GURKHA VICTORIA CROSS WINNERS

AGANSING RAI (Reg No. 11)
Naik (later Honorary Lieutenant) 2nd Battn. 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles, Indian Army.
London Gazetted on 5th October 1944.
Born in 1920 at Aapswarah (Village), Okhaldunga District, Nepal.
Died in 2000 at Katmandu, Nepal.
Memorial not known.
Digest of Citation reads:
On 27 September 1944 at Bishenpur, Burma, Naik Agansing Rai led his section in an attack on one of two posts which had been taken by the enemy and were now threatening our communications. Under withering fire the naik and his party charged a machine-gun, he himself killing one of the crew. The first position having been taken, he then led a dash on a a machine-gun firing from the jungle, where he killed three of the crew, his men accounting for the rest. He subsequently tackled an isolated bunker single-handed, killing all four occupants The enemy were now so demoralised that they fled and the second post was recaptured.
Additional information: Lieutenant Agansing Rai also held the Military Medal (M:M)
Reported in the Daily Mirror (Cutting, no date.) "A Ghurka awarded the Victoria Cross for showing complete contempt for danger as he fought the Japanese in 1944 has died aged 81.
Corporal Agansing Rai, who killed seven enemy soldiers during the battle in Burma, was one of 10 Ghurkas to win the honour in World War II. He died at home in Katmandu. The Mirror last year successfully campaigned for Ghurka troops pensions to be doubled.

BHANGBHAGTA GURUNG. (Reg. No. 88)
Rifleman (later Havildar*[Honorary]) 2nd Gurkha Rifles Indian Army
London Gazetted on 5th June 1945
VC Medal's Custodian is the 1st Gurkha Rifles
Born on in 1921 at Phallbu, a village in the Gorkha District of Nepal.
No record of death
Digest of Citation reads:
On 5 March 1945 at Snowdon East, near Tamandu, Burma, a section was pinned down by heavy enemy fire and was also being subjected to sniping from a tree. Rifleman Bhanbhagta Gurung killed the sniper and later when the section was again attacked, he dashed forward under continuous fire personally clearing four enemy foxholes and he also silenced a alight machine-gun. With the help of a Bren gunner and two riflemen he then repelled an enemy counter-attack on the captured bunker with heavy losses. His action in clearing these positions was decisive in capturing the objective.
*Havildar = Sergeant

GAJE GHALE.(Reg.No.437)
Havildar* (later Hon. Captain) 2nd Battalion 5th Gurkha Rifles, Indian Army
London Gazetted on 30th September 1943
Born on 1st July 1922 at Borpak, a village in the Gorkha District of Nepal.
No record of death.
Digest of Citation reads:
During the period 24/27th May 1943 in the Chin Hills, Burma, Havildar Gaje Ghale was in charge of a platoon of young soldiers engaged in attacking a strong Japanese position, Wounded in the arm, chest and leg he nevertheless continued to lead assault after assault, encouraging his men by shouting the Gurkha's battle-cry. Spurred on by the irresistable will of their leader, the platoon stormed and captured the position which the havildar then held and consolidated under heavy fire, refusing to go to the Regimental Aid Post until ordered to do so.
*Havildar = Sergeant.

GANJU LAMA. (Reg.No.438)
Rifleman (later Hon. Captain.) 1st Battalion 7th Gurkha Rifles Indian Army
London Gazetted on 7th September 1944
Born on 7th July 1922 at Samgmo Busty, Sikkim.
No record of death.
Digest of Citation reads:
On 12 June 1944 at Ninthoukhong, Burma, 'B' company was attempting to stem the enemy's advance when it came under heavy machine-gun and tank machine-gun fire. Rifleman Ganju Lama, with complete disregard for his own safety, took his Piat gun and crawling forward succeeded in bringing the gun into action within 30 yards of the enemy tanks, knocking out two of them. Despite a broken wrist and two other serious wounds to his right and left hands he then moved forward and engaged the tank crew who were trying to escape. Not until he had accounted for all of them did he consent to have his wounds dressed.
Additional information: Also awarded the Military Medal. He was PD; He was Honorary Life Aide de Camp to the President of India as well as being the overseas VC and GC Association Chairman from 1991 to the present day.

KARANBAHADUR RANA. (Reg.No.666)
Rifleman 2nd/3rd Battalions Queen Alexandra's Own, Gurkha Rifles, Indian Army.
London Gazetted on 21st June 1918.
Born on 20th December 1898 at Mangalthan, Litung, in the Bahlung District of Nepal.
Died on 6th August 1973 at Litung, in the Bahlung District of Nepal.
Memorial not yet recorded.
Digest of Citation reads:
On 10 April 1918 at El Kefr, Egypt, during an attack, Rifleman Karabahadur Rana and a few other men crept forward with a Lewis gun under intense fire to engage an enemy machine-gun. No 1 of the Lewis gun team opened fire but was shot almost immediately, whereupon the rifleman pushed the dead man off the gun, opened fire, knocked out the enemy gun crew and then silenced the fire of the enemy bombers and riflemen in front of him. During the remainder of the day he did magnificent work and finally assisted with covering fire in the withdrawal, until the were close on him.
Additional information: On Saturday the 2nd August, 1919 there was a parade of His Majesty's Indian Troops through London. Naik (Corporal) Karanbahadur Rana was in that proud assembly.They were received at Buckingham Palace by King George V who personally thanked them for their loyalty and magnificent service during the war. Also on this occasion Naik Karanbahadur Rana was decorated by the King with the Victoria Cross.

