Hey guys, it's Jack.
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I'm Jack Murphy here with David Park and our guest on tonight's show is Kushaw Limbu. He served in the second Battalion of the Royal Gurrica Rifles. We're very excited to have him on the show tonight this to talk about his life in his career and surmounting some really difficult situations, and also to talk about this storied nepalice unit that probably many people here in America don't know about.
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And I got to shamelessly self promote my own book, We Defy. The Last Chapters of Special Forces History comes out in just a week December ninth, and we will be doing a show on the release date talking about it. So without further Ado Kushaal, welcome to the show. Thank you for joining us tonight.
Thank you so much, Jack Dave, thank you so much for having me on your show.
Looking forward to So tell me from the beginning, tell me about growing up in the Pall and how your life took you towards the Gurkhas.
So. I was always throwing at because my father was indust as well so so so I grew up in the military in well at a very young age. So I always wanted to be you know, soldier, so yeah, so and field mine because in the military as well. So, so it's kind of British commutration to to go to to military and that's how we started. Frankly, so with with with specifically to join Gokus. It's a it's a it's a long history, more than two hundred years history.
So the Gokus the first joined British Army was in eighteen fifteen. It's a long story, but obviously we.
Love to hear it. You take as much time as you like.
So obviously I don't want to go too much detail on it. Obviously I'm might be wrong in some you know something that's fact. But so so basically when when the British is in the company. So yeah, so British Army or British you know, what do you call.
You know, British the viceroy and yeah, the East India Company a corporate kind of a corporate construct.
Yeah, so basically we're talking about more than two years ago and when the British Empire, when they were spent expanding outside India. You know, it's because Nepal, Nepoli is just next to India. So they were when they were you know, expending their tat phrase and they're trying to you know, capture or trying to get land from Nepal. So they had a that you know, they have war, the small war between British Army and Nepalese army from
that time. And as they were fighting each other, it was tough for British Army too, you know, win over them because because Nepal is very hilly area. So on those those days, it was difficult to you know, capture places like you know, do you know what I mean? So uh and I think while they were fighting each other, the British armies what what they realized that, I mean, these fellows are very tough, you know, why we can't can't then get them in our side, you know, ask
them to fight for us or something like that. And they made this, you know, they made this, made the contract with the at that time of King of Nepal, you know, to send them and fight with us, you know, rather than fight with each other. And they made this treaty between India Paul and British Army to get to get those boys grew to the British army. And that's why the Indian Army have gurkus and British Army as gurkuse. So there are two places. The gurker served outside. So
that's how he started. So it started twenty fifteen, So I saw not twenty fifteen, eighteen fifteen. We actually had two hundred years university of twenty fifteen. So so that was that was so that was that was the short story. That's how we started. But now it's it has become a symbol in British Army and Indian Army to have a Girkus. It's a special regiment, you know, very unique regiment.
You know, we have our own tradition. Even though so let's say so so I was in British Army, it's exact same as other British Army, British regiment, but obviously it's it's a very unique because most of the men are the police, you know, even in the British Army, they we speak of our own language. There we're going to have a British officers, but so mostly the soldiers will be in their police and it's it's a very unique, very unique kind of regiment, different from other British regiment.
What what is the military like in general in Nepal and how do the Gurkhas fit in that scheme of Nepalese military?
So basically Nepoty is a very small country. I mean, so Nepolice, it is not. So it's it's surrounded by China and other side of India. So the Nepalese army they are I mean ne party is not threatened by any country, you know, so that they're not threaten by so they so army not designed to protect anything, truly speaking. But it is a bit different. So obviously we we sell it's a different country, right, but we have a different you know, it's a completely different idea.
So are there is there the traditional or state or Nepalese forces more like border forces and you know, just kind of handle like internal.
Things.
Yeah, I mean it's it's like any any countries army. You know, it's only small countries. So I don't know the numbers how many of them are, but the Gurkas obviously it's it's a little bit different when it comes to Indian gourcause because the they have more regiment. In India, where it's a British army, we are about three two four thousand troops. But in India there are lots of regiment. I think it's more than sixty seventy thousand troops because
they have a lot more regiment. Because in the first place, it was all the Gurkhas were all in India before. So when they moved from India, when they left India in nineteen forty seven, you know, they took field regiment to British Army and they they left or the remaining regiment in India. So yeah, that's why the numbers are different here.
And we should of course, I'm going to miss some here because this is such a storied historical unit. But the Gurkhas fought in the British Afghan conflicts during the Victorian era, World War One, world War two, and this unit saw a lot of action over the years.
Yeah. Yeah, I mean we were involved in pretty much every every conflict. So yeah, I think mostly World War One. I think there were lots of you know, because you will never never turned home. World War two is the saying, but I think world War one was I think we were in well in most places in World War One. Yeah, and let's the conflict.
As well and the so let's talk a little bit about your experience.
You come from a military family.
You presumably you want to you want to be a part of this unit. Tell us about like the selection, like how you apply to it and the selection course to get into this unit.
Yeah. So so basically to get in British Army, it's a it's a very it's as a very prestigious thing to get in in Nepart in all aspect, I mean as a as a job expect as a you know, it's a uniqueness of regiment as well, you know the name and fame, so so you will see there will be lots of applicant for example when I joined, because we have a two three different stages of selection. So you go to smaller selection, then you get selected, you go to you know, bigger selection, and you have a
final selection of land. So from if you take from the beginning, I think we had about twenty twenty thousand applicants from the initial stage and then we I think we were ABO two hundred, two hundred and thirty got selected.
In the British album out of twenty thousand.
