MYTH OF THE GURKHA PERSONEL KUKRI CARRY PART TWO

[sirupate]

Originally posted by 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