Bhanbhagta Gurung

Havildar Bhanbhagta Gurung, VC (Nepali: भनभक्त गुरुङ; September 1921 – 1 March 2008), also known as Bhanbhakta Gurung, was a Nepalese 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 British and Commonwealth forces, awarded for his actions while serving as a Rifleman with the 3rd Battalion of the 2nd Gurkha Rifles in Burma during the Second World War.

Soon after the war ended, Gurung's company commander tried to persuade him to continue serving, but he declined as he had a frail widowed mother as well as a young wife and children to take care of in Nepal. When he quit the regiment in January 1946 he had regained his former rank of Naik and had been given the rank of Honorary Havildar. In addition to his VC he was also awarded the Star of Nepal, 3rd Class, in 1945. In 2000 the Gurkha training company block at Catterick Garrison in the UK was named after him.

In February 1945, the 25th Indian Division landed at Ru-ywa, as a diversion from the offensive by General Sir William Slim's Fourteenth Army towards Mandalay, and advanced to the Irrawaddy River through the An pass, held by the Japanese 54th Division from a number of hills. The Gurkhas held two hills, code-named "Snowdon" and "Snowdon East", but were attacked by the Japanese and pushed back. They were ordered to retake the hills.

Promoted to lance naik (equivalent to lance corporal), he served in the first Chindit expedition (Operation Longcloth) led by Brigadier Orde Wingate into northern Burma in March 1943. He was serving in Number 4 Column, deep behind Japanese lines across the Chindwin River, when the column was ambushed by the Japanese 33rd Division and ordered to disperse. His battalion was withdrawn from the line after the expedition for several months of training and refitting, and redeployed in March 1944 in Arakan in the 25th Indian Infantry Division, fighting down the Mayu Range towards Akyab. Bhanbhagta was promoted to Naik (corporal).

Bhanbhagta Gurung was about 24 years old, and a Rifleman in the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Gurkha Rifles, British Indian Army when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC:

Bhanbhagta Gurung was born in Phalpu, a small hill village in western Nepal in the district of Gorkha in September 1921. He enlisted in the British Indian Army during World War II, joining 3rd Battalion of the 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles), which recruited from the Gurung people, at the age of eighteen.