Cedar Trees and Gurkahs or Don't Pi$$ off the Piper

[Trailrider]

I have often thought that those pipers were the bravest fellows in the world! I mean it is one thing to go into battle holding a rifle, but when your only "weapon" is a set of pipes...   I don't know if it true or Hollyweird, but there was a piper leading the British paratroopers in "The Longest Day". MGEN Harry Collins, CG of the 42nd Inf "Rainbow" Division had a bagpipe band. But that was for garrison duty stateside. I don't believe anyone was playing the pipes when the Rainbow went into combat just after "The Bulge" in '45.

[Gus Walker]

   Fellers ya might want to remember when a Gurka blade is drawn it cannot be resheathed till it tastes blood. 

[Pitspitr]

  Fellers ya might want to remember when a Gurka blade is drawn it cannot be resheathed till it tastes blood. 

Does it matter if it's human or cedar blood?

[Delmonico]

Clean the Cedar sap off it and loan it to the cook, he can draw blood.   

[RattlesnakeJack]

Actually, I believe the "must taste blood" thing relates to Sikh swords .... no such tradition that I am aware of regarding the khukuri, which is as much a tool as it is a weapon .....  

Otherwise, there would have to be a lot of bloodletting following kit inspection in a Gurkha unit -



As for effectiveness of the khukuri (or, in any event, of Gurkhas however armed) this terse report  of a raid by a Gurkha unit in North Africa during WWII appears in "Military Anecdotes" (Geoffery Reagan):  

Enemy losses: ten killed, ours nil. Ammunition expenditure nil.

[Pitspitr]

I received this in an e-mail from Kit Peak Kid

Hi Grant,



My father was with the 109th Combat Engineers, 34th Division beach landing at Tunisia, fighting at Hill 609 and Kasserine Pass. He said the Gurkhas would cut the ears off German soldiers, put the ears on strings and wear them around their necks.




Kendal (Kit Peak)

[Delmonico]

I've heard that before.

[Drydock]

There was a detachment of Gurkhas attached to 5th fleet security Baharain, seconded from the Royal Navy liason.  Wonderfull people, deadly as hell, and to a man, they HATE that old story!!!  

(And yes, they have to draw blood when they pull out that knife.  I used to tell my people to please not ask to see the things, as they would nick their own thumbs before sheathing it.  One curious guy did, however, offer his own thumb to be nicked.)

[Mustang Gregg]

Col Pitspitr:

Yes, it may well be the same family.  I think the last time I spoke to them (before my deployment), I was talking to a Mr. Marshall.

MG

[Pitspitr]

That's what I thought. Lonnie lived in Sargent when he invented his tree cutter. In this area just about every tree saw is a Marshall

[Mustang Gregg]

Mine is not a saw type.  More of a monster bolt cutter.

[Pitspitr]

Yeah,  I looked them up and they aren't the same company

[Grapeshot]

IIRC there were a lot of Japanese who lost their heads to the Gurkahs' Khukuris during the Second World War. 

[Oregon Bill]

Grant, the post about Piper Findlater and his V.C. choked me up.  Thank you.