Gurkha humor

tallwingedgoat

tallwingedgoat

Joined
Jan 13, 1999
Messages
1,422
I'm sure most of you have already heard of this oldie, but it's still funny.

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In World war II, an English reporter who had heard so much about the bravery and elan of the Gurkhas visited a camp just in front of the enemy lines (Germans). During the course of his reporting, he had occasion to observe a mission being conducted.

The mission was to airdrop a bunch of soldiers behind enemy lines to conduct some relatively light action. He watched the commander of the Gurkhas (a British officer) pitch the mission and then ask for volunteers. To his surprise, only about half the Gurkhas volunteered and were sent off.

Throughly disillusioned with the legends of Gurkha bravery, the reporter went back home. After the war, he happened to run into a Gurkha who had been there, and asked him why half the troops had failed to volunteer. It turned out that none of the squad, both those who volunteered and those who did not, were aware of the existance of parachutes. Hence the low turnout.


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No, I was never lost. But I was mighty bewildered one time for three days.

--- Daniel Boone


[This message has been edited by tallwingedgoat (edited 12 May 1999).]
 
Good story! Being a relative newcomer to the world of Ghurkas and khurkuris I haven't heard any of the stories, old or new. I'd love to hear some more when the spirit moves you.
Mike
 
Russian General Gurkha story:

During the days of the cold war a Gurkha was doing guard duty at a gate. He was ordered not to allow anybody to pass. A Russian General appeared at the gate and demanded admittance to the compound. The Gurkha refused.

The Russian General said, "Do you know who I am?"

Gurkha, "Yes Sir, you are General Popoff (or whatever)."

"Good," the General said, "Now let me pass."

"I have orders not to allow anyone to pass," The Gurkha replied.

The Russian General tried to push by the Gurkha. No deal. He tried again and the Gurkha gave him a whack up side the head with his swagger stick, hard enough to draw blood from the General's ear.

The General screamed, "I'll have you court martialed!" And stormed away.

Sure enough, a couple of days later the Gurkha was called into the CO's office but rather than a court martial he was presented with a citation for job well done.

Uncle Bill
 
Variation on the parachute story.
During one of the Borneo 'dustups' a squad of Gurkhas is in the jump plane and as the altimeter climbs so does the anxiety on the faces of the usually cheery and brave Gurkhas. Their English Captain seeing something amiss asks what's wrong. The Gurkha NCO replies that they wonder if the pilot would be good enough to go a little lower since they have to leap onto the ground with these heavy new packs on their backs.

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JP
 
Thanks for the story. You know Uncle Bill, with all of the knowlege that you possess as well as the collective knowlege of the forumites you could write one heck of a Ghurka/khurkuris book. I would imagine much of what you know either doesn't exist in print or is very difficult to find. If you decide to write it I will be first in line for a copy!
Mike
 
See Bill,
another interested party heard from.
This would be the, oh, millionth request? Your public wants you!


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JP
 
Giving orders can come back in strange ways.If we follow the rules,this is minimized.You can still come up with unintended results.I cannot believe some of the things that people thought that I told them to do.Plus,you have to back them.I thought that LTC.Mike Barze and I were agreed on an action.He denied all knowledge of it.Not good for Daniel.As you can see,everyone got over it.Iron Mike is dead.I did not kill him.

[This message has been edited by ghostsix (edited 14 May 1999).]
 
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