Ornate Presentation Kukri To Sher Bahadur Thapa Victoria Cross 9th Gurkha Rifles Ornate Presentation Kukri To Sher Bahadur Thapa Victoria Cross 9th Gurkha Rifles Other Blades

WW2 Ornate Presentation Kukri To Sher Bahadur Thapa Victoria Cross 9th Gurkha Rifles Killed In Action 1944 With Ornate Scabbard. Sn 17328 - 17328

Sher Bahadur Thapa (20 November 1921 – 19 September 1944) was a Nepalese Gurkha recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was a Thapa Chhetri and a son of Ramdhoj Thapa, a permanent resident of Ghalechap of Tanahu, Nepal. Thapa enlisted in the British Indian Army on 20 November 1942 and was a 22-year-old rifleman in the 1st Battalion of the 9th Gurkha Rifles during World War II, when the following deed took place at the Battle of San Marino, for which he was awarded the VC. His citation in the London Gazette reads: On 18/19 September 1944 at San Marino, Italy, when a company of the 9th Gurkha Rifles encountered bitter opposition from a German prepared position, Rifleman Sher Bahadur Thapa and his section commander, who was afterwards badly wounded, charged and silenced an enemy machine-gun. The rifleman then went on alone to the exposed part of a ridge where, ignoring a hail of bullets, he silenced more machine-guns, covered a withdrawal and rescued two wounded men before he was killed. His Victoria Cross is currently held by his regiment 9th Gurkha Rifles. A contemporary portrait of the soldier is illustrated in image 2. This is a presentation WW2 Kukri To Sher Bahadur Thapa VC period made and most likely commissioned by the Regiment for the soldiers surviving family. The sturdy weapon is 16 ¾” overall length. The polished horn handle has a white metal Lion’s head pommel. The curved 12” blade has the distinctive Kukri ‘notch’. The blade is undamaged and has just light staining consistent with age. The blade has fullers on both sides and tooled decorative panels on one side. The original scabbard made of wood is covered in black felt and has ornate white metal panels ornately decorated with pierced foliate designs and with crossed Kukris above 9 ( the badge of the 9th Gurkha rifles). The flower heads in the decoration are jewelled (some of the jewels have become dislodged over time). The scabbard is fitted with white metal hanging ring. The rear of the scabbard has a period hand written paper label ‘property of o/sm Randel 9th G/rifles Ashrange Alot on loan s/mess 2002’ (This Kukri was bought out of the Sgts Mess by a British Paratrooper). The price for this Kukri to a named WW2 hero who fell in action includes UK delivery. Sn 17328

£700.