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?
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
