ARTICLES
AT WAR’S END
I
THE 6TH GURKHAS AT THE END OF WW2
n 2020, during the VE75 and VJ75 commemorations, we remembered those who fought and died to bring about peace and the end of the Second World War. In the BBC programme on VJ75, presented by our own Joanna Lumley, I’m sure many of us were very proud to see Honorary Captain Kulbahadur Gurung MM being interviewed about his experiences as a Chindit in Burma with the 3/6th. Our Chairman has written in more detail about this elsewhere in this edition. But where were the men of the Regiment’s four
battalions at the end of the war and what were they doing when the news that Germany, and subsequently Japan, had formally surrendered? Having been in the Middle East from August 1941 and then fought from August 1944 in the Italian campaign, the 2nd Battalion were the first to know that the war had ended in Europe. After their successes on the Gothic Line, then at Medicina and the bitter fighting on the Gaiana Canal in April 1945, the 2/6th, still under command of 43rd Gurkha
2nd Battalion Officers, Abbottabad 1946 (on return to India after the war) Standing (Back): Jem Dalbahadur Gurung, Jem Udbir Gurung, Jem Kharkabahadur Ale, Capt PVR Rao IAMC, Jem Chakrabahadur Thapa MC, Lt GH Walsh, Jem Harkabahadur Gurung IOM, Jem Damarbahadur Thapa, Jem Chitrabahdur Bura, Jem Deoman Gurung. Standing (Middle): Lt J Thorp, Jem Chandrabahadur Thapa, Lt SD Silvey, Jem Sherbahadur Gurung, Lt JA Allen, Jem Kharkabahadur Gurung, Capt JB Cameron, Jem Tamadhoj Gurung, Lt G Forsyth, Jem Bhadrasing Gurung, Lt RC Neath. Standing (Front): Jem Nandaraj Ghale, Capt RH Tuck, Jem Jambasing Gurung, Major GF Maltby MC, Sub Chandrasuba Gurung, Maj WL Greenwood, Sub Nandalal Thapa, Capt WE Murdie MC, Jem Hastabahadur Thapa, Capt KA Hasler, Jem Jangbir Gurung. Sitting: Sub Raghu Gurung, Maj GR De La Rue Browne, Sub Gajbir Ale, Lt Col WM Amoore DSO, Sub Jitbahadur Thapa, Maj JE Dennys MC, Sub Manbahadur Thapa MC. On ground: Jem Kharka Gurung, Jem Bansiram Sharma. (Away from the Battalion: Maj RW Ingall DSO, Lt WD Graham, Sub Maj Narbahadur Gurung Bahadur OBI MC, Sub Kajiman Gurung)
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