Kulbir Thapa
Encyclopedia
Kulbir Thapa VC
(1889 - 3 October 1956) was a first Nepalese
recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest military award given to British
and Commonwealth
forces for gallantry in the face of the enemy.He was a Rifleman in the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Gurkha Rifles, British-Indian Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 25 September 1915 in Fauquissart, France
, 26 year-old Thapa performed an act of bravery for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.
Born 15 December 1889 in Palpa, Nepal; son of Haria Gulte. He was a Rifleman
in the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Gurkha Rifles, British Indian Army
during the First World War
.
Rifleman Kulbir Thapa, having been wounded himself, found a wounded soldier of The Leicestershire Regiment behind the first-line German trench. Although urged to save himself, the Gurkha stayed with the wounded man all day and night. Early next day, in misty weather, he took him through the German wire, within spitting distance from the Germans , and, leaving him in a place of comparative safety, returned and brought in two wounded Gurkhas, one after the other. He then went back, and, in broad daylight, fetched the British soldier, carrying him most of the way under enemy fire.
Such an incredible act of faith and courage had by now attracted a good deal of attention, and when he emerged from his trench for the third time with one more wounded comrade over his shoulder, the German soldiers actually clapped their hands to encourage the Gurkha on. Only this time, the Gurkha walked right across the No-Mans-Land back to his own side.
The German High Command, it is believed, in recognition of that exemplary courage and self-sacrifice, wrote a citation offering to honour the anonymous Gurkha. The British Army would of course, have nothing to do with German sentiments, but when the story reached London by words of mouth, His Majesty King George V expressed a desire to see the Gurkha soldier himself in person. Accordingly, in due course of time, the Gurkha was ushered into the Buckingham Palace, where, in a rare expression of royal prerogative, the King Emperor personally decorated Rifleman Kulbir Thapa with Britain's highest military honour, the Victoria Cross.
This is an historical event which paints the Gurkhas' image in even sharper focus and negates the uninformed rumour that the Gurkhas are cold blooded killers. Instead, their ability to remain cool under adverse situations and their readiness to sacrifice whatever it takes make the Gurkha more than a dependable soldier, he emerges a more complete man. Rifleman Thapa was the first ever Gurkha to be so decorated but his self sacrifice and devotion to his fellow soldiers show in greater measure the compassionate nature of the Gurkhas.
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....
(1889 - 3 October 1956) was a first Nepalese
Nepali people
Nepali people can refer to:*People of Nepal*Ethnic Nepalis of Indian citizenry residing in Gorkhaland area of West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and other parts of India.* Indian Gorkhas*Lhotshampas of Bhutan.*Nepali diaspora the world over....
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 military award given 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 for gallantry in the face of the enemy.He was a Rifleman in the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Gurkha Rifles, British-Indian Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 25 September 1915 in Fauquissart, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, 26 year-old Thapa performed an act of bravery for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.
Biography
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 2nd Battalion, 3rd Gurkha Rifles, 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...
during the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Rifleman Kulbir Thapa, having been wounded himself, found a wounded soldier of The Leicestershire Regiment behind the first-line German trench. Although urged to save himself, the Gurkha stayed with the wounded man all day and night. Early next day, in misty weather, he took him through the German wire, within spitting distance from the Germans , and, leaving him in a place of comparative safety, returned and brought in two wounded Gurkhas, one after the other. He then went back, and, in broad daylight, fetched the British soldier, carrying him most of the way under enemy fire.
Such an incredible act of faith and courage had by now attracted a good deal of attention, and when he emerged from his trench for the third time with one more wounded comrade over his shoulder, the German soldiers actually clapped their hands to encourage the Gurkha on. Only this time, the Gurkha walked right across the No-Mans-Land back to his own side.
The German High Command, it is believed, in recognition of that exemplary courage and self-sacrifice, wrote a citation offering to honour the anonymous Gurkha. The British Army would of course, have nothing to do with German sentiments, but when the story reached London by words of mouth, His Majesty King George V expressed a desire to see the Gurkha soldier himself in person. Accordingly, in due course of time, the Gurkha was ushered into the Buckingham Palace, where, in a rare expression of royal prerogative, the King Emperor personally decorated Rifleman Kulbir Thapa with Britain's highest military honour, the Victoria Cross.
This is an historical event which paints the Gurkhas' image in even sharper focus and negates the uninformed rumour that the Gurkhas are cold blooded killers. Instead, their ability to remain cool under adverse situations and their readiness to sacrifice whatever it takes make the Gurkha more than a dependable soldier, he emerges a more complete man. Rifleman Thapa was the first ever Gurkha to be so decorated but his self sacrifice and devotion to his fellow soldiers show in greater measure the compassionate nature of the Gurkhas.