How we battled for the heroes
THE Daily Express launched its crusade for UK citizenship and equal pensions rights for Gurkhas in August 2004.
Tens of thousands of readers rang our telephone hotline or signed a petition to Tony Blair.
In September a Commons motion was tabled by Tory MP and Daily Express columnist Ann Widdecombe.
In 2005 the Gurkhas won a review of pay and pensions. But in June 2006 they were told Britain could not afford it. Hundreds marched on Downing Street in December to demand fair treatment.
Victory finally came in March 2007 as thousands of Gurkhas were granted the same pensions as British soldiers and the right to remain in Britain.
The battle for citizenship continued and in November last year a 250,000-signature petition backed by the Daily Express was delivered to Gordon Brown.