Gurkha war hero's agony

[Ingsoc]

By TOM NEWTON DUNN
Defence Editor

MUSEUM chiefs have broken a Gurkha war hero’s heart by refusing to let him see his treasured Victoria Cross one final time.


Fearless Lieutenant Tulbahadur Pun, 89, won the nation’s top medal for bravery during World War II.

Aged just 21, he single-handedly stormed two Japanese armed positions with his Bren Gun blazing from his hip after his comrades were wiped out in Burma.

Now the ageing hero — who lives in poverty in Nepal — has begged his old Army regiment’s museum to send him his medal so he can wear it with pride before he dies.

But museum bosses have refused, saying the VC no longer belongs to him.

Tulbahadur — one of only 12 winners of the VC still alive — is too unwell to travel to the UK.

He said he handed over the medal to the Gurkha Museum in Winchester, Hants, for safekeeping in the ’70s on officers’ advice.

He told The Sun: “Until 1995, I used to go to the UK and wear my Victoria Cross. Now I would like to wear it again before I leave the Earth — I can’t understand why they won’t let me.”

The grandfather of 15 is forced to spend all his VC pension on medicines for his heart problems.

London barrister Rebekah Wilson, who is representing him, said: “The medal is something he cherishes. Time is not on his side and I think it would be shameful if he did not get to see his medal again.”

But Gurkha Museum curator Gerald Davies said: “Tulbahadur Pun’s medal has been donated to the museum by his regimental association.

“We have a duty of care to ensure this medal is available to the public to see and it is secure.”

The citation for Tulbahadur’s VC praises his “outstanding courage and superb gallantry” in capturing the Japanese machine-gun posts and killing three enemies.

The Sun Online - News: Gurkha war hero's agony

Please contact the museum curator at curator@thegurkhamuseum.co.uk to express your protest about their shamefull act.

[sniper1shot]

I sent a small message.

[Jim O]

Originally Posted by sniper1shot

I sent a small message.

So did I. Short and not so sweet.

[Klaus]

It is a shame how vets are treated.

[Helmut Von Moltke]

It's unlikely they will do anything.

The ugly modern left wing P-C order of the new Europa wants a version of history that shows Europe as brutal genocidal colonisers, to keep Europeans heads in shame so that more money can be made, and that they would gain more power. They are part of the 'Frankfurt school' of thought, as I explained on another thread.

Of course, the idea of a Gurkha of the British colonies which fought so heroically for the British Empire disagrees with modern P-C tohught. So, they seek to ridicule the veteran emotionally like this.

disgraceful, but it is likely more of this will come.

K

[Jim O]

Actually I have since read that he did not actually "donate" his medal but rather he sold it to his regiment which raised funds to purchase it. The regiment then donated it. That makes it no longer his property. He still owns a replica. Of course this is Internet gossip and I do not have a reliable source for this.

[Klaus]

Well, it would be something different if he sold it. That's just bad luck then.

[Ingsoc]

Originally Posted by Jim O

Actually I have since read that he did not actually "donate" his medal but rather he sold it to his regiment which raised funds to purchase it. The regiment then donated it. That makes it no longer his property. He still owns a replica. Of course this is Internet gossip and I do not have a reliable source for this.

If it's true he have no legal case, althought I think it would be a nice gesture to let him wear his decorations last time before he dies, after all no matter what he did with them after he did earn them.

[Jim O]

In fact, I couldn't have said it better.