Lachhiman Gurung
Encyclopedia
Lachhiman Gurung VC
(30 December 1917 12 December 2010) was a Nepal
ese recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
and Commonwealth
forces.
of Nepal, the son of Partiman Gurung. He joined the British Indian Army
in December 1940, permitted to enlist in wartime although only 4'11" tall and so below the peacetime minimum height. He was 27 years old, and a Rifleman
in the 4th Battalion, 8th Gurkha Rifles, in the Indian Army during World War II when the following deed took place in May 1945 for which he was awarded the VC.
His Battalion was part of the 89th Indian Infantry Brigade
of 7th Indian Infantry Division, which was ordered to cross the Irrawaddy River and attack Japanese forces
to the north of the road from Prome to Taungup. The Japanese withdrew towards Taungdaw
, where Gurung was part of the two companies of the 4th Battalion, 8th Gurkha Rifles waiting, when the Japanese attacked in force in the early morning.
He received his Victoria Cross from the Viceroy of India, Field Marshal Lord Wavell
at the Red Fort in Delhi
on 19 December 1945.
Gurung was hospitalised for the wounds he received during the above action and subsequently lost his right eye and the use of his right hand, but he continued to serve with the 8th Gurkhas, choosing to remain with them when they were transferred to the newly-independent Indian Army
in 1947. He later achieved the rank of Hon. Havildar and he returned to his village in Nepal on completion of his service in 1947, where he farmed on a smallholding.
He married twice; having two sons and daughter from his first marriage, and two more sons from his second. One of his sons later became an officer in the 8th Gurkha Rifles.
A new house was provided for him and his family in 1995 near the Gurkha Welfare Centre at Chitwan, using a donation of £2,000 from Armourers and Brasiers Company. Later in 1995, he received a cheque for £100,500 for the Gurkha Welfare Trust, presented by British Prime Minister John Major
at 10 Downing Street
. In 2008, Gurung and Honorary Lieutenant Tul Bahadur Pun VC were two of the five claimants in a legal claim to allow Gurkha servicemen who had retired before July 1997 (when the Gurkha base moved from Hong Kong to the UK) to settle in the UK. The High Court ordered the government to review its policy, and Gurung was allowed to settle in Hounslow, where he was looked after by his granddaughter, Amrita.
Gurung was admitted to the Charing Cross Hospital
on November 19 after his health condition worsened, suffering from pneumonia. Gurung died on 12 December 2010. He was survived by his second wife, Manmaya, and his five children.
Funeral Programme Full Informations
.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
(30 December 1917 12 December 2010) was a Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
ese recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Details
Gurung was born in the village of Dakhani, in the Tanahu DistrictTanahu District
Tanahun District of 315,237. Previously the town of Bandipur was its district headquarters.-Coordinates & Location type:*Latitude: 27.91667*Longitude:84.25*Latitude :27° 55' 0 N*Longitude :84° 15' 0 E-Village Development Committees :...
of Nepal, the son of Partiman Gurung. He joined the British Indian Army
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
in December 1940, permitted to enlist in wartime although only 4'11" tall and so below the peacetime minimum height. He was 27 years old, and a Rifleman
Rifleman
Although ultimately originating with the 16th century handgunners and the 17th century musketeers and streltsy, the term rifleman originated from the 18th century. It would later become the term for the archetypal common soldier.-History:...
in the 4th Battalion, 8th Gurkha Rifles, in the Indian Army during World War II when the following deed took place in May 1945 for which he was awarded the VC.
His Battalion was part of the 89th Indian Infantry Brigade
89th Indian Infantry Brigade
The 89th Indian Infantry Brigade was an Infantry formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in October 1942, at Bhiar Kund in India. The brigade was assigned to the 7th Indian Infantry Division and fought in the Burma Campaign...
of 7th Indian Infantry Division, which was ordered to cross the Irrawaddy River and attack Japanese forces
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
to the north of the road from Prome to Taungup. The Japanese withdrew towards Taungdaw
Taungdaw
Taungdaw is a river village in Homalin Township, Hkamti District, in the Sagaing Region of northwestern Burma.-External links:*...
, where Gurung was part of the two companies of the 4th Battalion, 8th Gurkha Rifles waiting, when the Japanese attacked in force in the early morning.
On 12/13 May 1945 at TaungdawTaungdawTaungdaw is a river village in Homalin Township, Hkamti District, in the Sagaing Region of northwestern Burma.-External links:*...
, BurmaMyanmarBurma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
[now Myanmar], Rifleman Lachhiman Gurung was manning the most forward post of his platoon which bore the brunt of an attack by at least 200 of the Japanese enemy. Twice he hurled back grenades which had fallen on his trench, but the third exploded in his right hand, blowing off his fingers, shattering his arm and severely wounding him in the face, body and right leg. His two comrades were also badly wounded but the rifleman, now alone and disregarding his wounds, loaded and fired his rifle with his left hand for four hours, calmly waiting for each attack which he met with fire at point blank range. Afterwards, when the casualties were counted, it is reported that there were 31 dead Japanese around his position which he had killed, with only one arm.
He received his Victoria Cross from the Viceroy of India, Field Marshal Lord Wavell
Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
Field Marshal Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell GCB, GCSI, GCIE, CMG, MC, PC was a British field marshal and the commander of British Army forces in the Middle East during the Second World War. He led British forces to victory over the Italians, only to be defeated by the German army...
at the Red Fort in Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
on 19 December 1945.
Further information
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
in 1947. He later achieved the rank of Hon. Havildar and he returned to his village in Nepal on completion of his service in 1947, where he farmed on a smallholding.
He married twice; having two sons and daughter from his first marriage, and two more sons from his second. One of his sons later became an officer in the 8th Gurkha Rifles.
A new house was provided for him and his family in 1995 near the Gurkha Welfare Centre at Chitwan, using a donation of £2,000 from Armourers and Brasiers Company. Later in 1995, he received a cheque for £100,500 for the Gurkha Welfare Trust, presented by British Prime Minister John Major
John Major
Sir John Major, is a British Conservative politician, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990–1997...
at 10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street, colloquially known in the United Kingdom as "Number 10", is the headquarters of Her Majesty's Government and the official residence and office of the First Lord of the Treasury, who is now always the Prime Minister....
. In 2008, Gurung and Honorary Lieutenant Tul Bahadur Pun VC were two of the five claimants in a legal claim to allow Gurkha servicemen who had retired before July 1997 (when the Gurkha base moved from Hong Kong to the UK) to settle in the UK. The High Court ordered the government to review its policy, and Gurung was allowed to settle in Hounslow, where he was looked after by his granddaughter, Amrita.
Gurung was admitted to the Charing Cross Hospital
Charing Cross Hospital
Charing Cross Hospital is a general, acute hospital located in London, United Kingdom and established in 1818. It is located several miles to the west of the city centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham....
on November 19 after his health condition worsened, suffering from pneumonia. Gurung died on 12 December 2010. He was survived by his second wife, Manmaya, and his five children.
Funeral
His funeral was held on Wednesday 22 December at Hounslow Civic Centre, Lampton Road, Hounslow, Middlesex, TW3 4DNFuneral Programme Full Informations
The medal
The medal is currently held in India, in the possession of Gurung's parent unit, the 4th Battalion, 8th Gurkha Rifles8 Gorkha Rifles
The 8 Gorkha Rifles is a Gorkha regiment of the Indian Army. It was raised in 1824 as part of the British East India Company and later transferred to the British Indian Army after the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The regiment served in the World War I and World War II, before being one of the Gurkha...
.