Royal visit for Gurkha regiment

Prince Charles speaking to Gurkha families

The Prince was given flowers by the children of one of the soldiers who died

The Prince of Wales has been speaking to the families of serving Kent-based Gurkhas and meeting soldiers injured while in Afghanistan.

Prince Charles visited the 2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles, stationed at Sir John Moore Barracks in Folkestone.

During the visit he was briefed on the progress of the regiment abroad.

The Regiment lost two soldiers in separate incidents during fighting in Afghanistan last November.

Rifleman Yubraj Rai, 28, was killed on 4 November, while his comrade, Colour Sergeant Krishnabahadur Dura, 36, died on 15 November.

'Considerable support'

Major Chris Conroy said: "We were very unlucky to lose two of the guys before Christmas.

"It's very hard for the families as would be expected but we're very lucky here that there is a very strong community here both in the Gurkha community and the local community in Folkestone who can offer considerable support."

Prince Charles was given flowers by the children of Colour Sergeant Krishnabahadur Dura.

The Prince, who holds the title of Colonel-in-Chief, met about 150 soldiers of the rear party - which acts as the link between deployed soldiers and their families - alongside service personnel injured in Afghanistan and undergoing rehabilitation at Headley Court, in Surrey.

About 650 soldiers are currently deployed on operations in Afghanistan.

Last May, the regiment was granted the Freedom of Sandgate.