THE WICKER (BASKET) MEN

It's one of the toughest military recruitment tests on the planet. The prize? A place in the famed Nepalese unit which has been a stalwart part of the UK armed forces for two centuries. LORD ASHCROFT was invited to watch Gurkha selection 2026

- EXCLUSIVE From Lord Ashcroft

IT IS 7am in the foothills of the Himalayas, dawn has broken and the early-morning mist is clearing from the valley when a sharp shout of “Ready, go!” starts one of the world’s toughest endurance tests. Distant snow-capped mountains, up to 7,000 metres high, provide a dramatic backdrop to the brutal challenge.

Within seconds, a group of fit young men aged 18 to 21 begin to strain every sinew in their toned bodies to complete a steep uphill 3.4-mile course in the quickest time.

To make the challenge even harder, each would-be military recruit must carry on his back a wicker basket containing 33lb of sand. Shoulder straps and a head band are used to support the weight.

Each young man knows that if he takes longer than 43 minutes to complete the course, his dream will be over, at least for another year.

The quicker his time, the better his chances of selection for one of the most elite fighting forces on the planet: the Brigade of Gurkhas.

The doko race, as this event is known, is named after the Nepali wicker baskets used by contestants, and the run plays a key part in the annual recruitment process.

Despite an alarming shortfall in military recruitment, the Brigade of Gurkhas is the most oversubscribed unit of the entire British Army.

For its 2026 intake - who arrived in the UK earlier this month to begin their nine-month infantry training course at Catterick, North Yorkshire — there were more than 10,000 initial applications, only 323 of whom would be selected.

That is all the Brigade needed this year, meaning 97% of applicants would not achieve their goal, despite many passing all the selection phases.

Winning a place in the Gurkhas — whose motto is “Better to die than be a coward” — provides a wonderful career and a life-changing salary for the successful candidates.