IT HAPPENS WITH GURKHAS

Sub-titled 'Tales from an English Nepali, 1944-2015', as a Gurkha officer, J. P. Cross has had many unusual experiences in his long career. For example he was attached to a Japanese battalion in Indochina that was fighting for the British against the Viet Minh, and the only photograph taken of this Japanese unit finally laying down its weapons appears in this book. Later he just managed to resolve a potentially deadly dispute between an offended Gurkha and a visiting South Vietnamese trainee at the Jungle Warfare School. He also describes several seemingly supernatural experiences while serving with troops from a culture where such things are firmly believed in. Gurkhas have served with the British for almost 200 years, first with the army of the East India Company, then with the Indian Army of the Raj, and then in 1947 becoming an integral part of the British Army. This anthology of articles from The Kukri, the Gurkha regimental journals by J. P. Cross, covers much of the past 60 years of their history taking in the last days of WWII and the Indonesian Confrontation in the 1960s. He also gives an insight into the everyday life, culture and beliefs of these renowned soldiers. 'The CO knew better but, still unconvinced that the evidence we have found was correct, presumed that I have trapped the prints of some local Ibans into his company's area and, out of sheer impishness, pretended I was ethereal.' 16 pages of photos including parachuting, a wedding, lecturing, a royal visit, home and leisure activities. 224pp.