Carry On Don’t Lose Your Head (Gurkha Edition)
No, not the 1967 film of the same name. We read in the Daily Wail?
A Gurkha soldier has been flown back to the UK after hacking the head off a dead Taliban commander with his ceremonial knife to prove the dead man’s identity. The private, from 1st Battalion, Royal Gurkha Rifles, was involved in a fierce firefight with insurgents in the Babaji area of central Helmand Province when the incident took place earlier this month.
The Gurkhas had intended to remove the Taliban leader’s body from the battlefield for identification purposes. But they came under heavy fire as their tried to do so. Military sources said that in the heat of battle, the Gurkha took out his curved kukri knife and beheaded the dead insurgent. He is understood to have removed the man’s head from the area, leaving the rest of his body on the battlefield.
Right, all aboard the Dail Wail Outrage Bus. Luckily the comments below it show some more sense. The article itself is full of rubbish; for example:
The kukri’s heavy blade enables the user to inflict deep wounds and to cut muscle and bone with one stroke. It can also be used in stealth operations to slash an enemy’s throat, killing him instantly and silently.
No it isn’t. No it doesn’t. Not even close.
This is considered a gross insult to the Muslims of Afghanistan, who bury the entire body of their dead even if parts have to be retrieved.
Suicide bombers? How does that work, then? Re-read Kipling’s poem “The Grave of the Hundred Head” if you’ve forgotten how it really works.
They were told to “confirm the kill”. The best method of positive identification is to use a Mk.1 Eyeball on the corpse itself. Even photos don’t really do the job. Johhny Gurkha showed initiative; when ordered to bring back a known terrorist for identification he did the next best thing. What’s the betting that the Gurkhas now lose their kukris – so as not to appear too warlike – or offend the enemy?
The tribesmen in that area – where using human heads as the ball in games of ‘polo’ is a part of the ‘culture’ – will not be offended – a little frightened maybe but they’ll certainly accept it as an occupational hazard of waging war.
There was no torture and nothing was filmed for YouTube, unlike the Taliban’s SOP for prisoners. He should get nothing more than an interview without coffee and then sent straight back to carry on the fight. Unfortunately though when smacking someone with a welly boot gets you Court Martialled and discharged his prospects look grim. And as we all know from the example of Pte Clegg, once certain sections of the media and establishment get hold of this he is going to be sacrificed.
So, a cheery song to round off with…
I echo your sentiments totally ASE ..
I simply cannot see what the problem is .. the Gurkha soldier concerned was doing exactly as he’d been ordered (and did it extremely well) ..
If a problem exists, then I suggest that it be laid firmly at the door of whichever Senior “chinless-wonder” (or Whitehall mandarin) issued the order for “positive” ID ..
This inspired act of initiative will have sent waves of shock-horror through the insurgents like shit through a goose .. and is worth at least two extra Battalions of British Troops ..
The lad concerned ought to be decorated ….
The effect will be the same as the Argies felt – they were terrified of the Gurkhas and urban legend says they used to feel their necks each morning to check that they were still intact.
For real PsyOps credits we should have leaked a story that the chap boiled the head and ate it. Or that the skull ended up as an ashtray in the Regiment’s Mess. Either way, the Johnny Gurkha should be on the way back to his unit with a medal.
Rather reminds me of a friend of mine (no names, no pack-drill) who ordered an armoured “Pig” to take-out the gates of Milltown cemetery .. where a number of “players” had taken refuge ..
Got marched in to see the Coy Commander (interview without coffee) .. got marched out, turned about, marched back in .. where coffee was served … 😉
Just hope someone has the decency & common sense to do the same for this bloke ..
Well said Captain
Stupid bastards
He’s a Gurkha. He’s got a Kukri. Sort of a clue, there really…
He should get a medal – or a bigger knife – not a fucking court martial. Fuck what the Taliban think, or anyone – it’s a perfectly sensible thing to do. What about the impact on Gurkha morale?
Correct response from c/o: oh, “I see. Was the id confirmed? well, there you go.”
End of.
Interestingly author, businessman and latterly polar explorer Simon Murray recounts how he had to do the same thing for exactly the same reasons in his autobiography of his time in the Foreign Legion. He found the situation rather amusing. Such is WAR
of.
I despair, otherwise I would rant A LOT
Gildas
I de
I remember reading the Victor! comic as a lad wherein the Gurkhas propensity for cutting off their ‘Jap’ victims heads was regarded as cause for celebration, how low we have fallen.
btw, is the saintly Lumley on the case?
I’m sure that even as we speak some bod in the MoD is on the phone begging her not to say anything in public. Hope she ignores them though.