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Warmed my heart tonight...
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A Gurkha soldier who single-handedly fought off an attack on his base by up to 30 Taliban insurgents has been awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross.
Acting Sergeant Dipprasad Pun, 31, exhausted all his ammunition and at one point had to use the tripod of his machine gun to beat away a militant climbing the walls of the compound.
The soldier fired more than 400 rounds, launched 17 grenades and detonated a mine to thwart the Taliban assault on his checkpoint near Babaji in Helmand Province, southern Afghanistan.
He spoke of his pride at receiving the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, which is only one level down from the Victoria Cross.
"I think I am a very lucky guy, a survivor. Now I am getting this award it is very great and I am very happy," he said.
Now THAT is what I call one hell of a soldier.....
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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The Gurkhas have always fought above their weight, so to speak, yet successive UK governments have treated them badly.
The Lumley intervention did no good whatsoever and may well have harmed the enlistment numbers in Nepal, but there's no doubt she meant well - or she had a career to resurrect 
Anyone around the West Maitland Street area of Edinburgh should try the Khukuhri(sp) (geddit?)Restaurant. Good lads and great grub. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"so deserving.
i just thought,what do you have to do to win the victoria cross.  "
Die. Basically. Although eleven of them were awarded to combatants at Rourke's Drift, many of whom survived the battle. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"so deserving.
i just thought,what do you have to do to win the victoria cross. "
It's very open ended. The medal is 'For Valour' and the citation speaks of "in the face of the enemy" but it's no as if there's a sliding scale of heroism.
It's all about action in a given set of circumstances and each potential recipient is considered on the merits of their behaviour in their situation. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"so deserving.
i just thought,what do you have to do to win the victoria cross.
Die. Basically. Although eleven of them were awarded to combatants at Rourke's Drift, many of whom survived the battle."
That's a long way from the truth or the reality  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"The Lumley intervention did no good whatsoever and may well have harmed the enlistment numbers in Nepal, but there's no doubt she meant well - or she had a career to resurrect
"
Always with the pessimism. 
Joanna Lumley has spoken out as a human rights activist for Survival International and the Gurkha Justice Campaign, and is now considered a "national treasure" of Nepal because of her support. She is an advocate for a number of charities and animal welfare groups such as CIWF and Viva!.
She hardly needs to resurrect her career with so much going on in her life already but I'm sure she could walk into any role she wanted to play if she simply expressed an interest that she'd like to play it. Producers would bite her hand off to land her as they know she's such a massive draw for them. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"i no god knows how he survived but like u say wot a guy deserved that gong well and truely "
"One gutsy ghurka if you ask me. Well deserving of his award. "
The truth, and battle plans, rarely survive the first contact with the enemy.
I don't know what happened out there that day and, judging by the inter_iews he gave, he's not 100% sure either. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"The Lumley intervention did no good whatsoever and may well have harmed the enlistment numbers in Nepal, but there's no doubt she meant well - or she had a career to resurrect
Always with the pessimism. "
Always with the realism, regardless of who it doesn't suit.
"Joanna Lumley has spoken out as a human rights activist for Survival International and the Gurkha Justice Campaign, and is now considered a "national treasure" of Nepal because of her support. She is an advocate for a number of charities and animal welfare groups such as CIWF and Viva!.
She hardly needs to resurrect her career with so much going on in her life already but I'm sure she could walk into any role she wanted to play if she simply expressed an interest that she'd like to play it. Producers would bite her hand off to land her as they know she's such a massive draw for them."
The last time - after she played Purdey - she was a massive draw, was when she got her kit off for Comic Relief.
Quite attractive in its own way but the very last thing the Nepalis would approve of.
She's past her sell-by date and she knows it. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"The point I was making, badly, was that there's no actual requirement to die. It's not, by definition, a posthumous award."
I know it isn't an exclusively posthumous award. I was being flippant as I think many acts of bravery have deserved the VC but haven't got it.
The posthumous VC was first awarded in 1907 and to date only 1357 VCs have been awarded. I guess they must analyse the circumstances surrounding a potential awardee and give it if it meets certain criteria. I'm just guessing at that though as I don't know what qualifies one person for it and not another seemingly equally deserving recipient. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"
I know it isn't an exclusively posthumous award. I was being flippant ........"
Flippant? About the UK's highest award 'For Valour'?
You sure you don't want to delete that comment? |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I'm ex forces and have worked alongside these superb people. I have nothing but admiration for these excellent soldiers, and I would assume most other ex forces personnel would agree |
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By *aucy3Couple
over a year ago
glasgow |
"
I know it isn't an exclusively posthumous award. I was being flippant ........
Flippant? About the UK's highest award 'For Valour'?
