THE MYTH OF GURKHA RIFLEMAN CARRYING PRIVATE

[spiral]

Heres Andy Taylors kukri obtained from his long time friend Peter Prentice MBE ex Gurkha rifles officer & his statement about it.

This is Peter's khukri that he carried with him during his time in the Ghurka Rifles. As I mentioned officers weren't issued with khukris but his men presented him with this to use in the field. It was used through the whole time he spent in French Indo China. The jungle warfare scenario would have contributed to its condition. The hilt cracked and he said one of his men effected a battlefield repair with some wire. The hilt also has a chunk out of the end and the aluminium butt plate is loose. There is only one chakma and this has a square edge for honing. You will also notice that the surface is rough and this was used with a flint to make fire. Peter said the flint was kept in the leather pouch, which you will notice that the stitching has rotted. The small pointy stick was a puzzle and I assumed it was for making shavings to start a fire. Peter told me it was his tooth pick and tooth brush. He said the wooden and bristle army issue toothbrushes rotted quickly in the damp atmosphere and if a bit of stick was good enough for the men of Nepal for God knows how long it worked for him!





Its clearly a ww2 era villiger piece from Nepal or heavily Nepali influnced & garrisoned areas {such as Darjeeling perhaps}, & interesting that the riflemenmen gave their esteemed officer such a clearly private purchase village kukri & that they had it ready to hand when official issue kukris would have been so easily obtainable from army stores? & they {the gurkha ranks.] clearly thought such a piece made a more valid piece to present to an Officer for field carry.they clearly valued such a fast & balenced native piece more highly than the officail pattern issue mk.w2 or mk.3 at the time.

But one can make thier own deductions, from thios I am sure.

Interestingly many people dont realise the British army & Gurkha regiments used many captured Japanese prisoners of war {including officers.}, by rearming them in 45,46,to help quell the native desire for independance in areas like malaya & vietnam etc. in that difficult period. That always seemed so cynical & incorrect to me to use such people, given the circumstances, but I guess goverments always do what they will to control the masses.

spiral

[sirupate]

Jonathan, this thread has become so diverse with your introduction of old debates from other forums, that I have re-started on a new thread, so people will find it easier to follow.

If you want to start a new thread about Gurkhas in the ABC walking around with Mk1 and Mk2 kukri that is fine by me, if you also want to start another new thread about so called double inspection marks on the Mk1 kukri that is also fine with me as well.

In the meantime an answer to my question posed to you on this thread would be excellent;
Part two

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Dont run away simon, Please answear the points raised on this thread, I am sure that will hope peoples clarity no end, i have confidence in the abilitys of the forumites here to gain the perception of how reliable or not, what each of us say is on these given points are,re. private purchase & the ABC questian that is still current & illustrates quite a lot about both are attitudes & usde of evidence I think?

As does Peter Prentices kukri.

Thread divergence is quite usual on this forum.

Please continue.

Spiral

[sirupate]

As I said Jonathan, start up new threads about about Gurkhas in the ABC carring Mk1 and Mk2 kukri, and a seperate thread about about so called double inspection marks on Mk1 kukri, I'll be happy to debate those subjects on the new threads.

As for Peter Prentices kukri, no problem answering that on the Part two section, providing you give an answer on there (which I noticed you avoided even on this thread) about the Mk1 2/8th kukri from WW1? or don't you have an answer for it Jonathan?

[spiral]

Originally Posted by sirupate

As I said Jonathan, start up new threads about about Gurkhas in the ABC carring Mk1 and Mk2 kukri, and a seperate thread about about so called double inspection marks on Mk1 kukri, I'll be happy to debate those subjects on the new threads.

As for Peter Prentices kukri, no problem answering that on the Part two section, providing you give an answer on there (which I noticed you avoided even on this thread) about the Mk1 2/8th kukri from WW1? or don't you have an answer for it Jonathan?

Simon this is not your own little forum that you own & moderate, this is a ethnographic arms forum, you niether own or moderate here, so you cant play god & decide who posts what & where & to dictate such to myself when all the information is already in this thread. I know you dont like it when your not in charge but on this forum your not. Thats why I left your forum years ago. Numerous argumentative posts between us is bad enough , but to litter this forum with our deitrius through numerous threads would be innapropriate to my mind.

I will do my best to answear any questian on some particular 8th GR marked mk.1 kukri you may have? whats the questian? I cant recall the thread of hand? Also how many years old is the thread?

But first please answear all the important points I raised in my earlier posts in this thread, Ive been waiting for your repley to them. Intersting debating tactic that you then decide I must answear you first. No it doesnt work like that, you answear my points then Ill answear yours.

Thats only fair.

spiral

[sirupate]

Jonathan the point about the 2/8th GR WW1 Mk1 were raised on post 33 amongst others, it is now post 43, and you still haven't answered the points raised, which indicates to me you are avoiding the points raised.
If you had checked Part Two, you will find I have even put a link to the thread on IKRHS about your comments on the Mk1.
To get things going on there so that the thread remains about Gurkha Rifleman carrying Private kukri pre-1947, without the obvious distractions of other subjects, I will answer on there about Peter Prentice's kukri Officer kukri, which is a whole different ball game to Rifleman's kukri.