Dipprasad Pun

Dipprasad Pun, CGC (Nepali: दिपप्रसाद पुन) is a Nepalese sergeant of the Royal Gurkha Rifles who was decorated with the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross for an act of bravery during the War in Afghanistan on the night of 17 September 2010. Pun, then an acting sergeant, single-handedly defeated 12-30 Taliban insurgents who were storming his control post near Babaji in Helmand province.

Pun is originally from Bima in western Nepal, and lives with his wife Shobha in Ashford. His grandfather, Tul Bahadur Pun, was a recipient of the Victoria Cross during the Second World War, and his father and brother also served with the Gurkhas.

Conspicuous Gallantry Cross

Immediately prior to the engagement, Pun, who was with the 1st battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles, was on sentry duty at a checkpoint guarding his unit's compound. Taliban fighters, planting bombs near the compound gate under the cover of darkness, suddenly surrounded and attacked his post with AK-47s and RPGs. Acting Sergeant Pun, alone and believing he was about to die, decided to kill as many of the enemy as possible. During the engagement he reportedly spent all his ammunition (more than 400 rounds), used 17 hand grenades and a Claymore mine before battering the last fighter with the tripod of his machine gun. Two Taliban were still attacking his post when he set off the Claymore mine.

Upon receiving the award, Pun said that he had no choice but to fight; the reason being that the Taliban had surrounded his checkpoint, and that he was alone. During the engagement, Pun saved the lives of three of his comrades and prevented his post from being overrun. His actions are cited as "the bravest seen in his battalion during two hard tours".

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