Yeah, a lot of Yeah, so what what do those initial selections look like because obviously, obviously I don't think that like an American who wants to join the American forces or a brit who wants to join the brit Forces will go through that kind of a narrowing process, right, So you guys aren't just like a conventional British regiment made up of volunteers. You go through a very you go through three different selections, like you say, what what are they looking for?
What are they selecting for?
And what are some of the things that you guys specifically that that Nepalese have to do to become a girka.
So well, so they said there are two or three different stages. So the first few stages are kind of the only looking at your your your your education level, or your small fitness you know, like pull ups, you know. So it's a little bit changed. Now I can tell what was what what was it when when I when I joined. So from from an initial state, obviously, I think it's it's just a sheer number of people that we can I think they have to choose, you know, they have to they have to get narrowed down to
the lower numbers. I mean, but by the time you get to the final selection there there will be about a thousand people, a thousand guys to choose from the final state. I would say, if you if you choose out of those thousand men, if you choose anyone, if you pick like finally, you get a very nice or good soldier of them. It's just you only have two hundred thirty. I can see that that time. Yeah, I mean that's what I think. I mean, it's just so many people that in terms of the final selection is
it's quite it's quite demanding. I mean the main, the main, the fitness criteria is you must have heard that that then the race you have to carry your carry thirty five kilo in your back and go go uppial about right, I don't remember. It's about two three kilometers up pill all the way. Yeah, and you have to do well to get you know, because like that, so is.
That one of the things that they are looking for is Nepaul is a very mountainous country and if we're drawing, if we're creating a regiment from people from this country, they have to be good in the mountains.
They have to be able to like hit those hills hard.
Uh. Yeah, I mean, as I said, I mean things have been changed because because the warfare has changed now right, so it's not so much nowadays. I think I think the selection crashure must have been changed. I don't follow at the moment. I mean, I'm not sure what it's like I mean, I suppose that this, you know, there's
still there. I think the wage wise or the distance wise, I think there's new down to a little bit, you know, but I think, as I said, I mean, the warfare has changed, so they might not look into they're not they might not look in those cratera anymore, right, right, Whereas when I was in our time, there was there was, Yeah,
there was so much. You know that that race that was the main race, the cutting waging going up, that was that was the most important race that they were looking before you get in the selection.
Yeah, yeah, and then tell us about you know, you get you get selected, you're one of the two hundred and thirty that gets picked up for that year.
What was the training like to become a girka?
I mean presumably after selection they trained you to be a soldier, right, yeah, So I mean what did I do? Yeah? What?
Yeah?
What was the training consist of?
Oh? So it was I mean so basically I was a bit lucky because my one of my my auntie's husband it was x x gcause he recently retired from you know gcause and he so me and my other friend, we we had a training, We got training from him. So he he's the one who you know, you train us and did all the fitness, all the you know, running and you know, cutting weights and go up and on the hills. So I think I did about two three months of training before I before the fan selection.
But it was quite you know, quite intense training, like I almost like every every day, every day. I mean, yeah, it's quite tough. If I if I, if I remember those days, I mean I can't surprise myself. How did I do?
That?
Was tough?
Yeah, after after the selection course, after you were selected, what is the actual Girka training like where they're they're teaching you how to shoot a rifle and how to do all these soldiers tasks.
So yeah, the gurgu Is Gurgus training are liter slightly different than to the British counterpart. It just we I think the other unit they do three four or four five five months training. We do nine months training almost a year. The reason for that is because from those nine months two months would be we learn English for two months. So because it's important because you have to work with you know, very surgyment or you know, because
it's a Ritish army. You just can't you have to you know, you have to be speaking English and you know speaking well. So so two months if I remember, well, I think two months is English. And so if basically start with it's out with all you know, basic training life, you know, fitness or the fitness thing. And yeah, I think I think we started with indoor shooting first. I think I used to call sat or something it was. It's still a real gun, but it's just nothing comes
out of it. Just you pointed the screen and just right right shows the target kind of thing. Ye. So yeah, that's that's how we started. And I think after a few months they they you know, they got some the real range and you know, yeah cool.
And and how does the training progressed until like tactics and and getting you ready to do this job once you once you graduate.
Yeah, I mean it's hardly wont but it is quite
a long time. I mean the first the first impression of the first experience when I when we because when we got to the u K, it was a month of February beginning of February, uh and and the training center is in north of u K, which is the further north for the more cold cordated so so I remember we we we arrived he through it mid I think it was somewhere around evening, yeah, five six, And it took us about three four, four or five hours to get to the where I was training center was
uh and it was the middle of the night, it was I think it was. I think it's one in the morning. And it was month of February. It was cold, it was Windy's horrendous. So whenever I think about my training days, I mean, I think about the weather is surrendous. I think I think they they they they put the training center in purpose because because of the all the training, I think, so yeah, that's how I remember my training
in the first place. Very cold, you know. So yeah, I think all of all of my friends they are the same, aout same experience, very cold, and it's a very new thing because you are a new place, completely new place, you know, Mark, you know, thousands of miles away from your home. You know, some of us were really homesick as well, you know, I think I was. I was. I was pretty all right with the situation that I was in because being grew up, grew up in the military in one all the time, I was
pretty okay with homesickness or or the military thing. And my father was he was really I would say, really really military men. And you know, he he he he brought us as a soldier as well. I mean, if you you know what I mean. Yeah, so it wasn't new for me. For me, but for the most of my my friends, they were they were it was pretty shocking, you know, change in their life when I started the training.
Yeah, I have to ask you too as we talk about this about the knife, the blade that the gurkhas carried, the kokery, which is as I recall, it started off many years ago as an agricultural tool and then shifted into a combat tool. Could you tell us a little bit about this, I mean, is it ceremonial today or is it something that's still in use with the unit.
