Lachhiman Gurung - Revision history

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	\| name = Lachhiman Gurung		\| name = Lachhiman Gurung
	\| image = Lachhiman Gurung VC.jpg		\| image = Lachhiman Gurung VC.jpg
	\| caption =		\| caption = Gurung in 2003
	\| birth_date = {{birth date\|1917\|12\|30\|df=y}}		\| birth_date = {{birth date\|1917\|12\|30\|df=y}}
	\| death_date = {{death date and age\|2010\|12\|12\|1917\|12\|30\|df=y}}		\| death_date = {{death date and age\|2010\|12\|12\|1917\|12\|30\|df=y}}
	\| placeofburial_label =		\| placeofburial_label =
	\| placeofburial =		\| placeofburial =
	\| birth_place = [[Chitwan ~~District~~]], [[Nepal]]		\| birth_place = [[Dahakhani]], [[Chitwan]], [[Nepal]]
	\| death_place = [[London]], [[England]]		\| death_place = [[London]], England
	\| placeofburial_coordinates = <!-- {{coord\|LAT\|LONG\|display=inline,title}} -->		\| placeofburial_coordinates = <!-- {{coord\|LAT\|LONG\|display=inline,title}} -->
	\| nickname =		\| nickname = VC Baajey
	\| birth_name =		\| birth_name =
	\| allegiance = {{flag\|British India\|23px}}<br>{{flag\|India\|23px}}		\| allegiance = {{flag\|British India\|23px}}<br />{{flag\|India\|23px}}
	\| branch = {{army\|British India\|23px}}<br>{{army\|India\|23px}}		\| branch = {{army\|British India\|23px}}<br />{{army\|India\|23px}}
	\| serviceyears = 1940–1947		\| serviceyears = 1940–1947
	\| rank = [[Hon. Havildar]]		\| rank = [[Hon. Havildar]]
	\| servicenumber = 87726<ref name=LondonGazette />		\| servicenumber = 87726<ref name=LondonGazette />
	\| unit = 4th Battalion, [[8th Gurkha Rifles]], [[Indian Army during World War II\|Indian Army]]		\| unit = 4th Battalion, [[8th Gurkha Rifles]], [[Indian Army during World War II\|Indian Army]]
	\| commands =		\| commands =
	\| battles = [[World War II]]<br/>• [[Burma campaign]]		\| battles = [[World War II]]<br />• [[Burma campaign]]
	\| battles_label =		\| battles_label =
	\| awards = [[File:Victoria Cross ~~(UK)~~ ribbon.~~png~~\|30px]] [[Victoria Cross]]		\| awards = [[File:UK Victoria Cross ribbon bar.svg\|30px]] [[Victoria Cross]]
	\| relations =		\| relations =
	\| laterwork =		\| laterwork =
	}}		}}

	'''Lachhiman Gurung''' {{post-nominals\|VC}} ({{lang-ne\|लाछिमान गुरुङ}}; 30 December 1917 – 12 December 2010<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.nepalnews.com/index.php/election-view-all/8-news/News-in-Brief/11472-vc-gurung-passes-away \|title=VC Gurung passes away \|work=Nepal News \|date=13 December 2010 \|accessdate=5 October 2014 \|url-status=dead \|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006105505/http://www.nepalnews.com/index.php/election-view-all/8-news/News-in-Brief/11472-vc-gurung-passes-away \|archivedate=6 October 2014}}</ref>) was a Nepalese~~-British~~ [[Gurkha]] recipient of the [[Victoria Cross]], the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to [[United Kingdom\|British]] and [[Commonwealth of Nations\|Commonwealth]] forces. He is best known as the "Gurkha who took on 200 soldiers with only one hand" because of his actions in [[World War II]].		'''Lachhiman Gurung''' {{post-nominals\|VC}} ({{lang-ne\|लाछिमान गुरुङ}}; 30 December 1917 – 12 December 2010)<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.nepalnews.com/index.php/election-view-all/8-news/News-in-Brief/11472-vc-gurung-passes-away \|title=VC Gurung passes away \|work=Nepal News \|date=13 December 2010 \|accessdate=5 October 2014 \|url-status=dead \|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006105505/http://www.nepalnews.com/index.php/election-view-all/8-news/News-in-Brief/11472-vc-gurung-passes-away \|archivedate=6 October 2014}}</ref> was a [[Nepalese in the United Kingdom\|Nepalese–British]] [[Gurkha]] recipient of the [[Victoria Cross]], the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to [[United Kingdom\|British]] and [[Commonwealth of Nations\|Commonwealth]] forces. He is best known as the "Gurkha who took on 200 soldiers with only one hand" because of his actions in [[World War II]].

