10/10/2026
“If a man says he is not afraid of dying, he is either lying or is a Gurkha.”
— Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw
Tul Bahadur Pun VC — A Gurkha Who Refused to Stop
During the Burma Campaign in 1944, Rifleman Tul Bahadur Pun of the 6th Gurkha Ri**es displayed extraordinary courage under intense Japanese fire.
On 23 June 1944 near Mogaung, Burma, Pun’s platoon came under heavy machine-gun fire from a strongly defended Japanese position. His section suffered severe casualties, but Pun continued forward despite the danger.
Armed with a Bren gun, he advanced toward the enemy position through difficult terrain and concentrated fire. Reaching the position, he engaged the defenders, forcing several to flee and capturing two light machine guns and am******on.
From the captured position, Pun then used the weapons to provide covering fire, helping his platoon advance and secure its objective.
For this remarkable act of bravery in the face of overwhelming enemy fire, Tul Bahadur Pun was awarded the Victoria Cross.
His actions became a lasting example of the courage and determination for which Gurkha soldiers were renowned during the Second World War.
