Dipprasad Pun Explained

Dipprasad Pun
Birth Date:[1]
Birth Place:Bima, Nepal
Allegiance: United Kingdom
Branch:British Army
Rank:Sergeant
Unit:1st Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles
Battles:War in Afghanistan
Awards:Conspicuous Gallantry Cross
Relations:Tul Bahadur Pun (grandfather)

Dipprasad Pun, CGC (Nepali: दिपप्रसाद पुन) is a Nepalese sergeant of the Royal Gurkha Rifles (British Army), who was decorated with the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross for an act of bravery during the War in Afghanistan on the night of 17 September 2010.[2] Sergeant Pun, an acting sergeant, single-handedly repelled a force of 12 to 30 Taliban insurgents who were attacking his patrol base near Babaji in Helmand province.[3] [4]

Conspicuous Gallantry Cross

Immediately prior to the engagement, Pun, who was with the 1st battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles, was on sentry duty at a checkpoint guarding his unit's compound. Taliban fighters were attempting to plant an IED near the compound gate under the cover of darkness, when they surrounded and attacked his post with AK-47s and RPGs. Believing he was about to die, he decided to kill as many of the enemy as possible. Over the course of the engagement, Acting Sergeant Pun fired 250 rounds from his machine gun, 180 from his rifle, used 17 hand grenades and a Claymore mine, before beating the last fighter, after his machine gun jammed, by throwing the tripod of his machine gun.[5]

Upon receiving the award, Pun said that he had no choice but to fight, as the Taliban had surrounded his checkpoint, and that he was alone. Pun prevented his post from being overrun, saving the lives of three of his comrades. His actions are cited as "the bravest seen in his battalion during two tours".[6] [7] [8] [9]

Citation

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Queen honours hero gurkha who trounced the Taliban. 1 June 2011. Daily Record.
  2. News: Afghanistan: Gurkha honoured for lone fight against Taliban. Bingham. John. Daily Telegraph. 2011-03-25. 2018-01-21. en-GB. 0307-1235.
  3. News: That day a lone Gurkha took out 30 Taliban using every weapon within reach. Business Insider. 2018-01-21. en.
  4. Web site: Gurkha honoured for solo defence of base against Taliban. Norton-Taylor. Richard. 2011-03-25. The Guardian. 2018-01-21.
  5. News: Medal for Gurkha who beat Taliban. 2011-06-01. BBC News. 2018-01-21. en-GB.
  6. Web site: (AFP)  - 1 Jun 2011 . AFP: Queen decorates Nepali for Afghanistan heroics . https://web.archive.org/web/20110608040416/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iIwA9EECvpFeHjXL4mKXPsZrhj4A?docId=CNG.a80f514b78e2e5f2cb0d04fa1f6668a1.bd1 . dead . 8 June 2011 . 4 January 2012.
  7. Web site: Gurkha gets UK´s 2nd highest medal for bravery - Detail News : Nepal News Portal . The Himalayan Times . 2 June 2011.
  8. Web site: BBC News - Bravery medal for Gurkha who fought Taliban . Bbc.co.uk . 25 March 2011 . 2 June 2011.
  9. Web site: Brave Gurkha Diprasad Pun honoured . Kentonline.co.uk . 2 June 2011.