	==Birth and army service==		==Birth and army service==
	Gurung was born on 30 December 1917, in the village of Dahakhani, [[Chitwan District]] of Nepal, the son of Partiman Gurung.<ref name=telegraph>{{cite news \|url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/military-obituaries/gurkha-obituaries/8199764/Havildar-Lachhiman-Gurung-VC.html \|title=Obituary: Havildar Lachhiman Gurung, VC \|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] \|date=13 December 2010 ~~\|publisher=[[Telegraph Media Group\|TMG]]~~ \|location=[[London, UK\|London]] \|issn=0307-1235 \|oclc=49632006}}</ref> He joined the [[British Indian Army]] in December 1940, permitted to enlist in wartime although he was only 4'11" (1.5m) tall and so below the peacetime minimum height.<ref>{{cite web \|last1=Vat \|first1=Dan van der \|title=Lachhiman Gurung VC obituary \|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/dec/22/lachhiman-gurung-obituary \|website=The Guardian \|date=22 December 2010}}</ref><ref name="Parker 2005, p. 208"/> He was 27 years old, and a [[~~Rifleman~~]] in the 4th Battalion, [[8th Gurkha Rifles]], in the [[Indian Army during World War II]] when the following deed took place in May 1945 for which he was awarded the VC.		Gurung was born on 30 December 1917, in the village of [[Dahakhani]] VDC (Now also called [[Ichchhakamana]] Rural Municipality), [[Chitwan District]] of Nepal, the son of Partiman Gurung.<ref name=telegraph>{{cite news \|url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/military-obituaries/gurkha-obituaries/8199764/Havildar-Lachhiman-Gurung-VC.html \|title=Obituary: Havildar Lachhiman Gurung, VC \|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] \|date=13 December 2010 \|location=[[London, UK\|London]] \|issn=0307-1235 \|oclc=49632006}}</ref> He joined the [[British Indian Army]] in December 1940, permitted to enlist in wartime although he was only 4'11" (1.5m) tall and so below the peacetime minimum height.<ref>{{cite web \|last1=Vat \|first1=Dan van der \|title=Lachhiman Gurung VC obituary \|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/dec/22/lachhiman-gurung-obituary \|website=The Guardian \|date=22 December 2010}}</ref><ref name="Parker 2005, p. 208"/> He was 27 years old, and a [[rifleman]] in the 4th Battalion, [[8th Gurkha Rifles]], in the [[Indian Army during World War II]] when the following deed took place in May 1945 for which he was awarded the VC.

	His Battalion was part of the [[89th Indian Infantry Brigade]] of [[7th Indian Infantry Division]], which was ordered to cross the [[Irrawaddy River]] and attack [[Imperial Japanese Army\|Japanese forces]] to the north of the road from [[Prome]] to [[Taungup]]. The Japanese withdrew towards [[Taungdaw]], where Gurung was part of the two companies of the 4th Battalion, 8th Gurkha Rifles, waiting when the Japanese attacked in force in the early morning.<ref name=telegraph/>		His Battalion was part of the [[89th Indian Infantry Brigade]] of [[7th Indian Infantry Division]], which was ordered to cross the [[Irrawaddy River]] and attack [[Imperial Japanese Army\|Japanese forces]] to the north of the road from [[Prome]] to [[Taungup]]. The Japanese withdrew towards [[Taungdaw]], where Gurung was part of the two companies of the 4th Battalion, 8th Gurkha Rifles, waiting when the Japanese attacked in force in the early morning.<ref name=telegraph/>
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	His citation in the [[London Gazette]] ends with...		His citation in the [[London Gazette]] ends with...
	{{~~quote~~\|...Of the 87 enemy dead counted in the immediate vicinity of the Company locality, 31 lay in front of this Rifleman's section, the key to the whole position. Had the enemy succeeded in over-running and occupying Rifleman Lachhiman Gurung's trench, the whole of the reverse slope position would have been completely dominated and turned.		{{blockquote\|...Of the 87 enemy dead counted in the immediate vicinity of the Company locality, 31 lay in front of this Rifleman's section, the key to the whole position. Had the enemy succeeded in over-running and occupying Rifleman Lachhiman Gurung's trench, the whole of the reverse slope position would have been completely dominated and turned.

