Gurkhas loved a Limbu kukri... today as well as in WW2.

[spiral]

I find it interesting that so many Gurkhas loved a Limbu kukri... even today as well as in WW2.

This style of well known village kukri is easily recognised by ther distinctive butt shape. Many have an enclosed cho or kaudi but not all.

Afghanistan Modern... {The 5th Afghan war.}

{From Col.Bullocks "Britains Gurkhas"}

Probaly some these long sirupates styles are to. {Notice brass bits on scabbard typicle of mainstream kukri production for tourists & export today.} {Obviously A Gurkha would have checked it was welll fitted together & solid though, before purchase.} {Photo courtesy of my freind Matos. {A Frenchmen Officer who serves in many,many theartres.}




Interestingly some years ago Victoria cross winner Lance-Corporal Rambahadur Limbu, {later Captain. {QGO} who was in the 10th Gr in Malaya auctioned his personal carry kukri. Which interestingly was still the classical Limbu/Chainpuri style





Heres an even more interesting picture showing a Gurkha Havaldar {Sargent.}{Of the 9th GR} clearly carrying a Limbu or Chainpuri style village kukri, in a possibly webbing covered scabard ? {Not certan.} in Malaya in late 1941, Obviously private purchase from Nepal or brought with him from his own village perhaps?







So clearly some Gurkhas have historicaly carried thier own personal kukri in combat zones, even in ww2. {Not just British & Queens Gurkha Officers.}

Heres my 2 varients....{Poor pics. due to nightime.} Interestingly {To me.}one is Angh Khoala & one is Double Tibetan hairpin folding. Both unusual varients.





Spiral

[TribalBlades]

Maybe some Khukris are specific to the particular Tribe.

for example:

Rajput Gurkha : Kothimora Khukri

Limba: Limbu Khukri

Rai, Gurung, etc. .

[Gavin Nugent]

A very very interesting thread Spiral.

In this link;

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=11898

I shared a Kukri of the type in post #8.

Below are the details from the gentleman I bought it and a story Dha from.
The provenance is excellent and the hand made regulation sized timber crate with WWII post marks and stamps and the original owner's Mothers home address is a remarkable thing to see and know that it still exists.

Burmese Story Dha and a Kukri.
Provenance; Earnest (Ernst) "Bud" Wirneferd (Winfield) Fish, DOB:10-18-1912 DOD:12-21-1983

A stunning Burmese Story Dha and Kukri, obtained from retired US Law enforcement Lieutenant Lenny Walker, these wonderful old items come with one very interesting story as told by Mr. Walker;

“I met E.W. “Bud” Fish in the mid 1960’s in Rockford, MN. Bud had lived there all his life and was somewhat of a confirmed bachelor. I worked for and helped Bud in different areas with his small excavation business. I was in my teens and Bud kind of watched over me and we developed a good friendship. Bud married when he was in his 60’s and passed away in 1983. After his passing his wife called me and said that Bud had put aside some items he wanted me to have. Among those items were this box, sword, and knives. I had seen them before when Bud had showed them to me and described how he came by them. He stated that he served in Fox Company (he wrote FOX in white paint on the knife sheath and I had asked him what that meant) and was in the Pacific theatre of WWll. Bud said that he first thought that it was a Japanese Samurai Sword but when some of the other soldiers looked at it they said that it was probably a Burmese Sword and the name that was inscribed on the scabbard “MAUNG SEIN” was probably a high ranking Burmese officer, official, or the person who made the sword.
Bud said that he had removed the handle on the sword so he could fit it into the box to ship home. It sat in his house until his widow gave it to me and it has set in my storage safe for the past 25+ years."

This was the initial communication between Lenny and myself. Other communication stated this and the Kukri were removed from a dead Japanese soldier, in what context I am unsure, action or cleanup
To have with these two items, the original shipping box certainly makes for interesting viewing and display and adds a certain extra dimension to lives and interests of soldiers lives during the Pacific campaigns. Further research pending and re-assembly/restoration of the Story Dha is underway.

I hope this is of interest.

The printed matter you scanned in the same link should be on snopes, a great find, thanks for sharing.

Gavin

[spiral]

Interesting Gav, I hadnt intialy realy made out the full pommel shape of that kukri of yours in the darker area of the photo. But see your point!

And clearly with a military or more weapon oriented blade.

My Angh koala version is also clearly intended for military or weapon use.

Whearas the zink alloy handle piece is clearly Civilian.

So given its provenance yes highly relevant Thank you!

Heres a clearer picture of mine.



Spiral

[sirupate]

Originally Posted by spiral

I find it interesting that so many Gurkhas loved a Limbu kukri... even today as well as in WW2.

Be very interested in your evidence for the Limbu kukri being a popular kukri of the Gurkhas in WW2 Jonathan

[sirupate]

Certainly Havildar's carried personalised issue kukri or even their own as in the example below;

With regard to Gurkhas using khukuri house kukri, that has been going on for some time now, Captain Indra Gurung had some made for himself and his men when part of the Gurkha contingent in the 5th Airbourne Brigade that went into Kosovo in 1999.

There is a nice old picture in here of the Magar/Gurung holding sirupate of the 43rd (Assam) Regiment of Bengal (Light) Infantry (Goorkha in 1886)
Lushai Assam Regiments