Posted 8 years ago
lee120275
(46 items)
Early 20c military Gurkha knife inlaid with silver and a brass lion to the top, the little knife is for 5yrs service to the British army. Gurkha's are from Nepal and possibly the best jungle warfare fighters in the world. They are Nepalese residents who work with and for the British army and have for 200yrs, friends who have been in the army tell me they are the best British troops. Their country is poor so to get out of poverty they train from a very young age, just so they can get out of poverty with the British army. I am all for the help they give British army but until recently they never got a army pension, why I don't know they fight the same as our British troops. Anyway it baffles me as to why they can not get the same treatment in all aspects as British citizens when we have the most amount of foreigners just ripping our country in Europe. Foreigners from all over the world come to our country just for a holiday just because they are ill, to screw our free NHS scheme (been changed recently), and to collect our free government handouts (housing, living expenses). But for some reason the Gurkha's who work in our army are not entitled to a pension the same as a British person, I believe they have a better pension scheme now it's been changed recently but not the same as British troop's but should be. They also stay in the army a long time a high percent stay until they are old. Back to the knife I have heard that a Gurkha has to draw blood when he draws out his knife, either his own or his enemy. This I don't know to be true but has been rumoured in Britain for as long as I can remember, may just be that
a rumour.
we have gurkhas in my city too!
I've had & seen many of these with 2 small knives. Does that mean 10 yrs. service ?
The knife is called a " Kukri" ! One of the best I have ever seen! The two smaller knives are to sharpen the Kukri in the field. Wow!
I've always liked the kukri, but I've only had the pleasure of meeting Gurkhas once, when they did a tour of duty at the United Nations Compound in Seoul, Korea. Respect for them in military circles goes far beyond the British Army.
The blood drawing story is only a myth, although one that the Gurkhas themselves don't do much to dispel. The reality is that kukri makes a great tool in the field, and get unsheathed and sheathed all the time in the course of a day - without blooding.
Chris
Probably also great for peeling potatoes, corn etc. . I doubt they would appreciate my comment ! Serious thing that !
Yes blunderbuss2 they get another little knife after another 5yrs service, I have seen lots of variations of this knife too but I like this one as I definately know it went to war due to the lion on top. They are the national Knive of Nepal and all are beautiful in there own way but I just like the fact it has done its service. I even know the family it came off.
After 15 yrs, do they get a little fork ? LOL !! Sorry. Just too obvious to pass up.
Every kukri has two little "knives" in the back of its sheath. One is a small sharpened blade for small jobs and food preparation and the other is a thick, unsharpened, blade-shaped piece of steel for striking to make fire.
I have just aquired this knife last week. How old is this knife? What is this knife worth?