 2016}}</ref>

	Gopsill was subsequently asked to raise a new regiment. Within 18 months he had recruited and trained one hundred local [[Iban people\|Iban]] tribesmen to form the 1st Malaysian Rangers. He then led them into action during [[Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation\|Indonesia's confrontation]] with the newly formed Malaysia.<ref name=Times/><ref name=Borneo>{{cite web \|url=http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/05/08/unforgettable-patriotism-of-rangers-recruits/\|title=Unforgettable patriotism of Rangers recruits \|publisher=[[The Borneo Post]]\|author=Doreena Naeg\|date=8 May 2011\|access-date=23 August ~~2022~~}}</ref>		Gopsill was subsequently asked to raise a new regiment. Within 18 months he had recruited and trained one hundred local [[Iban people\|Iban]] tribesmen to form the 1st Malaysian Rangers. He then led them into action during [[Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation\|Indonesia's confrontation]] with the newly formed Malaysia.<ref name=Times/><ref name=Borneo>{{cite web \|url=http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/05/08/unforgettable-patriotism-of-rangers-recruits/\|title=Unforgettable patriotism of Rangers recruits \|publisher=[[The Borneo Post]]\|author=Doreena Naeg\|date=8 May 2011\|access-date=23 August 2016}}</ref>

	Gopsill's proficiency in jungle warfare led to him becoming chief instructor at the Brigade of Gurkhas Training Depot. In 1965 he was appointed an [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] for his services to the Malaysian Armed Forces.<ref name=Times/>		Gopsill's proficiency in jungle warfare led to him becoming chief instructor at the Brigade of Gurkhas Training Depot. In 1965 he was appointed an [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] for his services to the Malaysian Armed Forces.<ref name=Times/>
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	Gopsill left the army in 1967 and spent his remaining working life as the bursar and clerk to the governors at the [[The Royal School, Wolverhampton\|Royal Wolverhampton School]].<ref name=Times/>		Gopsill left the army in 1967 and spent his remaining working life as the bursar and clerk to the governors at the [[The Royal School, Wolverhampton\|Royal Wolverhampton School]].<ref name=Times/>

	Towards the end of his life he successfully campaigned to have a monument erected to the Gurkha regiments at the [[National Memorial Arboretum]] in [[Staffordshire]].<ref name=Times/><ref name=BT>{{cite web \|url=http://home.bt.com/news/uk-news/anne-unveils-gurkhas-memorial-11363934009245\|title=Anne unveils Gurkhas memorial\|publisher=[[BT Group\|BT News]]\|date=23 September 2014\|access-date=23 August ~~2022~~}}</ref>		Towards the end of his life he successfully campaigned to have a monument erected to the Gurkha regiments at the [[National Memorial Arboretum]] in [[Staffordshire]].<ref name=Times/><ref name=BT>{{cite web \|url=http://home.bt.com/news/uk-news/anne-unveils-gurkhas-memorial-11363934009245\|title=Anne unveils Gurkhas memorial\|publisher=[[BT Group\|BT News]]\|date=23 September 2014\|access-date=23 August 2016}}</ref>

	==References==		==References==

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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox military person
|name= Edward Gopsill
|image=
|image_size=
|alt=
|caption=
|nickname=
|birth_date= {{birth date|1921|12|22|df=yes}}
|birth_place= [[Birkenhead]], England
|death_date= {{death date and age|2016|07|25|1921|12|22|df=yes}}
|death_place=
|placeofburial=
|allegiance= United Kingdom
|branch= [[British Army]]
|serviceyears= c.1939–1967
|rank= [[Lieutenant colonel (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-Colonel]]
|unit=
|commands= [[Royal Ranger Regiment#1st Rangers|1st Malaysian Rangers]]
|battles= [[Second World War]] [[Malayan Emergency]] [[Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation]]
|awards= [[Distinguished Service Order]] [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] [[Military Cross]] [[Mentioned in Despatches]]
|relations=
|laterwork=
}}
[[Lieutenant colonel (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-Colonel]] '''Edward Gopsill''', {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|DSO|OBE|MC}} (22 December 1921 – 25 July 2016) was a decorated [[British Army]] officer and founder of the [[Royal Ranger Regiment#1st Rangers|1st Malaysian Rangers]].

