List of Brigade of Gurkhas recipients of the Victoria Cross explained
The Victoria Cross (VC) is a military decoration bestowed on members of the British or Commonwealth armed forces for acts of valour or gallantry performed in the face of the enemy. In the British honours system and those of many Commonwealth nations it is the highest award a soldier can receive for actions in combat. It was established in 1856 and since then has been awarded 1,356 times, including to three recipients who were awarded the VC twice.[1]
The British Army's Brigade of Gurkhas, units composed of Nepalese soldiers—although originally led by British officers—has been a part of the army since 1815. When raised, it originally focused on conflicts in the Far East, but the transfer of Hong Kong from British to Chinese hands necessitated that the brigade move its base to the UK. A battalion is still maintained in Brunei and as at 2016, units serve in Afghanistan.[2]
Since the VC was introduced it has been awarded to Gurkhas or British officers serving with Gurkha regiments 26 times.[3] The first award was made in 1858 to a British officer of the Gurkhas, John Tytler, during the campaigns that followed the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The first award to a native Gurkha, Kulbir Thapa, was in 1915 during the First World War. When the Victoria Cross was initially established, Gurkhas, along with all other native troops of the British East India Company Army or the British Indian Army, were not eligible for the decoration and as such, until 1911, all of the Gurkha recipients of the award were British officers who were attached to Gurkha regiments.[4] Until that time the highest award that Gurkhas were eligible for was the Indian Order of Merit. Since 1911 however, of the 16 VCs awarded to men serving with Gurkha regiments, 13 have been bestowed on native Gurkhas.[3] The most recent award was made in 1965 to Rambahadur Limbu, during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation.[3] Along with the Royal Green Jackets, the Gurkha regiments are among the most heavily decorated Commonwealth units.[5]
In 1950, when India became a republic, Gurkhas serving in the Gurkha regiments of the Indian Army lost their eligibility for the Victoria Cross and they are now covered under the Indian honours system. Under this system the Param Vir Chakra (PVC), which is India's highest military decoration for valour, is considered to be equivalent to the Victoria Cross.[6] As such only those serving in the Gurkha units of the British Army remain eligible for the Victoria Cross.[1]
Two George Cross (GC) medals have been awarded to Gurkha soldiers for acts of bravery displayed not in combat. The GC is the highest award bestowed by the British government for non-operational gallantry or gallantry not in the presence of an enemy. In the UK honours system, the George Cross is equal in stature to the Victoria Cross. This has been the case since the introduction of the George Cross in 1940.[7] The two Gurkha recipients of the George Cross or its erstwhile equivalent the Empire Gallantry Medal (EGM) are Nandlal Thapa and Chitrabahadur Gurung. Both were awarded the Empire Gallantry Medal for their gallantry in the rescue operations following the 1935 Quetta Earthquake. When the George Cross was created in 1940, recipients of the EGM could exchange their EGMs for the GC. Thapa did that, but Gurung could not, since the latter died in 1939.[8]
Recipients
Name!Unit!Date of action!Conflict!Place of action | 00166th Bengal Native Infantry later 1st King George V's Own Gurkha Rifles | 1858 | Indian Rebellion of 1857 | IndiaChoorpoorah, India |
| 002Bengal Staff Corps attached to 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles | 1872 | Looshai Expedition | IndiaLalgnoora, India |
| 001Bengal Staff Corps attached to 1st King George V's Own Gurkha Rifles | 1875 | Perak War | MalayaPerak, Malaya |
| 005Bengal Staff Corps attached to 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles | 1878 | Second Anglo-Afghan War | AfghanistanPeiwar Kotal, Afghanistan |