If you could tell us a little bit about it and what it means to the Gurkas.
Yeah, the cookery is is very unique to us as well. Obviously this the cookerd is weapon. Uh, it can be used for many things, you know, as a tool as well. I would say the cookery was more weapon on those days than now it is. I think now it's more ceremonial, but obviously it doesn't mean that you can't use it obviously, but I would say that the limited scenario. Yeah, yeah, question that you were used in concrete. But yeah, but it's it's a it's a it's a have you seen the cookrete?
Oh yeah, we have one?
And yeah, I have a I have one I bought in Kathman. Do here in the office.
Actually, you want to grab a jack and show it to people who haven't d Dmitri Wolf. It's funny because there wasn't like in twenty ten or twenty eleven, wasn't there a former Gurka in India on a train and the train was like overtaken by like thirty or forty robbers and he like killed like seven of.
Them with a kukrie and chased the rest off. Do you remember?
Yeah, the story that is true. That is true, and that guy was actually I think he was. I think he was leaving the service. I think he I think he died and he was going home and when it happened. But yeah, it's quite that guy must be.
Yeah, so did you guys, you know, even though it was more ceremonial, did you still carry them in combat?
Did you train with them? And training? Is that is it is there a like.
Nepalese uh, martial art that incorporates that, like, how did the cookery become so synonymous with the google with.
The yeah, concrete. So in the training, in the basic training, we we do have some some you know, some drills that goes with the cooks. We actually have a cookery drill. It's like a martial art moves with the cook and it's quite it's quite, it's quite nice to look at.
I mean, for for for our viewers.
I am not I'm not the expert. Khrushaw is the expert here on this. I am just a fan. And that that's what the blade looks like. For folks who are watching this.
That's fantastic. This is this is This is a typical cook and I think the size is it is it's not perfect size. I mean, you don't want to carry too much, too too much.
I was told I was told that this is a replica of what they carried in World War Two. The one they carry today is a little smaller.
Uh. I think it's about about the same. I mean it depends on which regiment because if you see nepal Is it is divided into two regions. Eastern and west. So if you see Nepal map, map is a long map and you see east and west. So for the eastern region a little bit different cookery and the other you know, Western have a little bit different shape the eastern. If you if you see east, this is more like western shape. Eastern will be more thin and longer shape.
But there were exact same yeah, so so yeah, yeah, talking about the training, so we do have what we call cookery drill. It's like a martial art moves with the cookery and you know you have to go wrong with it. But well we have to carry the cookery all the time, you know we're training or even you know, whenever you you go out with your you know k military kit, cooker goes goes with it.
So yeah, yeah, it's it's fascinating. I mean it's it's a scary weapon for sure.
Oh yeah, I mean it's it's quite i mean it's quite unique shape as well. The shape of that cookery is it's quite sharp and obviously you have to you have to use it properly because obviously I've seen it's quite funny that the the young British officers who come to cooky regimen and they when they use the cookies the first time, they obviously they don't know how to
how to strike it. You have to strike it with angle, a little bit of angle and you know, sideways and if you can use it properly, it can it can chop anything, almost anything, and and and and in the circus. So it's a little bit different. It's it's a completely different than British Army obviously. And in the UK there are some rules and you know, there are some other things that you can't you know, you can't do things.
You can't go with chop around animals, you know. But in Indian good because when when we do ceremonials, we we actually cut real animals. Yeah, and the ceremony Yeah, which is fine in India because it's they're not you know, it's completely different.
Yeah, it was that. I mean, this is one of the rumors that I've heard. So you can confirm by is it a cow or a go?
But but but like the idea is to be able to behead an animal with in a ceremony with one blow with with a kuker?
Is that is that a myth? Or is that true?
Uh? It's it's true. Okay, it's it's true. It's I mean, yeah, you have to have to do it in one blow, otherwise it considered as a bad luck to the regiment. Okay, uh, that's why the guy was chosen. Its generally big. Yeah. And the cookery is about it's quite a long cookery. I think it's about a meter long. Something like that.
I've never seen. So. Yeah, when when I was younger and I was going up, was seen so many ceremonial It was quite scary as well because because the when when the guy you know, does that, there will be some uh some soldiers behind him with the rifle with the blank fire, goes, goes with the stripe, makes it quite even you know, scary.
Interesting.
So when when you enlist, because you mentioned that their their regiment or a regiment or regiments in India and then the regiment in uh England, British Army, the British Army. When you enlist you decide which regiment you want to go into. Do you decide if you're going to go to the India or the British Regiment or do they Does everybody train with the bridge and.
Then go to India from there? Or how does that work.
Oh no, it's it's it's completely different selection process. So so we have different selection center in the pub so it's completely different. So it's English Indian Google. They they are separate, so they have different selection criteria. I'm almost almost very different to each other. So they so in in an army, it's pretty much it's I think it's
almost the same as other Indian regiments. So so yeah, whereas in British arm it's a good because that they're completely different than the British regiment, so a little bit different, I think I would say, I'm not saying because I'm I'm ex British arm me the selection of British Army selection is more a lot tougher. It's a lot tougher.
Yeah, I imagine that pay.
There's probably a difference in pay too, right in terms of like being part of the British Army versus being part of the Indian Army.
I would say in terms of in their national GDP, Indians have paid quite a lot, okay, yeah, yeah, yeah, it used to be a little bit low those because my you don't tell me about my father was Indian, so I grew up in India, so so yeah, yeah, that's how that's how I or started. So yeah, I think in terms of GDP, the Indian as a whole, in Indian Army or you know, they're paid.
Better, okay, and they do.
They have to do that in order to remain competitive with the gurkers that are going to England.
I guess.
