List of Brigade of Gurkhas recipients of the Victoria Cross

A medal in the shape of a cross hanging from a crimson red ribbon.
The Victoria Cross

The Victoria Cross (VC) is a military decoration that may be bestowed upon members of the British or Commonwealth armed forces for acts of valour or gallantry performed in the face of the enemy. Within the British honours system and those of many Commonwealth nations it is the highest award a soldier can receive for actions in combat.[1] It was established in 1856 and since then has been awarded 1,356 times, including three service personnel who were awarded the VC twice.[2]

The British Army's Brigade of Gurkhas, a group of units composed of Nepalese soldiers—although originally including 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.[3]

Three men in 1800s-style military uniforms stand holding rifles.
Gurkha Soldiers (1896)

Since the VC was introduced it has been awarded to Gurkhas or British officers serving with Gurkha regiments 26 times.[4] 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, while 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.[5] 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 upon native Gurkhas.[4] The most recent award was made in 1965 to Rambahadur Limbu, during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation.[4] Along with the Royal Green Jackets, the Gurkha regiments are among the most heavily decorated Commonwealth units.[6]

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 separate Indian honours system. Under this system the Param Vir Chakra (PVC), which is India's highest military decoration for valour,[7] is considered to be equivalent to the Victoria Cross. As such only those serving in the Gurkha units of the British Army remain eligible for the Victoria Cross.[2]

Recipients

  This along with the *, indicates that the Victoria Cross was awarded posthumously.

Name Unit[note 1] Date of action Conflict Place of action
John Tytler66th Bengal Native Infantry later 1st King George V's Own Gurkha Rifles1858Indian Rebellion of 1857Choorpoorah, India[9]
Donald MacintyreBengal Staff Corps attached to 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles1872Looshai ExpeditionLalgnoora, India[10]
George ChannerBengal Staff Corps attached to 1st King George V's Own Gurkha Rifles1875Perak WarPerak, Malaya[11]
John CookBengal Staff Corps attached to 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles1878Second Afghan WarPeiwar Kotal, Afghanistan[12]
Richard RidgewayBengal Staff Corps attached to 8th Gurkha Rifles1879Basuto WarKonoma, India[13]
Charles GrantIndian Staff Corps attached to 8th Gurkha Rifles1891Manipur ExpeditionThobal, Burma[14]
Guy BoisragonIndian Staff Corps attached to 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles1891Hunza–Naga campaignNilt Fort, India[15]
John Manners SmithIndian Staff Corps attached to 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles1891Hunza–Naga campaignNilt Fort, India[15]
William Walker4th Prince of Wales' Own Gurkha Rifles1903Third Somaliland ExpeditionDaratoleh, Somaliland[16][17]
John Grant8th Gurkha Rifles1904British expedition to TibetGyantse Jong, Tibet[18]
Kulbir Thapa3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles1915First World WarFauquissart, France[19]
George Wheeler9th Gurkha Rifles1917First World WarShumran, Mesopotamia[20]
Karanbahadur Rana3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles1918First World WarEl Kefr, Egypt[21]
Lalbahadur Thapa2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles1943Second World WarRass-es-Zouai, Tunisia[22]
Gaje Ghale5th Royal Gurkha Rifles1943Second World WarChin Hills, Burma[23]
Michael AllmandIndian Armoured Corps attached to 6th Gurkha Rifles1944*Second World WarPin Hmi Road Bridge, Burma[24]
Tulbahadur Pun6th Gurkha Rifles1944Second World WarMogaung, Burma[25]
Netrabahadur Thapa5th Royal Gurkha Rifles1944*Second World WarBishenpur, Burma[26]
Sher Bahadur Thapa9th Gurkha Rifles1944*Second World WarSan Marino, Italy[27]
Agansing Rai5th Royal Gurkha Rifles1944Second World WarBishenpur, Burma[28]
Thaman Gurung5th Royal Gurkha Rifles1944*Second World WarMonte San Bartolo, Italy[29]
Frank BlakerHighland Light Infantry attached to 9th Gurkha Rifles1944*Second World WarTaunggyi, Burma[30]
Ganju Lama7th Gurkha Rifles1944Second World WarNingthoukhong, Burma[31]
Lachhiman Gurung8th Gurkha Rifles1945Second World WarTaungdaw, Burma[32]
Bhanbhagta Gurung2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles1945Second World WarSnowdon East, Tamandu, Burma[33]
Rambahadur Limbu10th Princess Mary's Own Gurkha Rifles1965Indonesia–Malaysia confrontationSarawak, Borneo[34]

Notes

  1. ↑ Staff corps were created in 1861 to provide British officers for native regiments, including the Gurkhas, who were designated as "attached to" the various native groups.[8] The units are ordered by Gurkha regiment.

References

Specific
  1. ↑ "Victoria Cross: The Premier Award for Gallantry". Ministry of Defence (UK). Retrieved 1 August 2009.
  2. 1 2 "Victoria Cross". Ministry of Defence (UK). Retrieved 27 December 2009.
  3. ↑ "Brigade of Gurkhas". British Army. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 Parker 2005, pp. 391–393.
  5. ↑ Parker 2005, p. 62.
  6. ↑ "The world's most exclusive club". Ministry of Defence. 30 April 2007. Archived from the original on 9 June 2007. Retrieved 16 June 2007.
  7. ↑ "Param Vir Chakra". Pride of India.net. Archived from the original on 25 May 2011. Retrieved 29 May 2009.
  8. ↑ "Glossary: S". British Library. Retrieved 8 December 2009.
  9. ↑ "No. 22176". The London Gazette. 24 August 1858. p. 3903.
  10. ↑ "No. 23902". The London Gazette. 27 September 1872. p. 4489.
  11. ↑ "No. 24314". The London Gazette. 14 April 1876. p. 2476.
  12. ↑ "No. 24697". The London Gazette. 18 March 1879. p. 2241.
  13. ↑ "No. 24843". The London Gazette. 11 May 1880. p. 2968.
  14. ↑ "No. 26165". The London Gazette. 26 May 1891. p. 2805.
  15. 1 2 "No. 26306". The London Gazette. 12 July 1892. p. 4006.
  16. ↑ "No. 27584". The London Gazette. 7 August 1903. p. 4976.
  17. ↑ "No. 27636". The London Gazette. 15 January 1904. p. 331.
  18. ↑ "No. 27758". The London Gazette. 24 January 1905. p. 574.
  19. ↑ "No. 29371". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 November 1915. p. 11450.
  20. ↑ "No. 30122". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 June 1917. p. 5702.
  21. ↑ "No. 30757". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 June 1918. p. 7307.
  22. ↑ "No. 36053". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 June 1943. p. 2719.
  23. ↑ "No. 36190". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 September 1943. p. 4347.
  24. ↑ "No. 36764". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 October 1944. p. 4900.
  25. ↑ "No. 36785". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 November 1944. p. 5129.
  26. ↑ "No. 36742". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 October 1944. p. 4673.
  27. ↑ "No. 36860". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 December 1944. p. 5933.
  28. ↑ "No. 36730". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 October 1944. p. 4569.
  29. ↑ "No. 36950". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 February 1945. p. 1039.
  30. ↑ "No. 36715". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 September 1944. p. 4423.
  31. ↑ "No. 36690". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 September 1944. p. 4157.
  32. ↑ "No. 37195". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 July 1945. p. 3861.
  33. ↑ "No. 37107". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 June 1945. p. 2831.
  34. ↑ "No. 43959". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 April 1966. p. 4947.
General
  • Parker, John (2005). The Gurkhas: The Inside Story of the World's Most Feared Soldiers. Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7553-1415-7.

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