Britain's newest hero is a Nepali.
Queen Elizabeth II on Wednesday awarded Britain's second-highest award for bravery, the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, to Acting Sgt. Dipprasad Pun of the Royal Gurkha Rifles.
While stationed as a lone sentry at a checkpoint in Afghanistan's Helmand province on September 17, Pun fended off an attack by up to 30 Taliban fighters.
"There were many Taliban around me," Pun said in an interview with British Forces News. "I thought they are definitely going to kill me. ... I thought before they kill me I have to kill some of them."
During the 15-minute battle, Pun fired more than 400 rounds of ammunition, detonated 17 grenades and a mine and even threw his gun tripod at a Taliban fighter climbing toward his position, according to British Forces News.
"He was just about to climb up there and I hit (him) with my tripod and he fell down again," Pun told British Forces News.
Pun's actions saved the lives of three fellow soldiers at the checkpoint and were the "bravest seen in his battalion over two hard tours in Afghanistan," according to his medal citation.
Pun was not wounded in the firefight.
“That he survived unscathed is simply incredible," his medal citation says. “Throughout Dip’s actions he was under almost constant intense fire. Dip’s courage and gallantry were simply astonishing."
Pun, 31, joined the British military in 2000 and also has served in Bosnia and Kosovo.
Like other Gurkhas, Pun is from Nepal. The Gurkhas were incorporated into British forces after their fighting skill impressed the opposition British during the Nepal Wars of 1814 to 1816. As part of the peace treaty ending that conflict, Gurkhas were admitted into East India Company's army and then into the British military.
Gurkhas recruited solely in Nepal remain Nepalese citizens during their service. Gurkha unit officers are British.
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
This man is like the real life Rambo wow i have to say he deserves the highest honors
Don't CROSS that guy... quite the Pun
he will create many babies!
Sounds like what I've heard about the Gurkha's is true. Well done, sir – the Taliban will no doubt go elsewhere in the future.
I have read that during world war 2 a gurkha fought off a whole company of enemy troops n killed 30 , thus receiving VC. These ppl r naturally born killers.
wow i wonder how much adrenaline was fueling in him on that day. Picture 30 screaming hajis trying to kill you and your partners. That is insane. Real life NO movie script. Congratulations Sgt. Dipprasad Pun for doing what you do best. And THANK YOU for serving.
They found 25 empty cans of Amp energy drinks strewn about his post.
haha I can see it now, just a picture of him in uniform in the desert and right below it:
"Do the Dew"
yea...30 fake dudes!
Well that's it guys, if "fakestory" says it's fake that's all the proof we need. Someone should tell CNN to take this story down cuz fakestory already blew the lid off this conspiracy
yea hazmat....just like Pat Tillman's original spun story that he was killed in a firefight...only later to be discovered that his own stupid troops killed him
For sure!!!
HE THREW A FRIGGIN TRIPOD AND HIT A MAN IN DEFENSE OF HIS LIFE??? SOOOO INTENSE!!
Try reading it instead of looking at the pictures. In addition to (that means "also") firing off over 400 rounds of ammo (that means "bullets") and over a dozen grenades, he also hit an attacker (one of 30 or more) with a tripod. That means "hand to hand combat was involved". Goodness knows that's not nearly as intense and the workout you gave your thumbs on Call of Duty last night, but ... nah, nevermind, you wouldn't understand the sarcasm anyhow.
really ironic that you'd claim weaver wouldn't understand the sarcasm, when you're entire angry rant was due to you thinking Weaver was being sarcastic when he wasn't. Dude was genuinely saying that's intense...
I understand there was yelling involved as well.
I wasn't being sarcastic, when hand – to – hand comes, while under the gun, its gotta be crazy intense. I'm 1/1000th the man this guy is.
400 rounds from a M16 is like 13 clips, right? He had to be straight kicking ass. 17 grenades? I'm only suprised he didn't kill more, but hell, to make it out alive with your comrades in valor's name is truly inspirational. He is a global hero for sure
Don't try to cover-up for your joke now. It was funny the first time!
A job well done soldier!
yea...if only it were true...
Good lord....what would he had to have done to get a VC if holding off 30 attackers got him the 2nd highest award??
died
No, you don't have to be killed to receive the VC.
Totally agree, he fend of 30, saved life of 3 and 2nd medal. may be he is a hired gun that's why they did not award him highest medal. And Guess what a Brit lead this team, so colonial.
This guy is going to laid so much after this. But his friends are going to hate him because anything they brag about in a bar will be met with "yeah, landing that jump on your bike seems almost as tough as me singlehandedly fending off 30 terrorists with guns and grenades."
haha yep, and a friggin tripod!!!
i think he bats for the other team
Hell, with that true-life story of his, Sgt. Pun IS A TRIPOD!!
Apparently the UK is now considering a ban on tripods having never previously considered them being used as offensive weapons.
haha. that cracks me up.
Bravo, now that's man!
You know a guy's an incredible badass when his actions would seem unrealistic even in a Rambo movie
You deserve this medal, great job and thank you. Must have been a very long 15 minutes.
Gurkhas rule!!
You never know how brave you can be until you have no other choice. Bravo to you Sgt. Pun