Meet the Soldier Who Held Off 30 Taliban Attackers Alone [Gurkha]

The Atlantic Wire ^ | June 2, 2011 | Adam Martin

[James C. Bennett]

The story of Dipprasad Pun, a Nepali soldier fighting in Afghanistan with the British Royal Gurkha Rifles, didn't get a lot of press in the United States because, well, he's a Nepali British soldier. But it's amazing. Last September, Pun fought off thirty Taliban attackers by himself, firing 400 rounds of machine gun ammunition, detonating 17 grenades, a landmine, and finally beating the last attackers back with the tripod of his gun. Naturally, he received a high honor yesterday: Britain's Conspicuous Gallantry Cross.

A report from March in the British Forces News explains that Pun was on sentry duty alone at a checkpoint near a remote village when the attack happened. His platoon left him and three other soldiers to man the post while they went on patrol to secure the area for the next day's parliamentary elections.

Pun was on duty when he heard a clinking noise to the south of the checkpoint and had the presence of mind to gather up two radios, which would enable him to both speak to his Commander and to call in artillery support, his personal weapon, and a General Purpose Machine Gun. Realising that he was about to be attacked, he quickly informed his Commander on one of the radios, and fired a weapon launched grenade at the enemy.

Pun single-handedly fought off an enemy attack onto his lightly manned position. In the dark he took the enemy head on as he moved around his position to fend off the attack from three sides, killing three assailants and causing the others to flee. In doing so he saved the lives of his three comrades and prevented the position from being overrun.

According to CNN, he said in a later interview, "I thought they are definitely going to kill me. ... I thought before they kill me I have to kill some of them." It seems to have worked.

[colorado tanker]

The British East India Company (in the days before direct royal rule of India) invaded Nepal in the Gurkha War, but were defeated. They were so impressed by the fighting abilities of the Gurkha soldiers that they eventually got permission to recruit them into the British Indian Army. At the time of independence, Britain and India split up the Gurkha units. It is a lucky (and very, very good) few who make it into the British Army.

In a sense, it's too bad the Nepalis won. They were never incorporated into British India, which meant they were not included in the rail net, education system or government and court system. Nepal today is considerably poorer than India.

[kearnyirish2]

I didn’t know Nepalis were related to India by language/culture; then again, India itself has so many different populations they are probably related to all of the various groups on their borders.

[ScreamingFist]

So ScreamingFist (who apparently doesn’t give a f@$%); was your comment really necessary?

Was yours? What are you...Keeper of the Gate?

[bodrules]

It was no rumour, the Gurkhas had been chomping at the bit to get stuck in, especially as the Scots Guards had already been in action (ref. Mt Tumbledown). The Argentinian conscripts had been fed horror stories about the Gurkhas by their own officers to ensure they didn't surrender, which promptly back fired when they observed the Gurkhas running uphill to get at them, at this juncture the poor conscripts decided discretion was the better part of valour and legged it back to Port Stanley.

[colorado tanker]

Nepali and Hindi are related, although distinct languages. Most Nepalis are ethnically related to the majority ethnic group in North India.

That said, many Nepalis are ethnically Tibeto-Burmese and are often referred to in English as "hill tribes" such as Gurungs or Sherpas. Historically large numbers of Gurkhas were recruited from these groups, such as Gurungs and Magars.

[kearnyirish2]

Interesting; thanks for the info. I see Nepal in the news a lot because of a communist problem there, but don’t know much more about them.

[colorado tanker]

Nepal was never part of India and did not inherit the traditions of British parliamentary democracy.

Nepal was a monarchy until unrest forced the King to cede a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary government in 1990. But they don't really know how to do it and corruption is endemic.

A Maoist insurgency began in the 1990's that resulted in widespread fighting in the 2000's. Then a peace deal was brokered where the Maoists ended their insurgency in return for amnesty and becoming a political party. A new constitution is to be written.

In the midst of all that a bizarre turn of events ended the monarchy. The crown prince, son of the popular monarch, was allegedly angry over his parents interference in his love live and marriage prospects. He entered a room during cocktail hour and wiped out most of the royal family, including himself. The King's brother, who was out of town, took the throne. He was not well liked and his son was intensely disliked. Eventually he was run off and Nepal is now a democracy. You can hear all manner of conspiracy theories about what "really" happened.

They have been trying for years to write the new constitution and have been bouncing along through a series of provisional governments the Maoists have been in an out of. At least they aren't shooting at each other - for now.

It's a damn shame. It's a beautiful country with wonderful, friendly people. They desperately need stability to try to grow their economy.

[READINABLUESTATE]

Only 30 Taliban vs. one Gurkha?

Not a fair fight. :)

[kearnyirish2]

Thanks for the info; I remember the man killing much of the royal family.