	This Rifleman, by his magnificent example, so inspired his comrades to resist the enemy to the last, that, although surrounded and cut off for three days and two nights, they held and smashed every attack.		This Rifleman, by his magnificent example, so inspired his comrades to resist the enemy to the last, that, although surrounded and cut off for three days and two nights, they held and smashed every attack.
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	He received his Victoria Cross from the Viceroy of India, Field Marshal [[Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell\|Lord Wavell]] at the [[Red Fort]] in [[Delhi]] on 19 December 1945.<ref name="Parker 2005, p. 208">Parker 2005, p. 208.</ref> <!--the Telegraph says that he was invested by Lord Louis Mountbatten-->		He received his Victoria Cross from the Viceroy of India, Field Marshal [[Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell\|Lord Wavell]] at the [[Red Fort]] in [[Delhi]] on 19 December 1945.<ref name="Parker 2005, p. 208">Parker 2005, p. 208.</ref> <!--the Telegraph says that he was invested by Lord Louis Mountbatten-->

	==Further information==		==Further information and later life==
	[[File:Victoria Cross 1939-1945.jpg\|250px\|thumb\|Inscription of Lachhiman Gurung VC's name on the "Memorial Gates" at Constitution Hill, London SW1]]		[[File:Victoria Cross 1939-1945.jpg\|250px\|thumb\|Inscription of Lachhiman Gurung VC's name on the "Memorial Gates" at Constitution Hill, London SW1]]
	Gurung was hospitalised for the wounds he received during the above action and subsequently lost his right eye and the use of his right hand, but he continued to serve with the 8th Gurkhas, choosing to remain with them when they were transferred to the newly independent [[Indian Army]] in 1947.<ref name="Parker 2005, p. 208"/> He later achieved the rank of [[Hon. Havildar]] and he returned to his village in Nepal on completion of his service in 1947,<ref name="Parker 2005, p. 208"/> where he farmed on a small holding.		Gurung was hospitalised for the wounds he received during the above action and subsequently lost his right eye and the use of his right hand, but he continued to serve with the 8th Gurkhas, choosing to remain with them when they were transferred to the newly independent [[Indian Army]] in 1947.<ref name="Parker 2005, p. 208"/> He later achieved the rank of [[Hon. Havildar]] and he returned to his village in Nepal on completion of his service in 1947,<ref name="Parker 2005, p. 208"/> where he farmed on a small holding.
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	Gurung was admitted to the [[Charing Cross Hospital]] on 19 November after his health condition worsened, suffering from pneumonia. Gurung died on 12 December 2010. He was survived by his second wife, Manmaya, and his five children.		Gurung was admitted to the [[Charing Cross Hospital]] on 19 November after his health condition worsened, suffering from pneumonia. Gurung died on 12 December 2010. He was survived by his second wife, Manmaya, and his five children.

	~~==Funeral==~~		His funeral was held on Wednesday 22 December 2010 at [[Hounslow Civic Centre]], Lampton Road, Hounslow, Middlesex, TW3 4DN.<ref>{{cite web \|date=22 December 2010 \|title=Lachhiman Gurung Funeral \|url=http://www.nepalisamajuk.com/events/icalrepeat.detail/2010/12/22/145/-/NTJmZjlkZTkzZjQyZmViMjY4YzRiYjZlZmRkNjIxYWE=/vc-lachiman-gurung-funeral.html \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006091145/http://www.nepalisamajuk.com/events/icalrepeat.detail/2010/12/22/145/-/NTJmZjlkZTkzZjQyZmViMjY4YzRiYjZlZmRkNjIxYWE=/vc-lachiman-gurung-funeral.html \|archive-date=6 October 2014 \|accessdate=5 October 2014 \|work=nepalisamajuk.com}}</ref>
	His funeral was held on Wednesday 22 December 2010 at [[Hounslow Civic Centre]], Lampton Road, Hounslow, Middlesex, TW3 4DN.<ref>{{cite web \|url= http://www.nepalisamajuk.com/events/icalrepeat.detail/2010/12/22/145/-/NTJmZjlkZTkzZjQyZmViMjY4YzRiYjZlZmRkNjIxYWE=/vc-lachiman-gurung-funeral.html \|~~title~~=~~Lachhiman Gurung Funeral~~ \|~~work~~=nepalisamajuk.com \|date=~~22 December 2010~~ \|accessdate=5 October 2014}}</ref>

	==The medal==		==The medal==
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	[[Category:Nepalese people]]		[[Category:Nepalese people]]
	[[Category:People from Chitwan District]]		[[Category:People from Chitwan District]]
			[[Category:Gurung people]]