Again they probably had to increase the Indian Gurka pay in order to make it competitive. Otherwise everybody would want to go to into the British Army if if the pay was much better.
Yes, no, I'm not too sure, but it just it's just the the to work completely different. I mean, although they are both are Kirkus agiment obviously, also because there are more more places in Indian because than British Army. In British Army, we only gets selected once in the year, whereas in Indian gurkause there will be every other month, the selection of build a month or in a few months. So because there are lots of regiment there, so there were more people, more more vacancies there.
So you get to second Battalion of the Royal Gurkha Rifles. And I was, you know, doing a little bit of research before the show. I saw you did two tours to Afghanistan and it sounded like also you did a few years in BRUNEI. Can you start talking to us a little bit about like what it's like actually to be at Gurkha and to start getting on this deployment cycle.
Yeah. Join in two thousand and two, after after finish finishing my basically training, I bench my regiment. Second. We we have two two infantry two infantry regiment good regiment first first World go g Raffle and the other one is second where I served and the both regiment they and this so one one station in UK and the other stage in Burrai and every three years we swapped each other every three years. So so when I so when I when I went to my regiment, it was
in the UK at that time. I think it was next year two thousand and three, we so we moved to Burrai. And yeah, so bright Burnight is very different from the UK. You probably know it is. It's hot all the time, it's a it's a completely different uh environments. Like I think it was more of mostly for jungle training. I think in that aspect it's more of it's it's it's a yeah, it's a it's a proper jungle. It's if you're not comfortable with jungle environment, it's not for you.
It's it's it's very very tough to know you get around Brunei jungle. So so I did three years in Bruni and came back. Actually when when Afghanistan for the first time in from Brunei within the two thousand and four I think, I think it was two thousand and four. I was only therefore two three months. It was somewhere in north of Afghanistan. It wasn't it wasn't like that at that time. It was almost like peace. It wasn't
crazy like you know, although Paris later on. But that's that's why I post went to Afghansan for the first town and came back after three years from Brunei to u k H. I think it was two thousand, two thousand and eight. Uh, And that was Herrick nine used to call. We have different numbers for different headachy so
Headrick nine. When we deployed my regiment got deployed to Affhatan at that time, it was it was committedly different obviously, this was it was more south of Afghanistan, Hellman Province, all the crazy places were there. We we were we were part of Commando Commando Brigade and we were attached to them and working alongside with them. And my my regiment was put a good place called Moussa Cola. That's well we're based and we were operating from that to
smaller places, local places from there. I I was, I was actually a sniper Shane that time, a very new sniper. I think I only did my training but a year ago I went to the snipper platoon and when I was in Afghanistan, I think I was, I was, I was there. I was there for a month or so, not not long before my my injury. So I was with so my my sniper section was attached to a regiment called which was armored Armored Regiment. So so we were basically there to support them as as a fire
fire support to them. So yeah, that that was my role and I've got it and I had it nine other night. Shall I tell you about my incident or yeah? Yeah? Yeah, So, so, as I told you, it had been only about a month or so. We were deployed in October, somewhere in October, I can't remember the date, uh, And it was fifteenth and November, so we we were so basically our our job job was to go there, clear the area and stay there hold the position for as long as possible.
After a few days we were we were called back from that place to the to the to the main base camp and we hm so me and other friends. We were in the armored vehicle. So I think we were in the convay, but four or five armed vecan convey. I think we were the third or second conway was pretty strange and our our vehicle it drove over a big id. It just drove I think the back of the the vacant got hit by. It's a huge it was quite huge. It was so huge that tragically we
we lost our friend. He was he was a good as well, and he was he was a very good friend of mine as well. Yeah, sadly we lost him straight away. And I because I was I was sitting so close to him, so I got most of the injuries after him, lost my legs below below my knees. I can remember everything. Actually I didn't pass up, so I remember everything about the incident.
So I I.
When I knew that we got hit, it just it gone dark, completely alive. It was so like I mean, it wasn't dark, but obviously in my mind it seemed quite dark, you know what I mean. And I i've us I started check my legs first, because I didn't feel any any pain at all. I started checked myself, you know. I started to check my hands, and my hands were right. My my bad was bleeding a little bit,
you know. And as I looked down I'm trying to lift my leg, I saw my leg hanging and I checked the other leg that was hanging too, and that was pretty pretty tough to look at, having both legs, you know, got shattered. So we were quite lucky though, because we didn't have any follow up attack off of the blast. So and and we we had lots of medics in a group, so we so they got us, got us out from the vehicle, you know, trying to fix my legs, you know, you know, trying to wrap
it off. It was quite bleeding. It was quite bleeding Buillian quite a lot actually, And I think after about for ten minutes or fifteen minutes, I started to feel pain. I think because I think my brain is start to you know, recognize what's what's going on, and then I started to feel pain emenseally. It was so much pain, and the medic gave me some painkiless, you know. And I think the most tough part of that incident is when they put a tony kit around my legs. I
just can't forget that feeling. It was so painful. I think it was painful then, you know, the first my initial impact. It was just so much pain for just and I think they gave me another another morphine, a pain creer, and I think the pain started ease off, you know. And I asked ask the other guys. I mean, because I didn't see my friend who got killed. I didn't see him. I saw him, you know, make a little bit noise on bruction side. Obviously I didn't see
him at all and asked him. I asked the other guys how he how he's doing, and they said he's he just didn't he didn't make it. That was quite tough when I when I had I was quite tough, but you know, crazy, it was crazy. And I think we we sat there for what forty five minutes or something before Sun came to pick us and we we all one to Cambast for the nic serjury. So I had another friend who was it wasn't much as much change as my He broke his legs, but he wasn't
It wasn't bad as mine. And that was a There was a lady captain who was the commander of that vehicle as well, so she she lost her legs as well. So yeah, so all together we were we were four or five, including including my friend who got killed. So yeah, it was pretty tough when I remember when I remember back those those.
