THE MYTH OF GURKHA RIFLEMAN CARRYING PRIVATE

[Berkley]

Indeed, there were many possible routes by which a private-purchase kukri could have come into Japanese hands:

Salbani, Bengal, India. 1944-11-24. 400550 Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Norman Bain, Wireless Air Gunner of Blackburn, Vic (left), and 406479 Flt Lt A. B. (Sam) Giles, Pilot of Claremont, WA, ready for take-off on an attack on Japanese rail targets in Thailand. They are wearing Ghurka kukris for use as jungle knives in case they are forced down. Both are RAAF members serving with No. 355 Squadron RAF.