Gurkhas in Afghanistan

Tom Coghlan continues his accounts in the Daily Telegraph, of the fighting in Afghanistan, with a look at how the Gurkhas (motto: better to die than be a coward) dealt with being under siege in Nawzad, Helmand.

Over 10 gruelling days,40 Gurkhas besieged in Nawzad police station, sustained only three injuries as they repelled a stream of 28 Taliban attacks. Taliban casualites were light, considering they went up against soldiers widely regarded as being some of the best troops in the world; only about 100 killed, including 4 dispatched by a Gurkha sniper brought in to deal with a terrorist counterpart.

Amongst the remarkable stories,

With the Taliban closer than 50 yards, Rifleman Nabin Rai, 20, manning a heavy machinegun on the roof, had several rounds ricochet off his weapon before a bullet went through the gunsight and hit him in the face.
"His commander called for him to be medi-vacced out, but he refused to come down from the roof," said Major Rex [Gurkha commander]. "Later he was again hit, this time in the helmet. He sat down and had a cigarette, then went back to his position."

Just one example of the bravery and courage displayed at Nawzad in the best traditions of the Gurkhas.

Tags: Afghanitsan, Gurkhas