Days and then you're going through a pretty long rehabilitation process, I have to imagine. And if I recall, right, you were also married during this time, Yeah, I was.
I've been married for a year or so. I think that was album made in two thousand and seven and it was a year after that, so just just over the year married. For my wife was still she was still in the back home. So yeah, so when when they when they hear the news first time they were they've flown to the UK to see me spill. Yeah,
it was it was quite long long recovery. Especially the first few months were really tough because I when I when I lost my legs, I mean they were infected as well, so I had to go through lots of lots of surgeries. I was. I was in the i c U for ten days to ten twelve days. I was. I'm completely ventilated at some point.
Yeah, it was.
It was crazy. I mean almost like it was like nightmare. I mean when I was in the hospital, but I felt like it was a nightmare. Every every day. You know, I could see my my dad and my wife. They they you know, came to see me. I saw them by my bed beside all the time. But I was I couldn't speak to them. It's I was too weak or you know, I was too much drowsy with all the medication that I had. Pretty crazy, I was. I think I was. I was in the hospital for a
month or so. Uh and it was before the Christmas, so yeah, I was. It was pretty bad time, pretty bad time. Yeah.
Were you at this point medically discharged from the gurkhas or do.
They keep you on?
I mean, what what is that process sort of like after you received some pretty serious injuries.
Uh? Well, I was. I stayed for a while. Obviously, I didn't have much to do in the regiment because I was so young in my service, I didn't I didn't have obtain any any rank as well, so I was I was just I was just private, you know, so in that aspect, I didn't have, you know, must to do anything. And physically I was in it, I wasn't able to do anything. So but I spent about three four years before I got out.
Wow, okay, yeah, but I think but most of the time I was, you know, I was you know, recovering or you know. I think it sounds like they took pretty good care of you.
Then. Yeah, I would say, yeahouse, I think I need I needed uh emotional and I need emotional help.
Yeah, you need to be around around your teammates.
Yeah, yeah, I mean it's it's quite tough to think as well, because when you see yourself, you know, on your reality all the time, you know, and on the other hand, you see your friends doing there, you know,
normal things that you you used to do. I mean, it was pretty tough to you know, tough to see and you know, not not be able to do it like them right now, right, But I was, I would say I was kind of like I was, you know, uh, I mean I felt really lucky as well, you know, to be to be alive, you know, and I from that expect you know, it kind of kind of balanced it, you know, I mean and emotionally wise.
How uh I mean, I know, eventually, you know, and today you're now participating in athletics. What was the process like of being fitted for prosthesis and kind of like getting back up to where you are today?
Uh? Yeah, I mean once I started to use my prosthetics, you know. I think I think when I when I got my prosthetic legs and when I started to get used to them, I think that's when I got where when I got my old confidence back, you know, whereas before before my before I got my prostetic I was, I was. I was on the wheelchair the time, you know, so it was quite tough though. I think it was
about four five months after my incident. But but when I got my prosthetic bag and I got used to them, you know, and I got my strength back, you know, and I I really thought that I should do something for myself, you know, or even something for my family to to to to something to look forward, you know, rather than just be sorry for yourself, you know, because I was I was a sporty person before my injury. Anyway, I used to I used to do lots of sports.
So I thought I should do something, you know, obviously you can't. I knew I could. I couldn't do anything similar to what I used to do, but obviously I had some ideas what can be done with prosthetics, you know, prosthetic legs like athletics, you know, because I saw because I saw some of the guys using those running blades and athletics before. So yeah, so I think it was twenty ten. I think when I first started using my
running blades, I was quite tough to start. It was quite tough to you know, because it was completely new things. But once I got used to it, you know, used to that within balance, and I think I started, Yeah, I did really well on in my training days. So yeah, and I had a vision. I had had it, you know, And that time twenty twenty twelve Olympics were coming as well, so I had something to focus on, you know, But obviously that was I couldn't. I didn't didn't make to
the team. That's a different story. But but when I when I started my clig training for tell I, I was aiming to get to the twenty twelve Olympics.
Yeah, and you did end up participating in the Invictus Games. And winning a couple of medals.
Right, Yes, that was something that you know, it was. It was one of the you know, greatest things about my my you know, achievement. I think I would say to be you know, to yeah, to be in the in RICTUS Games. Yeah. So yeah, because I couldn't get in the team in twenty twelve, So I was very disappointed about after after the you know Olympics, I didn't get into the team. Then I I didn't. I didn't stop training even after twenty twelve, so I kept turing. I captain training, I had a coach, I had a
local coach and athletic stadium. I used to go there two three times a week, you know. Then there was an opportunity for me to go to US for Water Games in twenty thirteen, and I so I competed in the games. Yeah, and I won, yeah, a couple of gold medals there. So yeah, so my event was one hundred, one hundred and two hundred in the dash. I also took took part in sitting volleyball as well. So yeah, so that's how he started competitive aspect from World Games.
Then the next the year after twenty fourteen, then Victor's games were introduced first time by Prince Harry and it was in London. All the venues were the same, exact same as twenty twelve Olympics, so it was pretty bonus, you know. They you know, obviously I had a disappointment from twenty twelves, but I had a chance to you know, compete in the exact same location, which is pretty cool.
And that I think that year, the first year or the first you know in mictors games are really really big thing in twenty fourteen because because because it was you know, after twenty twelve, and obviously in those times because of the all the all the injuries from herick, you know, Afghanistan. I think the games are very famous because of that. Yeah.
