Thaman Gurung
VC (2 October 1924 – 10 November 1944) was a
Nepalese Gurkha
The Gurkhas or Gorkhas (), with endonym Gorkhali ), are soldiers native to the Indian subcontinent, Indian Subcontinent, chiefly residing within Nepal and some parts of Northeast India.
The Gurkha units are composed of Nepalis and Indian Go ...
recipient of the
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
and
Commonwealth forces.
Details
He was 20 years old, and a
Rifleman
A rifleman is an infantry soldier armed with a rifled long gun. Although the rifleman role had its origin with 16th century hand cannoneers and 17th century musketeers, the term originated in the 18th century with the introduction of the ri ...
in the 1st Battalion,
5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force), in the
Indian Army during World War II
The Indian Army during World War II, a British force also referred to as the British Indian Army, began the war, in 1939, numbering just under 200,000 men.Sumner, p.25 By the end of the war, it had become the largest volunteer army in history, ...
when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
The citation in the London Gazette reads:
The medal
His medals are not publicly held.
Notes
See also
*
List of Brigade of Gurkhas recipients of the Victoria Cross
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 n ...
References
* ''
Monuments to Courage
David Charles Harvey (29 July 1946 – 4 March 2004) was a historian and author. He is notable for his seminal work, ''Monuments To Courage'', which documents the graves of almost all recipients of the Victoria Cross, a task that took him over 3 ...
'' (David Harvey, 1999)
* ''
The Register of the Victoria Cross
''The Register of the Victoria Cross'' is a reference work that provides brief information on every Victoria Cross awarded until the publication date. Each entry provides a summary of the deed, along with a photograph of the recipient and the fo ...
'' (This England, 1997)
*
External links
Thaman Gurung
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gurung, Thaman
1924 births
1944 deaths
Nepalese World War II recipients of the Victoria Cross
British Indian Army soldiers
Nepalese people of World War II
Nepalese recipients of the Victoria Cross
Indian Army personnel killed in World War II
Nepalese Buddhists
Gurkhas
Gurung people