Christmas Gift Idea #15
Very interesting link there. Each one of these things is made by hand - and also by foot! - out of recycled truck leaf springs. If I order one today it might be here in time to carve the Christmas turkey ... in about 3 seconds I’d bet!
Skipper the Gurkhas are some of the finest soldiers on the planet. Hard as nails. They are fearless, honest, decent men of honour. Considering the small numbers employed by the British Army they have won a disproportionate number of Victoria Cross medals. The highest award in the British military, akin to the Congressional medal of honour. Just a couple of examples.
Rifleman Ganju Lama attacked the Japanese under heavy fire. He was shot in the hand, the shoulder and again badly in the leg, but he got to within thirty yards of the tanks and bumped off two of them. Later when in hospital he was asked why he had walked forward in the open. He replied “I’d been trained not to fire the PIAT until I was certain of hitting”. “I knew I could hit at thirty yards, so I went to thirty yards.”
In WWII 105,000 Gurkhas served in the British Army from a population of just 4.5 million.
Gurung’s section of a leading platoon had been held up in an exposed position, when man after man was picked off by a tree sniper. Spotting the marksman Gurung sprang into the open, engaged him in a point blank duel and killed him. Th eplatoon pushed forward only to be pinned down once more when within twenty yards of it’s objective. Whereupon Bhanbaghta Gurung again attacked. He reached the nearest Jap post, killing two enemies with a greande and a third with his bayonet. He then flung himself on two other foxholes, destroying their defenders. The platoon moved up in his wake. There remained only a solitary bunkerwhich continued to rake the advance with machine gun fire. For the fifth time Bhanbaghta engaged the enemy single handed. Leaping ahead, he gained the bunker, sprang on its roof and dropped smoke grenades down the air slits. As the blinded gunners staggered out the Gurkha despatched them with his Kukri. Yet from within a single machine gun continued to spit defiance. Whereupon Bhanbaghta Gurung crawled inside; in the befogged bunker a last kukri stroke put an end to resistance.
Apologies for the length of post but I am immensely proud of what these fearless volunteers from Nepal and Bhutan have done and continue to do for a small Island on the other side of the world.
I had made a sort of promise to myself: no more online shopping for things I don’t need (I need books...).
That O:IF knife beckons to me though…
(I did say it was only sort of a promise...)
Remember when, during the Falklands War, units of the Argentine Army retreated rather than engage members of the Ghurka Battalion? Can’t say as I blame them. Much rather have them as my friend than as my enemy.
Bravery and honor comes in all sizes and colors.
Posted by MAJ Mike
12/11/2006 at 01:55 PM
Lyndon, to steal a line from Wake Island, “Send more stories!” Love reading about these guys. Heeeeyy, that gives me an idea! Get a line off to Tony -
“Dear Mr. PM,
Send a brigade of Gurkahs to Iraq, no rules, no quarter, only a one word order -"Succeed!" Iraq shall be cleaned up within the month!
Y’r H’mbl & O’bdnt Svnt,
Lyndon”
Worth a shot, eh?
12/11/2006 at 10:37 AM