You sure you don't want to delete that comment?"
ffs acc dont take one thread into another.
flippant isnt disrespectful,it's just flippant mate.
it's the british way. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"
I know it isn't an exclusively posthumous award. I was being flippant ........
Flippant? About the UK's highest award 'For Valour'?
You sure you don't want to delete that comment?
ffs acc dont take one thread into another.
flippant isnt disrespectful,it's just flippant mate.
it's the british way."
Aw he's ok. Quite harmless really. He'll be going back in his little toybox soon anyway.  |
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Sod Ms Lumley or whatever, if a man fights for this country then he and his family have more right to live here than any ne'er do well who only come for what we can offer them. Grrrr makes me so angry what the government call "justice" it really does. nuff said. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Isnt this thread great. It starts off with the tale of a brave soldier, we have online battle from two guys who are arguing over who can get the VC, and ends on if Joanna Lumley is past her sell by date. Its brill |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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well, sticking up for the girls...i dont think ms lumley is past her sell by date! If i look that good when i reach her age i will be very happy!!
And well done the ghurka fella.
Def one to have on ur side. The arnie of the regiment!!
x |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Isnt this thread great. It starts off with the tale of a brave soldier, we have online battle from two guys who are arguing over who can get the VC, and ends on if Joanna Lumley is past her sell by date. Its brill "
Yup, it's called living in a free society - one of the things that brave ghurka was fighting to protect. |
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My dad fought with the Gurkha's behind Japanese lines in ww2.He swore by them and marveled at their incredible bravery (particularly in retrieving shot down aircrew).The Japanese soldiers were in awe of them and feared them,even whilst on the offensive against the allies.
This man has held up the tradition of his regiment and i am so pleased he has received recognition both for him and i am sure he would agree his regiment.
Now to the "other stuff" i was so pleased Joanna Lumley and others stuck by her guns and put a national wrong right,i only wish i had her failing career where is is an icon much loved British and International star.
Re Rourke's drift it is now acknowledged the the 11 vc's awarded were a first attempt at spin after the British army had been routed at Isamdlwana and lost the queens colours.
The army were gutted and they knew only a manufactured victory against overwhelming odds would rebuild morale
There is no doubt that many rank and file men particularly the warwicks performed bravely,however the battle did not need to take place and is attributed to the Commanding Officer When the news of the disastrous defeat at Isandlwana reached Lieutenant JRM Chard, who was in command of the depot at the time, it did not occur to him that he should engage in a strategic retreat to Helpmekaar as the fugitives earlier did. It appears he simple decided to dig-in. He was an Engineer having not seen combat before. At some stage he was described as "a plodding dogged sort." and "Hopelessly slow and slack." It appears his decision to stay was an error of command .the hospital he therefore had to defend had no strategic value and also played no further significance in the war.
Interestingly never again were the British to award so many VC's choosing to increase the distinction of its award in a single engagement, even on D Day only one was awarded and the same in the Battle of Britain to one of the few. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"The point I was making, badly, was that there's no actual requirement to die. It's not, by definition, a posthumous award.
I know it isn't an exclusively posthumous award. I was being flippant as I think many acts of bravery have deserved the VC but haven't got it.
The posthumous VC was first awarded in 1907 and to date only 1357 VCs have been awarded. I guess they must analyse the circumstances surrounding a potential awardee and give it if it meets certain criteria. I'm just guessing at that though as I don't know what qualifies one person for it and not another seemingly equally deserving recipient."
As wishy says, the original Royal Warrant for the VC did not make contingency for a posthumous award. Therefore, it could be argued that performing acts of gallantry in "the face of the enemy" and surviving was a pre-requisite. Following public and parliamentary pressure posthumous awards were first made in 1907. One quarter of VC recipients during WW1 were decorated posthumously. I have heard, and been told, that contrary to common opinion, there is indeed a sliding scale of gallantry. This is manifest in the awards for gallantry. Victoria Cross = Level 1, Conspicuous Gallantry Cross [which replaced the DSC & DSO]= Level 2, DSC/MC/DFC = Level 3 and Mention in Dispatches = Level 4. I have also been told that the level of gallantry is calculated by the chances of survival expressed as a percentage but I can't find anything to back this up. I do know that the process for nominations, having been involved in it, is extremely rigorous. Tangible, detailed evidence has to be submitted by a subject matter expert and corroborated by other expert witnesses, on occasion even including the enemy on the receiving end.
Whichever way you look at it I can state with some certainty that;
1. The Gurkhas are magnificent, loyal fighting men. After all we got them onside only after they had battered the East India Company to a standstill over two years.
2. One does not receive any of these awards for cutting oneself shaving
3. The actions required to be awarded any of these medals, in particular, means that ones chances of survival before and during those actions are slim.
Congratulations to Sarn't Dipprasad Pun. |
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