==Early life==
Gopsill was born in [[Birkenhead]] in 1921. He left school at fourteen and took a job with a brick-making company as his family was suffering financial hardship. He continued his education at nightschool where he studied accountancy.<ref name=Times>{{cite web |url=http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/lt-col-edward-gopsill-qtnhhxw2w|title=Lt-Col Edward Gopsill |work=[[The Times]]|date=20 August 2016|access-date=23 August 2022}}</ref>

==Military career==
Gopsill enlisted in [[King's Regiment (Liverpool)|The King’s (Liverpool) Regiment]] at the outbreak of the [[Second World War]]. His capabilities were noticed and he was selected for officer training. In 1942 he was [[Officer (armed forces)#Commissioned officers|commissioned]] into the [[1 Gorkha Rifles|1st Gurkha Rifles]] and served with the 3rd Battalion in [[Burma]]. At the age of 23 he was awarded the [[Military Cross]] for his actions in [[Cochin-China]].<ref name=Times/><ref name=Dunn>{{cite book |last=Dunn |first=Peter M. |date=1985 |title=The First Vietnam War |location=London |publisher=Hurst |isbn=9780674023925}}</ref>

In 1947 Gopsill transferred to the [[7th Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles|7th Gurkha Rifles]] as his former regiment had been incorporated into the new [[Indian Army]].<ref name=Times/> He was posted to [[British Malaya|Malaya]] where a communist insurgency had started.<ref name=veergorkha>{{cite web |url=http://www.veergorkha.com/2016/07/in-22-photos-200-years-of-fierce.html|title=In 22 photos: 200 years of the fierce, fearless Gurkha warriors|publisher=Veer Gorkha|author=दीपक राई |date=16 July 2016|access-date=23 August 2022}}</ref> In 1949 he was awarded the [[Distinguished Service Order]] for his exemplary bravery.<ref name=Times/><ref name=NationalArchives>{{cite web |url=http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7621718|title=Recommendation for Award for Gopsill, Edward Rank: Captain|publisher=[[National archives#United Kingdom|National Archives]]|access-date=23 August 2022}}</ref>

Gopsill was subsequently asked to raise a new regiment. Within 18 months he had recruited and trained one hundred local [[Iban people|Iban]] tribesmen to form the 1st Malaysian Rangers. He then led them into action during [[Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation|Indonesia's confrontation]] with the newly formed Malaysia.<ref name=Times/><ref name=Borneo>{{cite web |url=http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/05/08/unforgettable-patriotism-of-rangers-recruits/|title=Unforgettable patriotism of Rangers recruits |publisher=[[The Borneo Post]]|author=Doreena Naeg|date=8 May 2011|access-date=23 August 2022}}</ref>

Gopsill's proficiency in jungle warfare led to him becoming chief instructor at the Brigade of Gurkhas Training Depot. In 1965 he was appointed an [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] for his services to the Malaysian Armed Forces.<ref name=Times/>

==Later life==
Gopsill left the army in 1967 and spent his remaining working life as the bursar and clerk to the governors at the [[The Royal School, Wolverhampton|Royal Wolverhampton School]].<ref name=Times/>

Towards the end of his life he successfully campaigned to have a monument erected to the Gurkha regiments at the [[National Memorial Arboretum]] in [[Staffordshire]].<ref name=Times/><ref name=BT>{{cite web |url=http://home.bt.com/news/uk-news/anne-unveils-gurkhas-memorial-11363934009245|title=Anne unveils Gurkhas memorial|publisher=[[BT Group|BT News]]|date=23 September 2014|access-date=23 August 2022}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gopsill, Edward}}
[[Category:1921 births]]
[[Category:2016 deaths]]
[[Category:Royal Gurkha Rifles officers]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of the Malayan Emergency]]
[[Category:British Indian Army officers]]
[[Category:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order]]
[[Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:People from Birkenhead]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Military Cross]]
[[Category:King's Regiment (Liverpool) soldiers]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Indian Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:British people in British Burma]]
[[Category:British expatriates in Vietnam]]
[[Category:British people in British Malaya]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Merseyside]]