42 Gurkhas from Kent in a total of 140 across the country face losing their jobs in cuts being made to the armed forces.

The redundancies are part of the Ministry of Defence cost-cutting exercise to reduce service personnel by 1,000 soldiers and 1,600 sailors.

At Folkestone, 30 posts from Royal Gurkha Rifles based at Shorncliffe Barracks will go with a further 12 jobs lost from the Queen's Gurkha Engineers at the Invicta Barracks in Maidstone

The government has been accused of "double standards" after it emerged that front-line Gurkha soldiers are to lose their jobs, whereas other infantry will be protected.

It has been reported that the Ministry of Defence hopes some Gurkhas facing redundancy will be able transfer to other infantry regiments which are below full strength.

Hawkinge Gazette and Channel Coast News 2011©