KULBIR THAPA. (Reg.No.708)
Rifleman (later Havildar*) 2nd Battalion 3rd Gurkha Rifles, Indian Army
London Gazetted on 18th November 1915.
Born on on 15th September 1888 at Nigalpani, Palba, Nepal.
Died on 3rd October 1956 in Nepal.
Memorial not recorded.
Digest of Citation reads:
On 25 September 1915, south of Fauquissart, France, Rifleman Kulbir Thapa, having been wounded himself, found a wounded soldier of The Leicestershire Regiment behind the first-line German trench. Although urged to save himself, the Gurkha stayed with the wounded man all day and night. Early next day, in misty weather, he took him through the German wire and, leaving him in a place of comparative safety, returned and brought in two wounded Gurkhas, one after the other. He then went back, and , in broad daylight, fetched the British soldier, carrying him most of the way under enemy fire.
*Sergeant.
Additional information: Service No:2129. It was reported that on the 26th September, during the misty weather, the German troops left their trenches to barbarically shoot and bayonet the wounded.
Surviving his wounds he went with his regiment to Egypt. Kulbir Thapa eventually returned to his home country of Nepal.

LACHHIMAN GURUNG (Reg. No 709)
Rifleman (later Havildar*) 8th Gurkha Rifles, Indian Army.
London Gazetted on 27th July 1945.
Born on 30th December 1917 at Dakhani (village), Tanhu, Nepal.
No death recorded
*Sergeant.
Digest of Citation reads:
On 12/13 May 1945 at Taungdaw, Burma, Rifleman Lachhiman Gurung was manning the most forward postof his platoon which bore the brunt of an attack by at least 200 of the enemy. Twice he hurled back grenades which had fallen on his trench, but the third exploded in his right hand, blowing off his fingers, shattering his arm and severely wounding him in the face, body and right leg. His two comrades were also badly wounded, but the rifleman, now alone and disregarding his wounds, loaded and fiired his rifle with his left hand for four hours, calmly wainting for each attack which he met with fire at point-blank range.
Additional information: He had only been with his battalion for two months when he was involved at Taungdaw as a member of the 9th Platoon of C company.
87 of the enemy dead were killed by C company. 31 were dead in front of Lachhiman Gurung's position. He is reported as shouting "Come and fight. Come and fight. I will kill you." at the end of the battle, exhausted, he said, "I wanted to kill some Japanese before I Died on."
On a parade on the 19th of December 1945, he was the only living soldier to be presented with the VC by Lord Louis Mountbatten, who presented five other VCs and one GC that day, all posthumously. Lachhiman Gurung and his family, who had been specially invited, were feted by Field Marshall Wavell..

LALBAHADUR THAPA (Reg.No. 713)
Subadar* (later Subadar-Major**) 1st Battalion, 2nd Gurkha Rifles, Indian Army
London Gazetted on 15th June 1943.
Born on in February 1906 at Thant Hup (village), Baghlung in the Parbat District of Nepal.
Died on 19th October 1968 at Paklehawa in Nepal.
Memorial not yet known.
Digest of Citation reads:
On 5/6 April 1943 during the silent attack on Rass-es-Zouai, Tunisia, Subadar Lalbahadur Thapa, taking command of two sections, made his first contact with enemy at the foot of a pathway winding up a narrow cleft which was thickly studded withenemy posts. The garrison of the out-posts were all killed by the subadar and his men, by kukri or bayonet and the next machine-gun posts were dealt with similarly. This officer then continued to fight his way up the bullet-swept approaches to the crest where he and the riflemen with him killed killed four--the rest fled. Thus secured, the advance by the whole division was made possible.
Additional information: His medal was presented by King George VI in June 1943 in Tripoli. He later came to London and was, along with other Gurkhas, presented to the public who greeted them with pride.
*Captain.
** Major

NETRABAHADUR THAPA. (reg No. 921). Acting Subadar. 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles. Indian Army. London Gazetted on the 12th of October 1944. Born on 8th January 1916 at Rahu ( Village) Bhirkot, Nepal. Killed in action on 26th June 1944 at Bishenpur, Burma.. Tribute on the Rangoon Memorial, Burma. Digest of Citation reads: At Bishenpur, Burma, on the day's 25th/26th June 1944, Subadar Netrabahadur Thapa was commanding a small isolated post on a hill. The Japanese attacked in force and the Gurkhas, inspired by their Subadar, who showed great courage and set a fine example, continued to hold their ground, beating back the enemy. He had to call for reinforcement as the casualties were extremely heavy. The reinforcements, when they arrived, after some time, also became casualties. This officer, undeterred, showing great courage, recovered the ammunition alone. He then began to attack the Japanese with grenades and kukris, until he himself was finally killed.

