A Gurkha who single-handedly fought off up to 30 Taliban fighters at his base in Afghanistan has been awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross.
The honour is just one level down from the Victoria Cross.
Acting Sergeant Dip Pun, 31, ran out of ammunition and at one point had to use the tripod of his machine gun to beat away a fighter climbing the walls of the compound near Babaji in Helmand Province.
The soldier fired more than 400 rounds, launched 17 grenades and detonated a mine to thwart the Taliban assault on his checkpoint last September.
Acting Sgt Pun was on sentry duty when he heard a clinking noise outside the small base.
He initially thought the noise might be a donkey or a cow but soon found it to be rebels digging a trench to lay an improvised explosive device (IED) at the checkpoint's front gate.
He realised at that point that he was completely surrounded and that the Taliban were about to launch a well-planned attempt to overrun the compound.
The Taliban then opened fire from all sides, destroying the sentry position where the Gurkha had been on duty minutes before and kept up their attack for more than 15 minutes.
The brave soldier said he thought the assault would never end and "nearly collapsed" when it was over.
"As soon as it was confirmed (they were) Taliban, I was really scared," he recalled.
"But as soon as I opened fire that was gone - before they kill me I have to kill some. I thought they were going to kill me after a couple of minutes, definitely."
source:http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20110325/tuk-gallant-gurkha-gets-award-for-taliba-45dbed5.html
For those who don't know, Gurkhas are best known for their history of bravery and strength in the Indian Army's Gorkha regiments and the British Army's Brigade of Gurkhas. Someone famously said:
?If a man says he is not afraid of dying, he is either lying or is a Gurkha.?
So, fellow escapists, what you think of this situation? Me? I think the British owe such a massive debt to the loyalty of the Ghurkas, it's a shame that some people are still prejudice towards them. This soldier is another example of Ghurka badassness.
The honour is just one level down from the Victoria Cross.
Acting Sergeant Dip Pun, 31, ran out of ammunition and at one point had to use the tripod of his machine gun to beat away a fighter climbing the walls of the compound near Babaji in Helmand Province.
The soldier fired more than 400 rounds, launched 17 grenades and detonated a mine to thwart the Taliban assault on his checkpoint last September.
Acting Sgt Pun was on sentry duty when he heard a clinking noise outside the small base.
He initially thought the noise might be a donkey or a cow but soon found it to be rebels digging a trench to lay an improvised explosive device (IED) at the checkpoint's front gate.
He realised at that point that he was completely surrounded and that the Taliban were about to launch a well-planned attempt to overrun the compound.
The Taliban then opened fire from all sides, destroying the sentry position where the Gurkha had been on duty minutes before and kept up their attack for more than 15 minutes.
The brave soldier said he thought the assault would never end and "nearly collapsed" when it was over.
"As soon as it was confirmed (they were) Taliban, I was really scared," he recalled.
"But as soon as I opened fire that was gone - before they kill me I have to kill some. I thought they were going to kill me after a couple of minutes, definitely."
source:http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20110325/tuk-gallant-gurkha-gets-award-for-taliba-45dbed5.html
For those who don't know, Gurkhas are best known for their history of bravery and strength in the Indian Army's Gorkha regiments and the British Army's Brigade of Gurkhas. Someone famously said:
?If a man says he is not afraid of dying, he is either lying or is a Gurkha.?
So, fellow escapists, what you think of this situation? Me? I think the British owe such a massive debt to the loyalty of the Ghurkas, it's a shame that some people are still prejudice towards them. This soldier is another example of Ghurka badassness.
