Nepali fashion show at the khukuri konvention in August.

Bill Martino

Bill Martino

Joined
Mar 5, 1999
Messages
34,096

Does everybody remember Chokpa, Yangdu's little sis? There is a picture or two of her somewhere in the forum. Blues or Berk will be able to find it in seconds. It will take me hours.

Anyway, Chokpa is scheduled to arrive in New York tomorrow and will visit with friends and relatives there for a couple of weeks. Then she will head to Reno and plans to be here for the convention. So, at the convention we will have three Nepalis in traditional dress at least part time -- Yangdu, Vikash, and with any luck Chokpa.

I still have a couple of Nepali units that I wore years ago in Nepal but I don't think I can fit into them anymore. But who wants to see an old gray haired American wandering around a casino in a uniform that is likely to get me tossed into the nuthouse or jail?


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Blessings from the computer shack in Reno.

Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
Khukuri FAQ
 
Here ya go, Uncle:
http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum53/HTML/000227.html

I hope you've forewarned the poor lass.
wink.gif


Blues


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Live Free or Die

Some Knife Pix
 
While on the topic of tradition clothing,where might one find a Ghorka uniform these days?I was thinking a uniform on a manequin,with whatever rifle they used in ww2,and of course with a khukuri,would make a great display.Of course i dont know their traditions,so I hope this isnt disrespectful to the Ghorkha soldiers.
 
Robert,
Gorkha bush hats and pillbox caps come up fairly frequently on eBay, usually (and not surprisingly) from sellers in the UK - I have a Gorkha Signals pillbox that I got from Australia. Tunics are much rarer, fairly pricey, usually devoid of regimental devices and insignia, (which also come up for auction frequently) and indistinguishable from British milspec (which they are). An older full uniform, if you could find one, would probably set you back more than the price of a HI kothimoda, and why would you do that?
smile.gif

On a more serious note, the fellow I bought the pillbox from said that many retired Gorkhas, thanks to the disparate treatment they formerly received from Her Majesty's govt. vis-a-vis pensions, found it necessary to sell their medals to supplement their income, noting that he had seen a Gorkha Victoria Cross on the market. Sad, and a real shame.
Berk



[This message has been edited by Berkley (edited 07-16-2000).]
 
Berk,

That any of these brave men would have to sell their medals to make ends meet is terribly sad indeed. Nothing would be better than to buy them and return them to their rightful owners.

I remember thinking the same thing when I read in a thread elsewhere that they weren't even entitled to keep their issued khukuris after leaving the service. That just seems beyond unjust. (Still hoping it's not the case.)

Blues

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Live Free or Die

Some Knife Pix
 
I agree 100%.I just noticed that ive changed uncles thread topic,Im very sorry,please feel free to delete my posts.

Of course wed all love to see you in uniform
smile.gif
Would anyone like to start a collection to pay his bail if he gets locked up?
 
Originally posted by Bill Martino:

who wants to see an old gray haired American wandering around a casino in a uniform that is likely to get me tossed into the nuthouse or jail?
Click to expand...

ME! ME!!!

-Cougar :{)

P.S. I want to see pix posted on the forum, too!
smile.gif

 
No problem Uncle. I still got a few old friends on staff both places, and can come visit you no sweat.

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"For it's no no never, never never no more. Never ever again will I buy ... "

Himalayan Imports Website
 
I don't think I can fit into my dora and suruwal anymore and probably can't spell the names properly anymore. It's been 12 or 15 years since I've had them on.

And thanks, Rusty.

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Blessings from the computer shack in Reno.

Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
Khukuri FAQ
 
Robert Cole wrote -

"I was thinking a uniform on a manequin,with whatever rifle they used in ww2,"

The rifle would be a .303 Lee-Enfield No. 4, which was the standard British army rifle in WW2.

(- And, IMHO, the sweetest, most accurate, easiest-to-use military bolt-action ever made... With match sights fitted, even I could chew holes in the V-bull at 1,000 yards. Ah, happy days...)

A lot of No 4's ended up in the USA in the 50s and 60s, after they were replaced by the FN semi-auto. You shouldn't have any trouble finding one.
 
Ive already got 2..one old workhorse from ww2 and another beauty made in the 50s.I just didnt know what the Ghorkas carried.
 
Robert Cole wrote -

"Ive already got 2 [Lee-Enfield No 4]..one old workhorse from ww2 and another beauty made in the 50s"

You lucky... I miss mine, very much. It was a wartime model, USA made (Savage Arms Co); it seemed to prefer the longer ranges (600 yards +) The .303 round is so easy on the shoulder, I could shoot it literally all day.

They say we'll all be reunited with our loved ones in the afterlife. I'm not all that bothered about most of my family, but I hope that rifle's waiting for me there.
 
My older one is also a US made Savage.I never tried for long ranges with it,or even shot it much,as i was afraid of the headspacing.Now she sleeps in a corner of my bedroom waiting for the right Khuk to come along and keep her company.
 
From about 1870 on all the Gurkha uniforms and kit were of British design and issue similar to all other troops. Prior to that the Brtitsh did have seperate designs for 'foreign' troops.

The 2 biggest differences from standard being the 'slouch hat' of the Australians that the Gurkhas adopted in WW I and of course carrying their khukuri in addition to a bayonet. Stories have them using both very effectively.

They were always issued the same current rifles through the years from 1815 on that other British regulars had. They were some of the first troops to get the new bolt action Lee Metford models and of course all models of the Lee Enfield. In the CBI theatre they were given the infamous Lee Enfield "jungle carbine" but hated them and wanted the regular rifles back.

On occassion you will find an old English rifle marked with the broad arrow and EIC plus a Gurkha regiment number. Those are nice pieces to have for a collector of military khukuris.

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JP
 
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