Yeah, And how did how did this sort of journey the next step for you? It sounds like getting into golf. How did that come about?
Oh? Oh, so golf. I picked up golf in twenty fourteen as well, So yeah, someone in twenty fourteen. So golf is something that I never thought I would play. To be honest, I as I said, I was really really sporty person. But I think the golf is the only thing that I never played or I thought I would never play, didn't. I didn't like golf at all before my injury. But so in twenty twenty fourteen, so my my recovery recovery officer at that time, it was Captain he he he he.
He did this.
Injured Servicemen and Family Open Day or you know outing kind of like it's open day for injured servicemen and families and he he organized this thing in a golf multi activities place where the golf range was there. So that's that's where I first time I hit a golf boy on a golf rage. Me and other few friends and we loved since I think me and my two other amputy friend empathies Friend Day. We all studied that
year twenty fourteen, the end of twenty fourteen. So yeah, that's that's how we started playing golf.
And what is It's p x G.
So so PHG. The full form is PGS Parsons Extreme Golf. It's basically an American, an American golf company started by someone called Bob Parson. He's he's you know x US marine, you know, a Vietnam veteran. So he started his company in twenty fourteen, I think. So this is very unique
golf brand. You know, it's these these clubs are really designed differently that they made a little bit different than other you know, normal clubs, other other other brands, you know a little bit of expensive side as well, you know. But the good thing with PHG because of the owner is X military. He has this vision or this program called Heroes Program where all the military people or all the military people or I get disc on from it.
And it's including the first responders, including nurses and teachers as well. So all these you know, men and women get disc on from. So so I'm I'm actually doing I'm actually ambassading this program. I wouldn't say I was. Yeah, people, people, people, you know, ask me if I am basting the bra it's not actually invested in the brand, But I'm actually invested in the program called Heroes Program. It's a little bit different.
I would say, where can people go if they want to get involved in the program.
Uh So they have website, you know that the the you know brand website PG dot com. Yeah, for for the for the for you, for the US customer. I think it's pretty straightforward. You can actually go go to their website and actually check everything and I think you can put your detail on it and you can tell that you Elizabeth for the disco or not, whereas in you UK it's a little bit different. I think you have to go, you have to go physically and show
them ther ID card and everything to get discover. It's quite it's quite nice. Of the moment it's twenty percent of all the clubs and thirty percent or the other necessaries and the club. Uh, it's it's very nice.
Do we have any questions? Pretty sure we do.
I just I want to ask you because you know, you mentioned.
That when when you first sort of lost your legs and you know you're in this situation and you were an athletic guy. You know you're you're an achiever, and you saw all your friends doing things that you couldn't do that I imagine that was a low time for you. And then you know, you get your prosthetics and you start to get involved in all these athletic events. How did your mindset change? Like what was the thing for you that says I'm going to do this, like I'm
not going to let this define me. And what advice would you offer to other veterans or anybody who is in a similar situation.
Yeah, yeah, I mean it was. It was pretty difficult, you know, because you were physically dumb and mentally dumb at the same time. It's quite it's quite easy to say for me now than you know it at the time, you know, actually do it, you know, but I would so when I when I was in that phase, you know where I was in, when I was in you know, a few months dumb, going to my recovery, I actually
thought of my family as well. You know, I said to myself, you know, I have to do something for myself and to my family, you know, you know, because because I worked so hard, I trained so hard to get into the British Army. It's a it's a quite it's a big achievement for me or for any girl.
Because and you when you got when you got injured, and when you when you lose your boath legs, it's it's it's a completely different you know, your life is upset down right, and it's a I would't say it's a great shame, but you you feel like it's a shame that this happened to you and you want to do something to get over this, you know, And luckily I had some you know, sports mentality to do something
in that that feel, you know. So, yeah, that's that's how That's how I felt for the first time, and I said to myself, I should do something for myself and for family, you know, rather than just sitting around and you know, feel sorry for yourself. And I think things just added up. So it may not happen to everyone, but you know so I think everything came together once I started to do something, you know, I and I started to do well in athletics and I started to
win medals, you know. So yeah, So would you say that the.
Mental recovery almost followed? Like you were kind of feeling down both mentally and physically.
Would you say that.
Starting the sports and starting the activities helped your mental recovery Instead of like recovering mentally and then going, Okay, now I'm.
Going to get out there and do it. It was like you just got out there and did it, and.
Then you're like your emotional well being and everything caught up with that.
Uh see, can we simultaneously Okay, they both have to click, you know. But you know, I was I was lucky enough to be on a great family with me. You know, my wife, my parents and everyone my regiment as well, you know, all my friends and families you know. So you know, so I mean so yeah, But obviously you have to be strong. You have to be really strong. And I think all the departments needs to click. But I would say that some people, I think they don't.
They don't realize that how how much support you get from, you know, from all the agency or the all the places. Sometimes lacks of lack of knowledge as well, you know, people don't realize how much support you've got. And there are there are lots of different you know, organization where you can get help from. You know, do some stuff, you know, do some activities you know, and you know, meet new people, you know, get your confident back, you know. Uh like like game of golf, you know you it's
I mean, I think because of the golf. I think, I because of the goal. I think I still see my older friends from from the military. And it's because the golf game is quite unique. You can play in a level of field, you know, regardless of your your your you know, disabilities or age or sex. You know, you can be a very good player or not so much, but you can still play in your handicap, you know, and compete, so which gives you gives you confidence back and yeah that's great.
Yeah, thank you.
So some questions from our audience solely thank you very much. Are some UK infantry units better than others? Example the Parachute Regiment and the Royal Marines? Oh boy, getting salty spicy?
Yeah, what was it for me? Yeah, yeah, that's true. Okay, sly, thank you very much.
