Burglars broke into Captain Umesh Kumar Pun’s house a week ago.
They stole his family’s jewellery worth an estimated £17,000 and five medals he earned through 32 years of service.
The most important was a medal given to him by the Queen after he became one of only two Gurkhas to serve her personally at Buckingham Palace in 2006.
Umesh, 50, who has lived in Colchester, Essex, with his wife Rupmaya and three children for 12 years, said: “I was honoured. For any Gurkha this is the dream.
“She was so nice and would always turn around and say thank you.
“I am so proud to have served the Queen and the country.”
Umesh served with distinction, winning medals for long service and good conduct and for tours in Bosnia, Sierra Leone and three in Afghanistan.
Burglars forced their way into his home through the patio doors on Monday, May 21 between 11.50am and 1.30pm and stole jewellery and his medals.
He said: “The medals are my life, my blood and sweat. Nobody should get away with taking them.”
All the medals are engraved with his name and service number.
Anyone who has any information about the burglary, who witnesses anything suspicious or has been offered the distinctive medals for sale should call detectives at Colchester police station on 101.