Lance Naik Lal Bahadur Gurung is thought to be the oldest living Gurkha in Nepal. He fought in North Africa during WW2, please see link below for the full story: https://www.gwt.org.uk/news/the-oldest-gurkha-in-nepal/
4th Ind Div by the sounds of it. Might have to write to this chap. He mentions seeing another Gurkha from 6th Gurkha Rifles.
Worth a go CF, the GWT are pretty good at attempting to pass on communications and he live close by to one of their centres too. Good luck.
I've fired of a polite email to the GWT to enquire with with which unit he served. There was certainly one surviving veteran with his name from 1/2 GR, but I can't be sure it's the same man.
Only two Gurkha battalions fought in Tunisia, 1/2nd GR and 1/9th GR. Not sure what that medal on his chest is, but ribbon on it has 2nd Gurkha Rifles red and black chess squares.
Not a surprise, but there's no sign of his name and number in the 1/2 GR War Diary for 1944. Annoyingly, I don't have a copy of 1943.
They're pretty hot on communications: I received a reply in about an hour: Thanks so much for your interest in Lal’s story. You are absolutely right with one of your possibilities – he served in 1/2GR between Nov 1940 and April 1947. He served in 1/2GR between Nov 1940 and April 1947. His army number is 2881.
No, but if their centre in Nepal passes on my letter (as soon as I get back from holiday and actually write it), I might well make one unsolicited.
Looks like medal on his chest is the Commemorative Medal for 200 years of 2nd Goorkhas. On images is miniature version of the medal
James. The red and black chequered squares are certainly the colours of 2 GR and 1/2 GR were at Cassino although I am not sure that he was right about seeing a soldier from 6 GR. 6 GR never served with 4 Ind Div nor 8 or 10 Ind Divs. Regards Frank
Yes, I reached the same conclusion about 6GR. I wondered whether perhaps he could have been previously a man who he knew had previously been with that battalion, the past perfect (or equivalent) could have been badly translated. Total guess, of course.
It could be that he actually meant 6th Rajputana Rifles which had battalion in 4th Indian Division or 9th Gurkha Rifles, even tho both of this regiments had battalions in different brigade, 5th Brigade while 2nd Goorkhas was in 7th. We could only guess.