If all UK infantuners were deployed to the Russo Ukraine War, how would they perform?
Also would they work well with each other?
We did good good, I mean I mean not in that position to you know, comment on this short but in my experience I think did good. But obviously it's it it's a bigger picture. I mean it's not something right say yeah.
Can I can I ask you in terms of.
How were the gurkhas treated by the rest of the British army because Westerners often have a tendency to discount foreign soldiers right from you know, countries that aren't that aren't Western.
Did you experience that or did they receive you with like open arms?
So when I when I joined, I would say, by the time I joined, I think it was more neutral. I think the mentality was more neutral, I think, but I've heard from my seniors, my senior Gause, you know, they had some experience, a little bit of you know and even you know, not not a fair kind of Yeah, there are some We had some issues in the past about the pension thing because the Gurkers were not given
the you know, same pension as the British. So you know, it's it's just because you before ninety ninety seven we were we were stationed in Hong Kong, so that was our station, Gurkus stationed there. So so what what the British Army is saying that the people who served before I know seven the there their service were not camps one hundred percent for the to get the pension, so
it won't one before I know and seven. So people who served, the Gurkers who served before, they're still fighting for their pension, to get full pension for all this service they did. So yeah, I mean, I as I said, I mean because in British Army it's a very unique regiment. Uh uh, it's some if it's if it's anything that I think we would treat a little bit different, but not in a bad way. I would say in a good way, because we almost even we are exact same
British Army as as an other regiment. We we are almost as a special.
Regiment, you know, like a command.
Yes, not especially forcible. It's very unique and we we have a really what they say, because we have a very long history and very our forefather's They they done so much respect in the past and you know one so much gotta three awards, thirteen bases. Yeah, yeah, so yeah, very decorated regiments.
So yeah, Can I ask you where do you think that, because obviously there is Jack and I have both heard it. You know, I think most members of the US military, at least the US Special operations community, have heard about the ferocity, the courage, and the combat prowess of the Gurkas.
And like you said, thirteen Victoria crosses. You know that you have a storied.
Past and and that includes you know, Afghanistan, the Gurka who fought off like forty Taliban was it or like it was like forty Taliban? Right? Where where does that come from? Is it just the nature of is that the Nepalese spirit?
Is it?
Is that the training you receive what makes Girkus there's fierce force that you know, I mean the box were about, like you have the storied past of these fierce fighters.
Where does that come from or not? Not where does it come from? Because it's real? But what is it about the girkas that makes that true?
Okay? I think it's a mixed level thing. I think so. I think it comes from the blood. I think it's just a gene I would say, in that police blood because I would say that because even if you if you see a civilian place or non you know, as a normal police person, when it when it comes to fighting or you know, to do anything, it just it just comes naturally.
You know.
You know, you know that, you know, they get pumped up so quickly, you know what I mean in simple saying, So there's always the fighting spirit is always there. Yeah, even without the training.
It's just a cultural thing.
Yeah, it's just if I give you example, uh, and I'm not talking about soldiers or because I'm talking about this normal place, a bunch of guys. If you see so let's say, if you if you're going down the street and then in the night or anywhere, and if you see a guy in a place, guy getting beaten or getting bullied by someone else, there's one hundred chance that the other guys go and help him. And trying to fight without a guy without knowing that the place
guy I was, I'll guarantee you. So that's that's that's the thing within the place. You know people. So uh and when we get when we get to their because we have a different training, I think we have a different vision. We we we were told that what's it what's it like to be the good? Because then we were taught we are different. Although we are British Army, you know, we have different regiment, we have different different moto.
So we we we would train on top of that thing we would trained with because a little bit different than a regiment.
Yeah, yeah, sorry, thank you much.
I'm gonna skip this question about the past right because I believe the Kushar has already answered that.
Sorry, thank you. Is there a stigma if a gurka quits on a course?
Well, what do you mean? Take love?
Yeah, So if you guys are going through a tough phase of training and somebody has already a girka, if he quits that training because it's tough, is is it?
Is there a stigma around that, Uh, not necessarily.
You know, yeah, I mean there have been few. I mean there must have been cases, but people you know, didn't go through the training. I mean, I mean we went up for you know. Yeah, so so that you mean, like you said that any shame?
Yeah, but not really no really no no, Sally, thank your match. Do Jack and Dave keep smoking and drinking since Rangers never quit. Yeah, yeah, nobody likes the quitter, right Sally, thank you. Uh what is the funniest moment in your career?
Oh? Fun yet? Oh wow, there are lots of Actually I don't know, I would says golf. I think it was because when I started golf, I I was very new to this but I didn't know and nothing. I only went to the range first. And someone asked me if I played golf, and well, I started playing golf recently, and and I think that guy must have played all the time. He asked me what's my handicap? And I told him about my my my double. Honestly I did that, I said double. And I was quite annoyed as well,
why did you ask me? And you know I was, I was a little bit annoyed now And he said, oh no, no, I was, you know, talking about your you know, golf and it's a system and okay, I didn't know anything about that. Sorry about that. I was so funny, it was that.
Sally, thank you.
Do you have any respect or sympathy for your former enemy? And do you think you would be like them if born in their shoes? Uh?
Yeah, if I if I'm talking about the exact enemy.
Did that to me?
Did it to me? Is that some? Is it? I think? So?
Yeah?
Like you know, take the Taliban, I guess or or whomever in Afghanistan? Do you have any sympathy for them? Do you have any respect for them?
