Lone Gurkha soldier takes on 40 would-be train robbers and WINS

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mommabear92

New member
I am fascinated at the relationship between how these individuals conduct themselves and the nature of the culture from which they come. Its one thing to do the "right" thing because one is told to do it. I think its quite another to do the right thing because it is a personal choice based on one's "internal compass".

As far as the lethality of the practice, I immediately started thinking about how "gun-slingers" in the American Old West were revered for their deadliness. What I remember most vividly is that famous names such as Wyatt Earp and Bill Hickock were commonly known not to be that fast. Rather, their unflinching determination to do what was required usually surpassed the impulsive or scattered approach of their opposition. I'm going to go out on a limb to suggest that in the encounter cited the individual probably exhibited such a grim, steady fixation on doing what needed to be done. FWIW.

Best Wishes,

Bruce
 
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kkswts

New member
They are a race apart, and the regiments story details their fighting ability and the awards they have won in almost every UK conflict.

You occasionally meet individuals who are quiet, undemanding and reserved, but who show incredible determination. But these guys are all the same, with the same ethos. Great guys, who you really want on your side in a sticky spot
 
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molebee

New member
You know listy this is a great little bit for me to actually sit down with a few of them and do an interview of sorts. I certainly don't have any shortage of them kicking around these parts.

My take on it is this...

Most become soldiers as a mixture of financial need and family pride. I'd even go so far as to say cultural pride. Pride in ones clan/caste in Nepal is always paramount in everything they do. You could say it's part and parcel with their identity. In fact they're at the moment they're very much fighting a long simmering insurgency in West Bengal state to have their own region known as Gorkhaland. They are the dominant ethnic group in places like Darjeeling but often times get the short end of the stick from the Indian government. It's a massively complicated issue however as India is more a loose conglomeration of states than it is a unified nation so it seems.

On the financial needs side of things Nepal is a spectacularly poor country. Poverty on a level in many places that can only be rivaled by parts of India and Africa. So the onus to provide for ones family and village is paramount. The Brits saw the situation and made the most of it very early on and this is a large reason why they used the Gorkhas as mercenaries/soldiers. Even today when the chips are down and they need to send someone in... you can be the Gorkhas will be right at the front. Though they often wont get the coverage due them.

There are places where it's so poor you wonder how anyone survives. I can remember coming down out of the hills damn near frozen in western Nepal and we passed a group of Gorkhas from some absolute middle of nowhere village we stopped and shared some tea with them in this forest bit. I remember it was the first time I'd seen a yak... a great big hairy beast with a snotty nose... I was none too sure he'd let me pass on the trail. I feared he could smell I wasn't Nepali. At any rate... we had on proper cold weather gear... jackets and layers and hiking boots... and these poor lads had on hand me downs... polyester trousers and... what appeared to be cast off office shirts and one long scarf between the three of them. They were shivering and we poored them tea. My mate who is Newar from Thamel asked them where they were on their way too as we poored them a few rounds of hot milk tea... apparently.... they were on their way down to find work. Their village had had too much snow and nothing could get in... as most of the supplies up that way get in on pack animals.... but the weather being what it was... they couldn't even get salt. Sheesh... it was hard scrabble as you like. We offloaded much of our heavy weather gear as our time in the higher altitudes were over. Though we weren't able to hand it to them without much squabbling as they had their pride and even despite their own perdicament it's in their temperment to worries about others first (much the same as in the story posted here about the robbers)... finally however we managed to convince them that we didn't need it all and we weren't going to leave until they took it. But they'd come from much further up in the mountains than we had and only wearing cheap flip flops and no winter gear. I'd have easily frozen to death it I'd had to make that same trek.

Anyhow... there were times when I spent many months at a time in Nepal and I've got more than a handful of stories that are in a similar vein. It's really something. So it's very much that mentality amongst the Nepalis. Just very rugged individuals that put duty first. I'm not entirely sure what the breakdown is... but its' some mixture of family, caste, duty and personal pride.

I find it amazing and in a way odd. Where I come from in S. California... we don't really have it all. Just a totally different culture. Impressive though.
 
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JasG

Member
Agreed... there is very much an internal compass and it's very much informed by the inseparable mix of religion/culture/history. It's a part of them since their youngest years. Mythology and tales still hold kids rapt attention when older ones tell them. It's a neat thing.



Yes again... agreed. That single mindedness and resignation to persue a course of action come what may is a hallmark of the Gorkha mentality. It's of worth noting that Nepali's as a whole have either been fighting amongst themselves or against the Indians and Tibetans since time immemorial. Even today there is plenty of bad blood among different groups... in particular I've seen a whole lot of the bad blood between the Tibetans and the Nepali's. But at any rate... yes grim determination is a very good way to put it.

Like we always say part of what makes the Gorkhas so tough is where they are from. Hardscrabble heights.

"Altitude determines the attitude"
 
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IkuhoiuhiuI

New member
FWIW - Just realized this fellas name is Bishnu Shrestha ... that is pretty much like James Jones would be in the western world. Very common. As denoted by his last name he is a high caste Newar caste person. They are also commonly found in the military as well.
 
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efesfefef

New member
Becoming a Gurkha for these guys is like being a hero and a rock star all in one, so that's a huge motivator in and of itself. It's very much like how many Thai boys want to become pro fighters and thus become amazing fighters.
 
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swantonbomb01

New member
The idea behind the knives used by the Gurkkha's is really pretty simple science. Any curved blade is mostly intended for use as a cutting/slicing tool. Imagine someone drawing it across your (or hopefully someone elses) neck in a fight. The straight edge opens the wound and the curved part digs deeper w/o any extra effort. Maximum damage with similar effort. Plus thats what the one and only Indian/Ghurka person I know told me.
 
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