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Meet the Soldier Who Held Off 30 Taliban Attackers Alone [Gurkha]
The Atlantic Wire ^ | June 2, 2011 | Adam Martin

Posted on 06/03/2011 2:59:01 PM PDT by James C. Bennett

The story of Dipprasad Pun, a Nepali soldier fighting in Afghanistan with the British Royal Gurkha Rifles, didn't get a lot of press in the United States because, well, he's a Nepali British soldier. But it's amazing. Last September, Pun fought off thirty Taliban attackers by himself, firing 400 rounds of machine gun ammunition, detonating 17 grenades, a landmine, and finally beating the last attackers back with the tripod of his gun. Naturally, he received a high honor yesterday: Britain's Conspicuous Gallantry Cross.

A report from March in the British Forces News explains that Pun was on sentry duty alone at a checkpoint near a remote village when the attack happened. His platoon left him and three other soldiers to man the post while they went on patrol to secure the area for the next day's parliamentary elections.

Pun was on duty when he heard a clinking noise to the south of the checkpoint and had the presence of mind to gather up two radios, which would enable him to both speak to his Commander and to call in artillery support, his personal weapon, and a General Purpose Machine Gun. Realising that he was about to be attacked, he quickly informed his Commander on one of the radios, and fired a weapon launched grenade at the enemy.

Pun single-handedly fought off an enemy attack onto his lightly manned position. In the dark he took the enemy head on as he moved around his position to fend off the attack from three sides, killing three assailants and causing the others to flee. In doing so he saved the lives of his three comrades and prevented the position from being overrun.

According to CNN, he said in a later interview, "I thought they are definitely going to kill me. ... I thought before they kill me I have to kill some of them." It seems to have worked.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; gurkha; islam; nepal; taliban; wot
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1 posted on 06/03/2011 2:59:06 PM PDT by James C. Bennett
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To: All

2 posted on 06/03/2011 3:01:39 PM PDT by James C. Bennett (An Australian.)
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To: James C. Bennett
Who knew one bad Pun could hold off 30 Talibunnies?

Sorry

3 posted on 06/03/2011 3:05:10 PM PDT by magslinger (What Would Stephen Decatur Do?)
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To: James C. Bennett

Great job, but where were his 3 buddies at?


4 posted on 06/03/2011 3:06:24 PM PDT by rawhide
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To: James C. Bennett

Only 30 Taliban vs. one Gurkha?

Poor Taliban. Were there any survivors?


5 posted on 06/03/2011 3:07:47 PM PDT by Little Ray (Best Conservative in the Primary; AGAINST Obama in the General.)
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To: magslinger

LOL!


6 posted on 06/03/2011 3:08:00 PM PDT by James C. Bennett (An Australian.)
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To: James C. Bennett
The badge of the Gurkha Regiment showing their fearsome Khukuri knives. Their reputation as warriors was such that legend has it Argentine soldiers fled their positions just at the mention Gurkhas were advancing on them.


7 posted on 06/03/2011 3:11:06 PM PDT by colorado tanker
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To: James C. Bennett

That is one intended Pun.


8 posted on 06/03/2011 3:15:55 PM PDT by clbiel (Hey Islam! Satan's on the line says he's not giving back your religion without a fight.)
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To: colorado tanker
One time in North Africa the Ghurkas were whuppin' up on the krauts and a certain kraut with a rifle and bayonet charged a Gurkha armed with a kukhri (sp? knife.

The Gurkha took a step to the side and swiped at the kraut with his kukhri knife.

The kraut said "Aha, you missed!"

The Gurkha said "Shake your head nazi!".

You can fill in the rest.

9 posted on 06/03/2011 3:17:54 PM PDT by OKSooner (Obama confessed "his muslim faith" on the George Stephanopolous show on September 7th, 2008.)
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To: OKSooner

Masters in the art of Combat


10 posted on 06/03/2011 3:24:36 PM PDT by Broker (Mabuhay!)
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To: James C. Bennett
When Cpl. Dipprasad Pun's rifle jammed, he grabbed a .50 cal machine gun tripod and used it to club to death a Taliban terrorist trying to climb up to Pun's rooftop position

I don't know about you, but for me, using a tripod as a warhammer is a crazy bad-ass move.

11 posted on 06/03/2011 3:28:23 PM PDT by PanzerKardinal (Some things are so idiotic only an intellectual would believe it.)
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To: OKSooner
The Gurkhas are tough sons of guns, for sure.

They go through quite a selection process just to join the outfit. Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world, so not only is it considered a high honor to be allowed to join, it sets the soldier and his family for life, financially.

They have to be from particular ethnic groups living in the west central part of the country, including the city of Gorkha, and pass a series of rigorous physical tests and interviews. It's very competitive and relatively few are selected from those who volunteer.

12 posted on 06/03/2011 3:28:27 PM PDT by colorado tanker
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To: James C. Bennett

What a stud!


13 posted on 06/03/2011 3:30:27 PM PDT by Scotsman will be Free (11C - Indirect fire, infantry - High angle hell - We will bring you, FIRE)
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To: rawhide

He didn’t need his 3 buddies to get the job done.


14 posted on 06/03/2011 3:46:30 PM PDT by 353FMG
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To: James C. Bennett

A more salty version of the event: http://www.badassoftheweek.com/pun.html


15 posted on 06/03/2011 3:50:15 PM PDT by Alice in Wonderland
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To: James C. Bennett
I thought before they kill me I have to kill some of them

What a man.

16 posted on 06/03/2011 3:55:41 PM PDT by packrat35 (America is rapidly becoming a police state that East Germany could be proud of!)
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To: James C. Bennett

“If a man says he is not afraid of dying, he is either lying or is a Gurkha”


17 posted on 06/03/2011 3:58:05 PM PDT by Eyes Unclouded ("The word bipartisan means some larger-than-usual deception is being carried out." -George Carlin)
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To: James C. Bennett

My Father server with the Ghurkas in Aden. He said the biggest problem with them on the assault was keeping up with them closely enough to make sure there some prisoners left to question.

He had a boxing match with one two, apparently he had the Ghurka worried at one point. He thought he’d killed my poor old Dad.


18 posted on 06/03/2011 4:13:56 PM PDT by Stolly
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To: James C. Bennett

My Father server with the Ghurkas in Aden. He said the biggest problem with them on the assault was keeping up with them closely enough to make sure there some prisoners left to question.

He had a boxing match with one too, apparently he had the Ghurka worried at one point. He thought he’d killed my poor old Dad.


19 posted on 06/03/2011 4:14:20 PM PDT by Stolly
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To: Alice in Wonderland

These Americans are something to believe in also.

http://www.badassoftheweek.com/gordonandshughart.html


20 posted on 06/03/2011 4:18:31 PM PDT by packrat35 (America is rapidly becoming a police state that East Germany could be proud of!)
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