1915: Legend of the Gurkhas

25th September 1915, British forces launched a major attack on the German position at Loos, France, hence commencing the Battle of Loos. Kulbir Thapa, a 26 yrs old Rifleman in the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Queen Alexandra’s Own Gurkha Rifles, was in one of the leading companies venturing deep into German lines, and it was the first time he had been under fire and short-lived hope of survival was all gone when he was severely wounded. A survival story behind the enemy line itself is a praiseworthy tale of bravery but his story didn’t finish there. What unfolds next is a legendary tale of self-sacrifice, compassion and friendship. The next day, on 26th September, for a fleeting moment, midst burnt and grime filled no man’s land, he displayed much greater heroism than war- humanity. This earned him the first-ever Victoria Cross for Gurkhas but most importantly, on the day, it brought both British and German together, to acknowledge the sheer willpower of Gurkha.