HISTORY
During World War I, over 200,000 Gurkhas served in the British Army, fighting on various fronts and earning renown for their bravery and fighting prowess. They faced heavy casualties, with over 20,000 killed or wounded, and received nearly 2,000 gallantry awards, including the Victoria Cross.
Here's a more detailed look at their involvement:
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Diverse Battlefields:
Gurkhas served in France, Turkey, Palestine, Iraq, and during the Gallipoli campaign. Gurkhas were among the first Allied troops to arrive and the last to leave during the Gallipoli campaign.
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Battle of Loos:
A battalion of the 8th Gurkhas fought to the last man at the Battle of Loos, earning praise from the Indian Corps commander.
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Victoria Cross Recipients:
Several Gurkhas were awarded the Victoria Cross for their exceptional bravery, including Lachiman Gurung and Rambahadur Limbu.
All Gurkha troops are issued with a kukri; in modern times members of the Brigade of Gurkhas receive training in its use. The kukri gained fame in the Gurkha War for its effectiveness. Its continued use through both World War I and World War II enhanced its reputation among both Allied troops and enemy forces. Its acclaim was demonstrated in North Africa by one unit's situation report. It reads: "Enemy losses: ten killed, ours nil. Ammunition expenditure nil." Elsewhere during the Second World War, the kukri was purchased and used by other British, Commonwealth and US troops training in India, including the Chindits and Merrill's Marauders. The notion of the Gurkha with his kukri carried on through to the Falklands War.
On September 2, 2010, Bishnu Shrestha, a retired Indian Army Gurkha soldier, alone and armed only with a kukri, defeated 40 bandits who attacked a passenger train he was on in India. He killed three of the bandits, wounded eight more and forced the rest of the band to flee.
ITEM DESCRIPTION
WW1 ISSUE GURKHA KUKRI. Army Issue stamped 1916 to the blade, this WW1 Kukri comes with its original scabbard and in excellent condition complete with its belt loops. Whilst normally Kukri's are not rare they are mostly the decorative and tourist types, a genuine issued WW1 is highly desirable and rare.