British Gurkhas?

[SFWanabe 0]

I found this picture on Militaryphotos.net of a British Gurkha. Can anyone tell if they are still around or if this is a guy from another british unit that happen to look like a Gurkha?

[harley 3 1185 0]

The British Army still employs a number of Gurkha batallions, yes.  It's either two or four, I really can't remember.  We'll be negotiating with the Nepalese government soon to extend their existence as a part of the British Army.

EDIT: 2 batallions of the Royal Gurkha Rifles currently in the Brigade of Gurkhas, the last remnant of the famed Indian Army.

[Major Gripe 0]

The Royal Gurkha Rifles are still an important part of the British Army, look here. Also, by what I have heard you DO NOT want to be fighting these guys they are tough!!

[SFWanabe 0]

Yea I heard about those big ass knives they carry. Makes my buck knife look like a swiss army army knife.

[harley 3 1185 0]

If a Gurkha heard you call it a "big ass knife" he'd probably swiftly draw his Kukri, rush you and next thing you know you'd be staring at your trachea on the ground. They've never been known to take prisoners; when asked, they smile.

[scars09 9]

like the smallest swiss army knive around, the one were no tooth cleaner is in

[DracoPaladore 0]

Didn't they recently pull off one of the last few successful bayonet charges in Iraq?

[harley 3 1185 0]

Haven't heard that one. I'd have thought it'd be damned difficult to bayonet-fight with the L85 and that damned tiny knife bayonet - nothing a 17" Enfield bayonet wouldn't sort out (the Gurkhas also made great use of those in the Far East in WW2, and it wasn't for picking their teeth ).

[cozza 24]

If a Gurkha heard you call it a "big ass knife" he'd probably swiftly draw his Kukri, rush you and next thing you know you'd be staring at your trachea on the ground.  They've never been known to take prisoners; when asked, they smile.

Not as good as the knife Rambo used in First Blood  

or the Crocadile Dundee knife

[SFWanabe 0]

That wasnt a knife that was friggin sword.

[SFWanabe 0]

So are the Gurkhas considered a special forces unit? If not what type of missions do they undertake?

[DracoPaladore 0]

Haven't heard that one.  I'd have thought it'd be damned difficult to bayonet-fight with the L85 and that damned tiny knife bayonet - nothing a 17" Enfield bayonet wouldn't sort out (the Gurkhas also made great use of those in the Far East in WW2, and it wasn't for picking their teeth ).

I just remember an article I think once brought up in the Iraq thread that discussed the gurkhas attacking a position with either their bayonets or with their melee wepaons.

[Guest RKSL-Rock]

So are the Gurkhas considered a special forces unit? If not what type of missions do they undertake?

The same as any other Regiment in the British Army.

Quote[/b] ]The role of the Brigade of Gurkhas is:

‘To serve as an integral part of the British Army whilst retaining its Nepalese identity and culture and adhering to the terms and conditions of Gurkha service’.

Gurkhas are an integral part of the British Army. They serve in a variety of roles, mainly in the infantry but with significant numbers of Engineers, Logisticians and Signals specialists. Gurkhas are liable for operational service world-wide in exactly the same way as British soldiers although, under existing policy guidelines, they do not currently serve in Northern Ireland. Since WW2 operational successes include Korea, Malaya, Borneo, Hong Kong and Singapore. More recently elements of the Brigade have taken part in deployments to the Falklands, the Gulf, the NATO mission in Kosovo and operations in East Timor, both in 1999. Most recently Gurkhas have taken part in operations in Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Afghanistan and Sierra Leone. It is a tribute to the professional skills and reputation of the Gurkha soldier that three key training establishments, the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, the Infantry Battle School at Brecon, and the Jungle Warfare Wing in Brunei all use Gurkha soldiers for demonstration purposes on their flagship courses.

Full webpage here

[SFWanabe 0]

Thanks dude!!

[breaker44 0]

The Kukri is shaped to lop off heads, nasty tool. If you look at the guy's leg, you can see a tiny part of the sheath. Great soldiers though.

-Breaker Out

[Messiah 2]

look at the capbagde of the guy you have pictured... it's of two kurki swords crossed - gives it away

[SFWanabe 0]

At first glance it looks like a star on a red beret. Also will UKF have any Gurkhas?

[harley 3 1185 0]

Is that Gurkha carrying a Minimi?  I think it is but I wouldn't swear on it...

EDIT: Goodie, my eyes haven't failed me yet .

[SFWanabe 0]

Para Minimi actually.

[sputnik monroe 102]

My father use to have a ghurka knife. They aren't huge like a bowie knife but they are pretty wicked. The thought of getting slashed with one makes me wince.

Sadly some ass hole stole it along with the rest of my dads knife collection. last I heard it seems the thief traded it for a pack a cigarettes. We never got it back and the police refused to even talk to my father when he reported the theft.

[DracoPaladore 0]

  Sadly some ass hole stole it along with the rest of my dads knife collection. last I heard it seems the thief traded it for a pack a cigarettes. We never got it back and the police refused to even talk to my father when he reported the theft.

I can imagine the convrsation on the phone.

"This is the Police, how can I help you sir?"

"Yeah, I'd like to report a robbery."

"Ok sir, can you detail the missing items?"

"Lots of big knives, and one of those Kukri's."

"Kukri, sir?"

"A Gurkha knife used to decapitate people. They're curved and quite long."

"...." *click*

[sputnik monroe 102]

The conversation was at the station. Basically they said that burglars and robbers are too small time and thus not their problem. They told us if we knew whom did it that we should just "Go ask em to give them back."

So we asked the cops, well if we go ask him nicely and he says no then what? To which they said, and I'm not being sarcastic "Well then your shit out of luck."

Keep in mind the cops where I grew up are not representative of cops in general. The ones where I grew up were (are) very corrupt.

Quote[/b] ]A Gurkha knife used to decapitate people. They're curved and quite long."

Actually I can't imagine it decapitating some one, not the one my father had any way. I hate to be crude and gory but... if you swung it into some ones neck it would probably just cut a nice surgical crescent shape around half their neck down too spine. Then they'd be dead within a very short time I imagine, all the while spraying blood all over the place.

Ugh... just thinking about it makes me shudder. It was a cool knife as a historical piece, but man that knife gave me the creeps.

[breaker44 0]

Yep, my padre has one, still there. It's scary, compared to my Sikes and Fairbairn, it's a real hack 'n slash piece.

-Breaker Out

[Bordoy 0]

Didn't they recently pull off one of the last few successful bayonet charges in Iraq?

Not sure if it were the Ghurka's mate but yes, the last bayonet charge before that one in Iraq was over 100 years ago (i think).

[DeLiltMon 0]

The Kukri is shaped to lop off heads, nasty tool. If you look at the guy's leg, you can see a tiny part of the sheath. Great soldiers though.

-Breaker Out

No it's not, the kukri is designed to be a tool, just like the machete, have a read of this