Gurkhas celebrating the 200th anniversary of service to the Crown really have a mountain to climb.

There are ceremonial, fundraising and other events throughout the year, but to mark the historic date, organisers have also planned a first – for a serving Gurkha to reach the peak of Mount Everest.

More than 100 servicemen from across the country applied to join the expedition which has been whittled down to 19, eight of whom will climb to the summit.

In training since July 2013, the team includes five from 36 Engineer Regiment and the Queen’s Gurkha Engineers, at Invicta Park Barracks on Royal Engineers Road, Maidstone, who have set off on the assault.

They are: Squadron Sgt Major Govinda Bahadur Rana, Sgt Pasang Sherpa, Royal Logistics Corps, who is currently attached to 36 Engineers; Capt Buddhi Bahadur Bhandari, Lance Cpl Shakti Gurung and Lance Cpl Dhan Prasad Ghale.

They will face challenges including flying into the world’s most dangerous airport Lukla – 2,860m above sea level – and treacherous ice and strong winds. Part of the route from base camp to Camp One changed this year after several climbers’ deaths last year.

Sgt Pasang has an advantage, having grown up in the area.

As chef, he will be in charge of feeding the climbers during the challenge, boiling snow for cooking and using hydrogenated food to keep them going once they go beyond Camp One.

Sgt Maj Govinda said the team was confident. They have already climbed to an altitude of 7,000m but the real challenge will be coping when they reach the summit at 8,850m.

He added: “Of course we think about how much risk there is. We will be carrying our own load to the top and looking for clear skies.

“The thought of looking at the sun and thinking ‘we are about to climb Everest’ is good.”

The expedition is expected to take around six weeks and they will be taking a flag with them which includes the flags of all the units.

The KM will have regular updates and you can also follow their progress on Twitter via @G200E