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Auction: 22001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 126

General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, S. E. Asia 1945-46 (87831 Rfn. Chitrabdr Limbu, 4/8 G.R.), very fine

4th Battalion 8th Gurkha Rifles (4/8GR) was raised at Shillong in North East India on 15th March 1941 with drafts from each of the three Battalions of the Regiment and recruits from the Regimental Centre. In September 1943, it moved with the 7th Indian Division to Arakan with whom it served throughout the remainder of the Second World War in Burma. During 1946, 4/8GR served in Java for 5 months. The Battalion's post War service in South East Asia is described in the Regimental History as follows:

'arly in September 1945, the Battalion moved to a big tented camp near Myngaladon, the aerodrome for Rangoon. … with the Dashera just completed the Battalion was flown to Siam, being stationed in Bangkok. … guard duties, etc, were severe. Not the least, and certainly the most disliked, duty was guarding the dirty, indisciplined, insolent Indian National Army prisoners. In contrast with these rebels, the turn-out and bearing of the Japanese prisoners of war was excellent.
… the Battalion left Siam on 12th December … and it was at Port Dickson (Malaya), 150 miles north-west of Singapore, that the Battalion disembarked on 17th December … For some six months the Battalion remained in Malaya, engaged in duties of an internal security nature. … on 6th June orders were received for the Battalion to embark at Singapore on 13th for Java.
… Batavia was reached on 16th June. The Battalion was posted to 37th Indian Infantry Brigade, which was guarding the Batavia area. On 18th June the Battalion proceeded to a village named Bekassi, to the north-east, some nineteen miles from Batavia. Bekassi, a small village, stands on the river of the same name. Before the Battalion had arrived, an agreement had been reached whereby the Bekassi river was the boundary between the Allies and the Indonesians, and the Allies were not allowed to cross the river to the eastern side; the result being that the Indonesians subjected our troops to sniping and mortar fire … The Battalion's task was to clear the area on the west bank of the Bekassi river … and to stop any filtration into Batavia. …In order to counter hostile activities … one platoon … proceeded on 26th June to a village about three miles to the north. The same night the platoon was attacked, and fierce hand-to-hand fighting took place until dawn. All attacks were beaten off. In this affair the Battalion lost Subadar Kharakbahadur Gurung and one Gurkha other rank killed and two Gurkha other ranks wounded . … sanction was given to control the east bank of the Bekassi. On 16th July three Gurkha other ranks were killed in an ambush on two 15 cwt trucks. It was decided, therefore, to clear the main road and area eastwards to a distance of four miles. This was accomplished, and was the last real operation carried out by the Battalion in Java, as on 23rd August it moved back to the outskirts of Batavia, where astride the Batavia-Bekassi road, divisional and brigade defence duties, including guards, occupied it until after Dashera, when it moved to Batavia to take over the guarding of the docks. After five weeks of this hot and dirty neighbourhood, all ranks were not sorry to embark … for Malaya, which was reached on 21st November 1946. Camped in an ideally situated position near Kuala Lumpur, the next few months passed very pleasantly. It was in these circumstances that the Battalion's term of active service in the Second World War came to an end.'

4/8GR eventually returned to India in December 1947.

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Sold for
£95

Starting price
£40