RAMBAHADUR LIMBU. (reg.No.1016). Lance-Corporal. 2nd Battalion. 10th Princess Mary's Gurkha Rifles. London Gazetted on 21st April 1966. Born in July or August 1939 at Chyangthapu village , Yangrop Thum, East Nepal. Attended VC dedication at Westminster Abbey on 14th May 2003. Digest of Citation reads: On 21st November 1965, Lance-Corporal Rambahadur Limbu, along with a party 16 Gurkhas when they discovered and attacked about 30 Indonesians located in the border area. They were holding position on a jungle hilltop. Their approach was a knife-edge, which would only allow three men to be abreast. The Lance-Corporal and two men went forward, he saw a sentry and a machine gun in the nearest trench. Edging forward until he was only 10 yards from the trench, they were spotted by the sentry, who fired and hit Bijuliparsad Rai, his comrade to his right. The NCO ran forward, jumped into the trench and killed the sentry. The enemy, now alerted, opened fire on the small party, wounding the other two. From his position in the trench, he realised that he could not support his platoon. Leaving the trench, he led the platoon to a better position. He then began his crawl to rescue the two wounded comrades. Realising that stealth, under the heavy fire from two machine guns, was impossible, he jumped to his feet and ran, calling for support from his own machine-gunners. Under their covering fire he picked up the first wounded man and carried him to safety, returning, still under heavy fire, for the second. That he was able to achieve what he did, against such overwhelming odds, without being hit, was miraculous. Additional information:. Rambahadur Limbu was made a Member of the Royal Victorian Order.(MVO)

Extract from London Gazette (April 1966)

SHER BAHADUR THAPA. (reg No. 1137)
Riflemen. 1st Battalion. 9th Gurkha Rifles. Indian Army.
London Gazetted on 28th December 1944.
VC Medal's Custodian is the 9th Gurkha Rifles Headquarters, Varansi, India.
Born on the 20th November, 1921 and Ghalechap village in the Tannu District of Nepal.
Killed in action on the 19th September, 1944 at San Marino, Italy.
Memorial on grave at English Cemetery, Alassio, Italy.
Digest of Citation reads:
On the 18th/19th September 1944, a company of the 9th Gurkha Rifles met fierce opposition from a well situated German position. The section commander and Rifleman Sher Bahadur Thapa made a charge and succeeded in silencing the machine-gun. After his section commander was wounded, the Rifleman, now alone, made his way to the exposed part of a ridge, from here, ignoring the hails of bullets, he managed to silence more machine guns as well as covering a withdrawal and rescuing two wounded men before he was finally killed .

THAMAN GURUNG (Reg.No.1208)
Rifleman 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles Indian Army.
London Gazetted on 22nd February 1945.
Born on 2nd October 1924 at Singla, (village) in the No 2 Thehsil in West Nepal.
Died on 11th November 1944 at Monte San Bartolo in Italy.
Memorial on grave at Rimini Gurkha War Cemetery, Italy.
Citation reads;
On 10th November 1944 at Monte San Bartolo, Italy, Rifleman Thaman Gurung was acting as a scout to a fighting patrol. It was undoubtedly due to his superb gallantry that his platoon was able to withdraw from an extremely difficult position without many more casualties than were in fact incurred and that some very valuable information was obtained which resulted in the capture of the feature three days later. The rifleman's bravery cost him his life.

TULBAHADUR PUN. (reg No. 1236).
Rifleman. 3rd Battalion. 6th Gurkha Rifles. Indian Army.
London Gazetted on 9th November 1944.
VC Medal's Custodian is the Gurkha Museum, Winchester.
Born on 23rd March 1923 at Banduk Village in the Parbat District of Nepal.
Digest of Citation reads:
During the attack on the railway bridge at Mogaung, Burma, on 23rd June 1944, a section of Rifleman Tulbahadur Pun's Platoon was wiped out with the exception of his section commander, another Rifleman and himself. The section leader led the three of them in a charge against the enemy position during which, both the leader and the third man fell badly wounded. Rifleman Tulbahadur Pun, armed with a Bren gun, charged on alone, in spite of a devastating fire from the enemy, and on reaching the position killed three of the occupants, forcing five more of the enemy to flee in terror. He captured two light machine guns and considerable ammunition. His accurate supporting fire then allowed the rest of his platoon to move forward and reached their objective.

Source: http://www.victoriacross.co.uk/