A SOLDIER has told of his "immense" pride at collecting the MBE of his Gurkha officer grandfather, who died not knowing he had been awarded the honour.

Subedar-Major Kalu Chettri was granted the accolade in 1947 for his service during the Second World War, when he was held captive for more than three-and-a-half years by the Japanese forces occupying Singapore.

Warrant Officer Class 2 Khadak Chhetri, of the Army's Gurkha Staff and Personnel Support Company, accepted the award from the Duke of Cambridge at Buckingham Palace.

WO2 Chhetri, 44, only discovered that his grandfather had been given the honour by chance - the citation was found when he asked about him during a visit to the Ministry of Defence Medal Office.

There was no record that the award warrant was ever received, which could be the result of the older man's regiment moving to India after the war, according to the Brigade of Gurkhas.

WO2 Chhetri, who was joined at the ceremony by his wife and two children, said: "It got lost somewhere - the unit did not know, my grandfather had no idea, my father had no idea.

"It's a shame after what he and his men went through; at least he would have been pleased to see his actions were recognised."

The MBE citation lays bare in harrowing detail the torture Sub-Major Chettri suffered at the hands of the Japanese as a prisoner of war between 1942 and 1945.

As the senior officer in his battalion, he became its de facto spokesman when his men prepared to fight attempts to force them to join the Indian National Army - a band of Indian nationalists allied to Japan.

The MBE citation said Sub-Major Chettri "counselled restraint, good discipline and steadfastness" and "a tragedy was averted".

He was moved to a concentration camp, where, at the age of 45, he suffered beatings with sticks, was made to carry heavy loads and clean latrines for eight hours a day. He was fed rice mixed with mud and given little water.

The citation reads: "Sub Kalu throughout, in spite of all adversity, and through the darkest and often most hopeless days, never wavered or lost heart.

"He maintained the highest traditions of his regiment and of the Indian Army and showed moral and physical courage, tenacity, resource and devotion of the highest order."

WO2 Chhetri, who is based at the Defence Academy in Shrivenham, said: "When I first read the citation I was nearly in tears because it's your own grandfather, your own blood.

"I felt very sad - what they had to go through, that pain, the ordeal. How did they survive? I cannot even imagine now.

"It is sad in one way but obviously I'm immensely proud. I'm just immensely proud to be related to such a fine human being.

"Every day, whenever I'm thinking 'I'm down' and I need something to cheer me up, I always remember my grandfather. Every day I draw inspiration from him."

WO2 Chhetri, who followed his father and grandfather in joining the Army, said he would take the medal to show his family in Nepal before donating it to the Gurkha Museum in a few years' time.