| 008Bengal Staff Corps attached to 8th Gurkha Rifles | 1879 | Naga Hills expeditions | IndiaKonoma, India |
| 008Indian Staff Corps attached to 8th Gurkha Rifles | 1891 | Manipur Expedition | BurmaThobal, Burma |
| 005Indian Staff Corps attached to 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles | 1891 | Hunza–Naga campaign | IndiaNilt Fort, India |
| 005Indian Staff Corps attached to 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles | 1891 | Hunza–Naga campaign | IndiaNilt Fort, India |
| 0044th Prince of Wales' Own Gurkha Rifles | 1903 | Third Somaliland Expedition | SomalilandDaratoleh, Somaliland |
| 0088th Gurkha Rifles | 1904 | British expedition to Tibet | TibetGyantse Jong, Tibet |
| 0033rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles | 1915 | First World War | FranceFauquissart, France |
| 0099th Gurkha Rifles | 1917 | First World War | MesopotamiaShumran, Mesopotamia |
| 0033rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles | 1918 | First World War | EgyptEl Kefr, Egypt |
| 0022nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles | 1943 | Second World War | TunisiaRass-es-Zouai, Tunisia |
| 0055th Royal Gurkha Rifles | 1943 | Second World War | BurmaChin Hills, Burma |
| 006Indian Armoured Corps attached to 6th Gurkha Rifles | 1944* | Second World War | BurmaPin Hmi Road Bridge, Burma |
| 0066th Gurkha Rifles | 1944 | Second World War | BurmaMogaung, Burma |
| 0055th Royal Gurkha Rifles | 1944* | Second World War | BurmaBishenpur, Burma |
| 0099th Gurkha Rifles | 1944* | Second World War | ItalySan Marino, Italy |
| 0055th Royal Gurkha Rifles | 1944 | Second World War | BurmaBishenpur, Burma |
| 0055th Royal Gurkha Rifles | 1944* | Second World War | ItalyMonte San Bartolo, Italy |
| 009Highland Light Infantry attached to 9th Gurkha Rifles | 1944* | Second World War | BurmaTaunggyi, Burma |
| /Gyamtso Shangderpa | 0077th Gurkha Rifles | 1944 | Second World War | BurmaNingthoukhong, Burma |
| 0088th Gurkha Rifles | 1945 | Second World War | BurmaTaungdaw, Burma |
| 0022nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles | 1945 | Second World War | BurmaSnowdon East, Tamandu, Burma |
| 01010th Princess Mary's Own Gurkha Rifles | 1965 | Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation | BorneoSarawak, Borneo |
|
Notes
- Web site: Victoria Cross. 27 January 2021. Ministry of Defence (UK). 11 July 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20070711152413/http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceFor/Veterans/Medals/VictoriaCross.htm. live.
- Web site: Brigade of Gurkhas. British Army. 12 July 2016. 12 July 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160712013002/http://www.army.mod.uk/gurkhas/27784.aspx. live.
- Parker 2005, pp. 391–393.
- Parker 2005, p. 62.
- Web site: The world's most exclusive club . https://web.archive.org/web/20070609182751/http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/HistoryAndHonour/VictoriaAndGeorgeCrossHoldersTheWorldsMostExclusiveClub.htm . 9 June 2007 . . 30 April 2007 . 16 June 2007.
- Web site: Param Vir Chakra . Pride of India.net. 29 May 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20110525075456/http://prideofindia.net/param.html. 25 May 2011.
- Web site: Decorations, Gallantry and Distinguished Conduct medals: George Cross . UK Government . 27 January 2021 . 23 June 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170623150944/https://www.gov.uk/guidance/medals-campaigns-descriptions-and-eligibility . live .
- Web site: gurkha_museum . 2021-05-10 . Gurkhas and the Empire Gallantry Medal and George Cross . 2024-05-16 . The Gurkha Museum - Winchester . en-US . 9 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240509204906/https://thegurkhamuseum.co.uk/blog/the-empire-gallantry-medal-and-george-cross/ . live .
Sources
- Book: Parker, John . The Gurkhas: The Inside Story of the World's Most Feared Soldiers. Headline Book Publishing . 2005 . 978-0-7553-1415-7.
External links