72.229.7.184 at 19:25, 13 May 2021

2021-05-13T19:25:39Z

New page

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox military person
| name = Lachhiman Gurung
| image = Lachhiman Gurung VC.jpg
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1917|12|30|df=y}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|2010|12|12|1917|12|30|df=y}}
| placeofburial_label =
| placeofburial =
| birth_place = [[Chitwan District]], [[Nepal]]
| death_place = [[London]], [[England]]
| placeofburial_coordinates = 
| nickname =
| birth_name =
| allegiance = {{flag|British India|23px}}<br>{{flag|India|23px}}
| branch = {{army|British India|23px}}<br>{{army|India|23px}}
| serviceyears = 1940–1947
| rank = [[Hon. Havildar]]
| servicenumber = 87726<ref name=LondonGazette />
| unit = 4th Battalion, [[8th Gurkha Rifles]], [[Indian Army during World War II|Indian Army]]
| commands =
| battles = [[World War II]]<br/>• [[Burma campaign]]
| battles_label =
| awards = [[File:Victoria Cross (UK) ribbon.png|30px]] [[Victoria Cross]]
| relations =
| laterwork =
}}

'''Lachhiman Gurung''' {{post-nominals|VC}} ({{lang-ne|लाछिमान गुरुङ}}; 30 December 1917 – 12 December 2010<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nepalnews.com/index.php/election-view-all/8-news/News-in-Brief/11472-vc-gurung-passes-away |title=VC Gurung passes away |work=Nepal News |date=13 December 2010 |accessdate=5 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006105505/http://www.nepalnews.com/index.php/election-view-all/8-news/News-in-Brief/11472-vc-gurung-passes-away |archivedate=6 October 2014}}</ref>) was a Nepalese-British [[Gurkha]] recipient of the [[Victoria Cross]], the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to [[United Kingdom|British]] and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] forces. He is best known as the "Gurkha who took on 200 soldiers with only one hand" because of his actions in [[World War II]].

==Birth and army service==
Gurung was born on 30 December 1917, in the village of Dahakhani, [[Chitwan District]] of Nepal, the son of Partiman Gurung.<ref name=telegraph>{{cite news |url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/military-obituaries/gurkha-obituaries/8199764/Havildar-Lachhiman-Gurung-VC.html |title=Obituary: Havildar Lachhiman Gurung, VC |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=13 December 2010 |publisher=[[Telegraph Media Group|TMG]] |location=[[London, UK|London]] |issn=0307-1235 |oclc=49632006}}</ref> He joined the [[British Indian Army]] in December 1940, permitted to enlist in wartime although he was only 4'11" (1.5m) tall and so below the peacetime minimum height.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Vat |first1=Dan van der |title=Lachhiman Gurung VC obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/dec/22/lachhiman-gurung-obituary |website=The Guardian |date=22 December 2010}}</ref><ref name="Parker 2005, p. 208"/> He was 27 years old, and a [[Rifleman]] in the 4th Battalion, [[8th Gurkha Rifles]], in the [[Indian Army during World War II]] when the following deed took place in May 1945 for which he was awarded the VC.

His Battalion was part of the [[89th Indian Infantry Brigade]] of [[7th Indian Infantry Division]], which was ordered to cross the [[Irrawaddy River]] and attack [[Imperial Japanese Army|Japanese forces]] to the north of the road from [[Prome]] to [[Taungup]]. The Japanese withdrew towards [[Taungdaw]], where Gurung was part of the two companies of the 4th Battalion, 8th Gurkha Rifles, waiting when the Japanese attacked in force in the early morning.<ref name=telegraph/>

On 12/13 May 1945 at [[Taungdaw]], [[Myanmar|Burma]] [now Myanmar], Rifleman Lachhiman Gurung was manning the most forward post of his platoon which bore the brunt of an attack by at least 200 of the Japanese enemy. He hurled back two hand grenades which had fallen on his trench, but the third exploded in his right hand after he attempted to throw it back, blowing off his fingers, shattering his arm and severely wounding him in the face, body and right leg. His two comrades were also badly wounded but the rifleman, now alone and disregarding his wounds, loaded and fired his rifle with his left hand for four hours (all while he screamed "Come and fight a Gurkha!"), calmly waiting for each attack which he met with fire at point blank range.

His citation in the [[London Gazette]] ends with...
{{quote|...Of the 87 enemy dead counted in the immediate vicinity of the Company locality, 31 lay in front of this Rifleman's section, the key to the whole position. Had the enemy succeeded in over-running and occupying Rifleman Lachhiman Gurung's trench, the whole of the reverse slope position would have been completely dominated and turned.

