interesting gurkha story...

Daniel Koster

Daniel Koster

www.kosterknives.com
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from another thread:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=213437

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In 1945 the 101st Airborne along with several supporting units including some British and some Ghurkas dropped in to Corregidor, Philippines.

When they were plannig this op they asked for volunteers. All the Army & British volunteered. The Ghurkas, not to be dishonored all volunteered. My uncle was in charge of comms for the op and was explaining to the Ghurkas how drops work.

They were going to parachute into Corregidor from about 3,500 feet. The 101st had already endured some pretty heavy casulties on a previous drop because Corregidor is pretty much solid rock and makes for a very hard landing. Guys who hit the water sank with all their gear on and drowned. They didn't have the quick release equipment we have nowadays.

So my uncle, who didn't speak Ghurka is drawing pictures of parachutes dropping in and trying to explain how it'll work. The Ghurkas are all nodding their heads and volunteering. They've seen supply drops so they know about parachutes.

Then one of them asks a question and a British soldier who spoke the language listens and then starts laughing and he answers the Ghurka.

It turns out the Ghurka was asking if they could drop in at 1,300 feet because they thought the parachutes were for supplies and equipment and that they weren' going to have parachutes. They figured that a good many of them would have a better chance with a lower drop over water and they could swim because they'd lose a lot more if they tried to drop in without parachutes over the land.

While it was funny to think that they'd think they'd be dropping in WITHOUT parachutes, that parachutes were for equipment only, it was heart-warming to me to think that they were so brave that even though they knew a lot of them would die they were willing to sacrifice themselves for the chance that some would live and fight.

How honorable is that? The Ghurkas have long been known for their bravery.

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This story and a few others that I have heard tells me that the Gorkha have proved that they certainly are special people. The kind you don't run into every day.

2nd Bn., 4th Marines are called the Magnificent Bastards. These guys are sure beyond that. Magnificent wouldn't quite cover it. When your reputation terrorizes the WW11 Japanese army. Mister, you have some bad dudes on your side. That 's all there is to it.
 
i have a very interesting book printed in 1966, THE GHURKAS, it details the ghurka history from the time they first met the british in battle as enemies, to the campaigns in malaya against communist guirrillas, this book is absoultly facinating,it has photos of the different wars ww1, ww2,malaya ect, it documents the combat by the ghurkas against the germans, japanese, italians,turks,ect it details there wins, there losses,casualties,vcs,it is a damn good book, and realy shows the true courage, loyalty,and humour of the ghurkas.there are several photos of action ,ghurkas in the front line ww1 on inspection presenting there khukuris,ghurka charges,ect,i will send by email if anybody would like some. just email me lagnif@dodo.com.au
regards ghorka:)
 
In my personal dealings with Gorkhas I've found them to be the nicest, most polite and considerate men you'd care to run across. Like most bonafide tough guys I've run across in my life they are only tough when they have to be.
 
I think most of the gents my age and older will agree. The men that I have met in my lifetime that I knew were really the tuff gents. They were the ones that were the easiest folks around to get along with. They just didn't run around showing everybody how mean they could be. They just didn't have to prove anything to anybody.:)
 
I guess my experience differs a little from the everyone else's.

I had friends in the Ranger Batallions, including a Sargeant-Major. They were very tough and didn't take crap. You knew exactly where you stood with them.

However, there was always a glimmer of rage in their eyes. You knew that if they wanted to, they could take you down with their bare hands in 2 seconds flat. Made them seem kinda ominous.

Maybe it was just me.
 
YES SAD BUT TRUE IT SEEMS
i have just finished reading some three books on the ghurkas, written by ghurka officers,sadly it seems the ghurka regiments are doomed to go the way of the dinasours, I HOPE NOT BUT !!!.
the eye opener for me was the storys of the ghurkas being put into the frontlines in ww1,and the horrendous casualties they suffered,an example was ist day strength was approx 10 english officers, 25 ghurka officers, 870 ghurkas, they were in constant action for the day, the following morning they could only muster 2 ghurka oficers and 45 ghurka riflemen, the others killed in action.these brave fearless little fellows, would i am told follow there officers unto death,and followed orders exactly and without complaint,a funny example was the major passenger in a lorry driven by a ghurka the major saw they were appproaching a rather large roundabout, and looked right then left and promptly told the ghurka driver, STRAIGHT ON JOHNNY.AND HE DID THE LORRY WAS STUCK ON TOP OF THE ROUNABOUT FOR THE NEXT 24HRS.
also it was mentioned numerous times in the books how indifferent the gurkas were to the dead, the enemy and there own, one such story outlined this very well,
one of there pals a gurka naik ,corporal, was killed in action, they decided to cremate him,the fire was burning away fiercly with the corporal on it, when the young officer was amazed to hear roars of laughter from his ghurkas and came out of his tent to witness the ghurkas laughing with glee at the body of the corporal sitting up in the fire, they promptly drew there kukris and made him lie down again with a few well place chops, when he again sat up uproars of laghter again,again chop chop, then he stayed down,I MUST ADD HERE HE WASANT ALIVE IT WAS THE HEAT OF THE FIRE CONTRACTING THE BODY MAKING IT APPEAR TO BE SITTING UP OF ITS OWN ACCORD. what amazing little fellows.the other thing that struck me was there size, i have a photo of an average size ghurka standing next to an indian soldier and i could not imagine how they could be so intimidated by such small men ghurkas.i found as i read on examples of there legendry fighting spirit imagine a tiny lone ghurka soldier leaping into a celler of a buildng where there are nine lumping great german paratroopers, and the ghurka comes out wiping his kukri, ghurka nine, germans zero.and they are letting these magnificent troops be reduced to such an extent as to be nearly non exsistent, all i can say is bloody fools.they should be increasing them.a modern day example of the ghurka spirit was in the falklands, ghurkas were advancing under heavy mortor and shell fire the officer rather worried heard a ghurka pipe up in perfect accented english ,JOLLY EXCITEING THIS HEY SAHIB.I THINK THAT SAYS IT ALL.:) :) :)
 
It is sad that there isn't more information out there. Has anyone written any fiction on the Ghorka/Ghurka? (Tom Clancy style...)
 
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