“As I write these last words, my thoughts return to you who were my comrades, the stubborn and indomitable peasants of Nepal. Once more I hear the laughter with which you greeted every hardship. Once more
I see you in your bivouacs or about your fires, on forced march or in the trenches, now shivering with wet and cold, now scorched by a pitiless and burning sun. Uncomplaining you endure hunger and thirst and wounds; and at the last your unwavering lines disappear into the smoke and wrath of battle. Bravest of the brave, most generous of the generous, never had country more faithful friends than you".
The words of Professor Sir Ralph Turner, MC, who served with the 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles in the First World War
| Introduction of Gurkhas: |
Beyond the borders of South Asia, Nepal is renowned for two things. One stands rock-solid and has barely moved in millennia. The mountains can’t come to them, so people come from all over the world to encounter the heart-stopping Himalaya.
The other moves around quite a bit. Most people around the world would prefer not to encounter them at any time, in any place under any circumstances- the equally heart-stopping Gurkha Soldiers. The Gurkhas rank at the top of the list of the world’s all-time most formidable fighting men. Ounce of ounce only nitroglycerine packs more devastating power. No berserkers they, but it is highly inadvisable to disagree seriously with them, individually or collectively. This, it is widely accepted, would be as fool-hardly as attempting to embrace a running chainsaw.Rare is the person today who has not heard of the Gurkha soldiers, the brave troops from Nepal's isolated hills who bolster the forces of the British and Indian armies. Famed for their tenacity and loyalty in warfare since the late 18th Century, these Kukri-wielding soldiers underscored their fame by playing a key role in the 1982 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) crisis.    Apart from “Big Boy” and “Fat Man,” the atomic superstars of the Second World War, three weapons shared top billing as the most famous: the Ju-87 “Stuka”, the U.S. armed force’s quarter-ton “Jeep” and the “Khukuri”, the knife of the Nepalese of the British Gurkha Brigade. Gurkhas has equipped with modern SA80 Rifles and are renowned as natural marksman. But they still carry into battle their traditional weapon - a 16" long curved knife known as Khukuri. In time past, it was said that once a Khukri was drawn in battle, it had to taste blood' - if not, its owner had to cut himself before returning into its sheath. The name, Gurkha, is a military touchstone, evoking deeds of bravery and daring-do. The image is of a solid chunk of mountain man wielding a razor-sharp Khukuri whose breadth is only matched by his grin. And the reality is only a little removed from the legend. For the Nepali, serving in a Gurkha Regiment is one of the greatest opportunities life can offer. For a Briton lucky enough to serve with such a regiment, there is no greater privilege; it is an experience that is never forgotten. |
Want to Lean More About Gurkhas: http://www.himalayan-imports.com/gurkha.html |