Posted on 05/12/2009 9:36:41 AM PDT by george76
Today’s mission included moving to capture some bomb makers. What the Gurkhas did not know was that the action they thought they were moving to was not the actual training. The real training was to be an attack on them that would occur along the way.
Major Will Kefford, the commander of C coy, continues to throw unexpected curveballs at the men. Nothing is sacred. Everything is a trick.
Before we set off, Major Kefford said to me something like, “See that man on the ground over there? That’s Agnish. He got the Military Cross in Afghanistan on the last tour. Very good man.” I asked about other awards and Major Kefford said that men from the 1st Royal Gurkha Rifles received five Military Crosses on that deployment and they were awarded by the Queen.
In the training, Major Kefford is constantly trying to trip up his men to keep them sharp, but when we talk he often begins to brag about them. This trait is common with British and American commanders and senior NCOs. The good ones constantly talk about their soldiers as if they were grandparents bragging about their grandchildren.
The Brits brag in a more subtle fashion, in reflection of their culture, whereas the American commanders and senior NCOs are overt and will talk about their soldiers until your eyes glaze over. In any case, bragging leaders definitely are a sign of a good unit.
(Excerpt) Read more at michaelyon-online.com ...
These British soldiers are in the 1st Royal Gurkha Rifles. That’s Agnish Thapa holding the map. The Queen awarded the Military Cross to Agnish. During a fierce firefight, Agnish took great personal risk to try to save Matthew Locke, an Australian Special Forces soldier. Matthew had been shot in the chest and Agnish ran to get Matthew. He carried Matthew about 100 meters through a firefight then began to administer CPR. Unfortunately, Matthew was lost.
Gurkhas are great fighters and Michael Yon is a very good war journalist.
Thanks for the ping.
Nice thread thank you.
I was told that during WWII, an officer asked a company of Gurhkas to volunteer to jump out of a plane and capture an enemy occupied area. Only half the company volunteered.
The officer complained to the Ghurka’s CO that he had heard that the Ghurkas were the bravest soldiers but only half volunteered.
Their CO pointed out that half volunteered even though the officer never mentioned that they would be using parachutes!
Wow!
On a day when our illustrious Leader in Chief slammed the military by putting out more pictures to the MSM for show, to degrade the military, this acticle is well worth reading. Sometimes I wonder if the Obamanation wonders who will keep his a.. safe if he continues on down the road he is on??
On a day when our illustrious Leader in Chief slammed the military by putting out more pictures to the MSM for show, to degrade the military, this acticle is well worth reading. Sometimes I wonder if the Obamanation wonders who will keep his a.. safe, if he continues on down the road he is on??
Has Jacqui blacklisted these brave men, yet?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.