"On 5 March 1945 at Snowdon-East, near Tamandu, Burma,
Gurung and his unit were approaching Snowdon-East. His company became
pinned down by an enemy sniper and were suffering casualties. As the
sniper was inflicting casualties on the section, Rifleman Bhanbhagta
Gurung, being unable to fire from the lying position, stood up fully
exposed to the heavy fire and calmly killed the enemy sniper with his
rifle, thus saving his section from suffering further casualties. Again the section advanced, and again it came under fire. Without waiting for orders, Gurung dashed out to attack the first enemy
fox-hole. Throwing two grenades, he killed the two occupants and without
any hesitation rushed on to the next enemy fox-hole and killed the
Japanese in it with his bayonet. He cleared two further fox-holes with
bayonet and grenades. "During his single-handed attacks on these four
enemy fox-holes, Rifleman Bhanbhagta Gurung was subjected to almost
continuous and point-blank Light Machine Gun
fire from a bunker on the North tip of the objective." For the fifth
time, Gurung "went forward alone in the face of heavy enemy fire to
knock out this position. He doubled forward and leapt on to the roof of
the bunker from where, his hand grenades being finished, he flung two
No. 77 smoke grenades into the bunker slit." Gurung killed two Japanese soldiers who ran out of the bunker with his Kukri, and then advanced into the cramped bunker and killed the remaining Japanese soldier. Gurung ordered three others to take up positions in the bunker. "The enemy counter-attack followed soon after, but under Rifleman
Bhanbhagta Gurung's command the small party inside the bunker repelled
it with heavy loss to the enemy. Rifleman Bhanbhagta Gurung showed
outstanding bravery and a complete disregard for his own safety. His
courageous clearing of five enemy positions single-handed was in itself
decisive in capturing the objective and his inspiring example to the
rest of the Company contributed to the speedy consolidation of this
success."
From Naik Gurung's Victoria Cross citation, awarded on June 1, 1945.
May you be at peace,
Brian
Gurkha training company block at Catterick.
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