The story so far

1814- The British declared War on Nepal.

1816- Peace treaty was signed at Sugauli. The British were impressed with the Gurkha fighting skills, and the treaty permitted the soldiers to volunteer to fight in the East India Company.

1817- The Pindaree War. The British served alongside the Gurkhas, keeping the peace in India. They fought throughout next 50 years in Burma, Malta, Cyprus, Malaya and in China (The Boxer Rebellion of 1900).

1914-18- World War I. The whole of the Nepalese Army was placed at the disposal of the British Crown.

1939-45- World War II. 250,000 Gurkhas fought alongside their British counterparts all over the world. At the end of WWII there were 10 Gurkha Regiments.

1947- Partition of India. Four Regiments were transferred to the British Army to form the Brigade of Gurkhas. They served in Borneo, Cyprus, The Falklands and in the Gulf War.

1971- The Gurkha base moved from Malaysia to Hong Kong, to assist with security during China’s Cultural Revolution.

1999- The Royal Gurkha Rifles were the first unit of the British Army to enter Kosovo.

2004- The Government announces that current serving Gurkha soldiers will have the right to stay in the UK after four years service in the Army. But the new rule will not apply to veterans who served before July 1997.

2007- The Ministry of Defence announces that all serving Gurkhas will receive the same pension rights as the British soldiers. However, this doesn't apply to those who served before July 1997.

2008- A petition signed by 250,000 people calling on the Government to allow all ex-Gurkhas the right to settle in Britain is handed in to Downing Street. This came after numerous test cases of retired Gurkhas' applications being rejected.

April 2009- Ministers suffer an humiliating defeat on the issue in the Commons.

May 2009- Actress Joanna Lumley, who fronts the Gurkha Justice Campaign, puts pressure on ministers, especially Immigration Minister Phil Woolas. After a meeting with Prime Minister Gordon Brown, she announced the discussion was "extremely positive".

May 21 2009- House of Commons Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announces that all Gurkha veterans who served in the British Army before 1997 will be allowed to settle in Britain.