1 Gurkha soldier vs. 30 Taliban

[The Great Sun Jester]

This is a cool story (http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/02/soldier-cited-for-holding-off-up-to-30-taliban-by-himself/?hpt=hp_t2) on so many levels.

* Ya Gurkhas are known around the world as elite fighters and I suppose a Taliban soldier could just be peasant with a gun, but that's still pretty bad odds--I wouldn't want to fight 30 gerbils at once, let alone armed men.

* Assuming he killed all 30, his actions average out to 27 shots, 1 grenade and 2 kills EVERY MINUTE.

* And he didn't get a scratch. Probably just had to flip a little dust off his collar.

* I bet Chuck Norris checks under his bed for this guy.

* Britain's second-highest award for bravery? Great gawd a'mighty what does a guy have to do to get the top award?

[runner pat]

This is a cool story (http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/02/soldier-cited-for-holding-off-up-to-30-taliban-by-himself/?hpt=hp_t2) on so many levels.


* Britain's second-highest award for bravery? Great gawd a'mighty what does a guy have to do to get the top award?

60-1, just to make it a fair fight. :D

[Ferret Herder]

* Britain's second-highest award for bravery? Great gawd a'mighty what does a guy have to do to get the top award?
My WAG is that he has to die in the process. This guy just needed a few dozen more Taliban to accomplish that, I think.

[Larry Mudd]

"This is not a repeat from last February (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=596361)" (Apologies for the Fark meme.)

Gurkha's really do kick all sorts of ass, don't they?

[elbows]

* Britain's second-highest award for bravery? Great gawd a'mighty what does a guy have to do to get the top award?

Be born in Britain maybe?

[Slithy Tove]

* Britain's second-highest award for bravery? Great gawd a'mighty what does a guy have to do to get the top award?

Lachhiman Gurung earned the Victoria Cross for holding off 200 Japanese for 4 hours, killing 31, with his right arm blown off.

[jjimm]

Be born in Britain maybe?Absolutely not. I visited the Gurkha Museum in Nepal in 2009, and read, through my tears, every single one of the stories of valor of the Gurkhas who have won the Victoria Cross (http://www.thekhukurihouse.com/Content/VCHolders.php).

[notfrommensa]

Not only does he get a cool medal, he has got an awesome name.

Congratulations to Dip Pun.
for a job very well done.

[Damfino]

The pronunciation might not be as you imagine. It most probably is "deep" and "poon" as in "put".
Thanks for the link, jjimm.Informative and moving.

[Silophant]

I refuse to think of such a badass man as "Deep Poon."

[Chimera]

See, that is just it. He is such a badass that he can get away with having a name like Deep Poon.

[Malacandra]

My WAG is that he has to die in the process. This guy just needed a few dozen more Taliban to accomplish that, I think.

No, while the VC has been awarded posthumously on many occasions, it has also been awarded many times to live recipients, though I don't have the stats; when inaugurated, it was never a posthumous decoration.

[PlainJain]

See, that is just it. He is such a badass that he can get away with having a name like Deep Poon.
I am so tempted to change my username...

[Miller]

* Britain's second-highest award for bravery? Great gawd a'mighty what does a guy have to do to get the top award?

Gurkhas have to meet a higher standard to win the VC. Otherwise, they'd run out.

[Slithy Tove]

One prospect for the armchair generals: with the Libyan Revolt dragging on, and the current coalition getting more committed, we'll perhaps see how the Gurkhas, USMC and the French Foreign Legion all do in the same arena.

(the Gurkhas may be a favorite, but are not a slam dunk. At the Battle of Tanga they were defeated when evenly matched against German-led African Askaris).

[muldoonthief]

That picture is also proof that the more ridiculous the hat, the more badass the soldier. Red pompom & chinstrap = unstoppable killing machine.

[runner pat]

Lachhiman Gurung earned the Victoria Cross for holding off 200 Japanese for 4 hours, killing 31, with his right arm blown off.

"It's just a flesh wound!"

[Cicero]

Be born in Britain maybe?

Plenty of Colonials have won the Vistoria Cross. It also depends on the medal regime of the country. Australians are no longer awarded the British version of the Victoria cross as there is an Australian medal regime now in place.

[Cicero]

And of course, I should add that at least one American had been awarded the Victoria Cross.

Or possible American.

[appleciders]

I have to say, it seems extremely British to actually name the second-most distinguished award the "Conspicuous Gallantry Cross." Presumably the Victoria Cross is only for those soldiers who are less conspicuous but equally gallant. I like that he even hit an enemy with his gun tripod.

[Malacandra]

I have to say, it seems extremely British to actually name the second-most distinguished award the "Conspicuous Gallantry Cross." Presumably the Victoria Cross is only for those soldiers who are less conspicuous but equally gallant. I like that he even hit an enemy with his gun tripod.

The motto on the VC is "For Valour", not "For Gallantry". Originally it would have been "For The Brave", but the story runs that Vicky didn't want to imply that any of her soldiers weren't brave. As for the CGC, presumably garden-variety gallantry is expected (though it may be rewarded with a Mention in Despatches (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mention_in_Despatches)) and you have to be noticeably more gallant before anyone makes a fuss about it.

[Malacandra]

Be born in Britain maybe?

You may find this cite (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Victoria_Cross_recipients_by_nationality) illuminating.