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Rambahadur Limbu

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Captain Rambahadur Limbu
Gurkha captainLimbu in Brunei
Young Lance Corporal Rambahadur Limbu
Nickname(s)Limbu
Service/branchBrigade of Gurkha, British Army
RankCaptain
Unit10th Princess Mary's Own Gurkha Rifles.
Battles/warsIndonesian Confrontation
AwardsVC, MVO

Rambahadur Limbu, VC[1], MVO is a Nepalese recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Rambahadur Limbu belongs to the Begha Clan of Limbu Nationality of Nepal.

Details

Limbu was approximately 26 years old, and was a Lance-Corporal in the 2nd Battalion, 10th Princess Mary's Own Gurkha Rifles, British Army during the Indonesian Confrontation when, on 21 November 1965 in Sarawak, Borneo, Lance-Corporal Rambahadur Limbu was in an advance party of 16 Gurkhas when they encountered about 30 Indonesians holding a position on the top of a jungle-covered hill. The lance-corporal went forward with two men, but when they were only 10 yards from the enemy machine-gun position, the sentry opened fire on them, whereupon Limbu rushed forward and killed him with a grenade. The remaining enemy combatants then opened fire on the small party, wounding the two men with the lance-corporal who, under heavy fire, made three journeys into the open, two to drag his comrades to safety and one to retrieve their bren gun, with which he charged down and killed many of the enemy. His original Victoria Cross was stolen, along with all his other possessions, while he was asleep during a train journey in India to his native Nepal in 1967. It has never been found, and he was issued with a replacement. Limbu is a living recipient of the VC. He achieved the rank of Captain[2] as a Queen's Gurkha Officer (QGO) and was awarded the Member of the Fifth Class of the Royal Victorian Order[3].

In the media

Limbu was interviewed for the 2006 television docudrama Victoria Cross Heroes which also included archive footage and dramatisations of his actions.[4]

Extracts from London Gazette 22 April 1966

Lance Corporal Rambahadur Limbu, 10th Gurkha Rifles, Borneo - 21st November 1965

"...Leading his support group in the van of the attack he could see the nearest trench and in it a sentry manning a machine gun. Determined to gain first blood he inched himself forward until... he was seen and the sentry opened fire, immediately wounding a man to his right. Rushing forward he reached the enemy trench... and killed the sentry, thereby gaining for the attacking force a foothold on the objective ...with a complete disregard for the hail of fire he got together and led his fire group to a better fire position...

...he saw both men of his own group seriously wounded... and... immediately commenced... to rescue his comrades ...he crawled forward, in full view of at least two enemy machine gun posts who concentrated their fire on him... but... was driven back by the accurate and intense...fire...After a pause he started again...

Rushing forward he hurled himself on the ground beside one of the wounded and calling for support from two light machine guns...he picked up the man and carried him to safety... Without hesitation he immediately returned... (for the other) wounded man (and) carried him back... through he hail of enemy bullets. It had taken twenty minutes to complete this gallant action and the events leading up to it. For all but a few seconds this Non-Commissioned Officer had been moving alone in full view of the enemy and under the continuous aimed fire of their automatic weapons. ...His outstanding personal bravery, selfless conduct, complete contempt of the enemy and determination to save the lives of the men of his fire group set an incomparable example and inspired all who saw him

Finally... Lance Corporal Rambahadur was... responsible for killing four more enemy as they attempted to escape...".

References

Specific
  1. ^ London Gazette Issue 43959 published on the 21 April 1966. Page 1 of 2
  2. ^ London Gazette Issue 48879 published on the 1 February 1982. Page 3 of 4
  3. ^ London Gazette Issue 49685 published on the 23 March 1984. Page 1 of 104
  4. ^ "Interviews". Victoria Cross Heroes. Retrieved 2008-07-06.
General
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