- Joined
- Apr 30, 2001
- Messages
- 9
Craig has some militaria for sale on his website, one of them is a patch showing a parachute with 2 crossed khukri's below. He says he doesn't know what era they are from. Maybe I can help.
I was looking through a book on airborne insignia and found two versions of these. The one in the website is WW2 vintage or very shortly thereafter.
The ghurkas formed two parachute batallions, originally named 153 and 154 Ghurka Parachute Batallion, they were renamed in 1943(?) to the 2nd and 3rd Ghurkha Parachute Batallion respectively. They formed part if the 12th Indian Airborne Brigade and served in India, Burma and Malaya. They were disbanded in 1945-6. The batallion badges were distinguished by the way the khukris were crossed, the 2nd Bn (153)had the cutting edges to the outside and down whereas the 3rd Bn (154) had the edges upward and inside. Craigs are therefore from the 3rd Batallion. They also wore the para wings similar to the WW2 british airborne wings and additionally wore the light blue pegasus symbol on a maroon patch with the words 'INDIA' written under the front hooves.
They're actually quite rare Craig, you should dispose of them carefully.
I was looking through a book on airborne insignia and found two versions of these. The one in the website is WW2 vintage or very shortly thereafter.
The ghurkas formed two parachute batallions, originally named 153 and 154 Ghurka Parachute Batallion, they were renamed in 1943(?) to the 2nd and 3rd Ghurkha Parachute Batallion respectively. They formed part if the 12th Indian Airborne Brigade and served in India, Burma and Malaya. They were disbanded in 1945-6. The batallion badges were distinguished by the way the khukris were crossed, the 2nd Bn (153)had the cutting edges to the outside and down whereas the 3rd Bn (154) had the edges upward and inside. Craigs are therefore from the 3rd Batallion. They also wore the para wings similar to the WW2 british airborne wings and additionally wore the light blue pegasus symbol on a maroon patch with the words 'INDIA' written under the front hooves.
They're actually quite rare Craig, you should dispose of them carefully.