This Rifleman, by his magnificent example, so inspired his comrades to resist the enemy to the last, that, although surrounded and cut off for three days and two nights, they held and smashed every attack.

His outstanding gallantry and extreme devotion to duty, in the face of almost overwhelming odds, were the main factors in the defeat of the enemy.<ref name=LondonGazette>{{London Gazette|issue=37195|supp=y|page=3861|date=24 July 1945}}</ref>}}

He received his Victoria Cross from the Viceroy of India, Field Marshal [[Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell|Lord Wavell]] at the [[Red Fort]] in [[Delhi]] on 19 December 1945.<ref name="Parker 2005, p. 208">Parker 2005, p. 208.</ref> 

==Further information==
[[File:Victoria Cross 1939-1945.jpg|250px|thumb|Inscription of Lachhiman Gurung VC's name on the "Memorial Gates" at Constitution Hill, London SW1]]
Gurung was hospitalised for the wounds he received during the above action and subsequently lost his right eye and the use of his right hand, but he continued to serve with the 8th Gurkhas, choosing to remain with them when they were transferred to the newly independent [[Indian Army]] in 1947.<ref name="Parker 2005, p. 208"/> He later achieved the rank of [[Hon. Havildar]] and he returned to his village in Nepal on completion of his service in 1947,<ref name="Parker 2005, p. 208"/> where he farmed on a small holding.

He married twice; having two sons and daughter from his first marriage, and two more sons from his second. One of his sons later became an officer in the 8th Gurkha Rifles.<ref name=telegraph/>

A new house was provided for him and his family in 1995 near the Gurkha Welfare Centre at Chitwan, using a donation of £2,000 from [[Armourers and Brasiers Company]]. Later in 1995, he received a cheque for £100,500 from the [[The Gurkha Welfare Trust|Gurkha Welfare Trust]], presented by British Prime Minister [[John Major]] at [[10 Downing Street]]. £8,000 was also awarded to him by the [[Indian Army]] as a loan for his [[Victoria Cross]] medal, which he gave to them as an inspiration for young servicemen.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iL5tCVwKZFw The Gurkhas - Full Documentry]</ref>

In 2008, Gurung and Honorary Lieutenant [[Tul Bahadur Pun]] VC were two of the five claimants in a legal claim to allow Gurkha servicemen who had retired before July 1997 (when the Gurkha base moved from Hong Kong to the UK) to settle in the UK. The High Court ordered the government to review its policy, and Gurung was allowed to settle in Hounslow, where he was looked after by his granddaughter, Amrita.<ref name=telegraph/>

Gurung was admitted to the [[Charing Cross Hospital]] on 19 November after his health condition worsened, suffering from pneumonia. Gurung died on 12 December 2010. He was survived by his second wife, Manmaya, and his five children.

==Funeral==
His funeral was held on Wednesday 22 December 2010 at [[Hounslow Civic Centre]], Lampton Road, Hounslow, Middlesex, TW3 4DN.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.nepalisamajuk.com/events/icalrepeat.detail/2010/12/22/145/-/NTJmZjlkZTkzZjQyZmViMjY4YzRiYjZlZmRkNjIxYWE=/vc-lachiman-gurung-funeral.html |title=Lachhiman Gurung Funeral |work=nepalisamajuk.com |date=22 December 2010 |accessdate=5 October 2014}}</ref>

==The medal==
The medal is currently held in India, in the possession of Gurung's parent unit, the [[8 Gorkha Rifles|4th Battalion, 8th Gurkha Rifles]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/ccgurkha.htm |first=Iain |last=Stewart |title=List of Victoria Crosses held by the Gurkha Museum |work=victoriacross.org.uk |year=2014 |accessdate=5 October 2014}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Brigade of Gurkhas recipients of the Victoria Cross]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book |last=Parker |first=John |year=2005 |title=The Gurkhas: The Inside Story of the World's Most Feared Soldiers |publisher=Headline Book Publishing |isbn=978-0-7553-1415-7 }}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20020421044803/http://haynese.winthrop.edu/india/medals/vc/2LGurung.html Lachiman Gurung ]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gurung, Lachhiman}}
[[Category:1917 births]]
[[Category:2010 deaths]]
[[Category:British Indian Army soldiers]]
[[Category:Gurkhas]]
[[Category:Nepalese World War II recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
[[Category:Nepalese people of World War II]]
[[Category:Nepalese recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
[[Category:Nepalese emigrants to the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Nepalese Buddhists]]
[[Category:Nepalese people]]
[[Category:People from Chitwan District]]