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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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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== | ||