What? Yes? Or no? I mean I praised them pay because they I mean, and you know, and yeah, it takes a lot of courage for them too, you know, because for them because they have nothing, they almost have nothing, you know compared to what we but we have, you know, as a you know, combat thing wise, you know, you have to be quite stupidly ready to you know, face
the you know, the soldiers. But yeah, I don't know, I went obviously I can't say that I I forgive them, you know, because it was it wasn't like one to one combat, you know, right, that they were more like, you know, sit and hide somewhere and you know it's someone So it wasn't really it's not really commanded looking honest yet.
Yeah, m Corbyn, thank you much. Did someone from the s A S.
Really take out three ISIS fighters with a kukrite in twenty sixteen?
Oh sure? Yeah?
Do gurkas?
Uh?
Do gurkas ever go to s A S. Do they ever go to the Special Forces selection.
That you know of? Yes? There are few, a few, good because I think some of us still serving a thing in SASA.
There was that one dude, I think his name's Pims who went to the SBS.
Oh yeah, names, yeah, names, thank you? Yeah yeah yeah yeah. I think he's the only one who went to SPS. The other others in SAS you can tell by his videos. And he's the one tough guy. Yeah names. But I know five or six guys from SAS. Yeah they yeah, they done really well. Yeah yeah. Uh.
Luis Vascaez thank you very much. What's it like to compete on the Simpsons Cup team?
Oh? Yes, yes, So. Simpson Cup is basically is a golf golf tournament between the US and UK veterans. It's like about the Cup. If you know golf, you know Writer Cup. So it's a match play against US and UK veterans. Thirteen thirteen players in each each team and his annual competition. So one one he held in US and the following year in the UK. So one year, you k one year US so so I I I competed in four or four Simpson Cups, including this year. It was held in New York shinokock Kill if you
know you know shinokock Kill. So we we we tied, we tied, tied the cup. So we it was it was half but we we we retained the cup because we were previous champions, so we hit. Yeah, I mean it's it's one of the probably proudest moments, to be honest. I mean it's it's tough. It's it's quite tough to get in the team. Is that there are selection great as you know, you have to be searching a level of golfer to get in the get in the team
in the first place. And yeah, as it's it's a very unique tournament and I'm really proud to be part of the and presenting team GB so Coushan.
Now that you are you know, professional or semi professional golf player, and you do know what a golf handicap is. When people ask you what's your handicap? Do you still say double MPT just to see their reaction?
No, I think, yeah, it's so well, I could say that. I mean, it's just I think I think I would. Yeah, I wouldn't want to say that now because I know it's it might not work. Yeah almost, I get like because the first time that happened, because I didn't know anything, it worked, so they took a joke. But I think when I say, I feel that it might not work this sleep so because I played quite well nowadays, like I'd rather tell them my handicap, not my physical handicap.
So a play of eight eight point zero, so which I'm really proud of. So I kind of show off to say.
That, Scotchy, thank you, Rach. What do you know about the GUR contingent in Singapore? Is the recruitment different since they are police and do you know what they do?
It must be a the police guy. Okay, so I didn't. I did so. I didn't mention this earlier because I didn't want it to go through all the because because this is this is part of British Army. Well, it's not a part of British Army. It's uh so when when we get selected for British Army, so there will be some some places to get in which is called it's Singapore Police there I think they are well, they're not, they're not they're not military, they are police. But but
the selection appreciated exactly the same. It's just by the end of the selection they so they will be Singapore Police, go single police and we are really charming and British. But that I support that training is different when they get into the police obviously because they're places that they're different and their role are completely different than ours.
So yeah, and then RS thank you much.
He says, I want to do this right, I owe Gorka Hali.
Oh but you did pretty well.
They what's the right way to say it?
I am Gorky. It's it's it's an accent more than anything. Yeah, So I always coming or go Cali is Goka. So I think in a simple term that I say here comes to Gokak are coming. So this is this is this is a war cry. This is the war cry of.
That's very cool.
And do the.
Are there any instruments associated with girk is on the march.
So we have Goka band and we have Patua drums, pat jumps and we have our own some designated music goes with the page. Uh. And the other thing with the good regiment is the marching pace. You know, the pace of the march is quicker than other British contract I don't I don't want to be wrong here, but it's it's faster than you know, other other British in it. It's very quick. March pace is very quick.
Interesting do you do we have anything on Patreon?
Okay, okay, Kushaal, thank you for spending some of your evening with us.
Is there anything that we didn't ask or anything that you want to promote or put out there and let people know about. Uh?
So you know, I'm basically doing golf in nowadays more than anything. So yeah, so almost I'm almost promoting PhD you know, everywhere I go. So if you feel in the golf, you know, to reach out to pH g website and if you if you you know you can get discount. That's fun. If not, then still great clubs, you know, can you can go and have a try? You know, you might love them.
Do you have a website for them?
So it's PHG dot com Okay, PHG dot com and you'll you'll see everything there.
And and where can people find you? Are you on social media or auh?
Yeah? Yeah, shows me. I'm on Facebook and Instagram. Yeah. I don't really use them a lot, to be honest. And so I think I'm a for Instagram. I think I'm a blade runner. My ideas blade runner.
So it's p x G dot com for the golf stuff, right, and then blade runner on Instagram on Instagram, Blade underschool Runner, Blade underscore Runner on Instagramkushal, thank you so much for sharing your story with us tonight.
I really appreciate you coming on here and telling us all about this and sharing some of this history as well as your personal experiences too.
Thank you so much, guys, thank check, thanks for letting me talk in the show. I'm sorry you find missed anything. I'll pump a little bit because late you did.
You did great, and we can have you back anytime you want.
And for our viewers out there, we'll be back on Friday with a ranger who did a documentary about rangers that I have to watch this week but we'll we'll have more on that Friday. Kushall again, thank you and check out our eyes On podcast our sister podcast, there's a link down the description, and consider joining our Patreon to support this channel and keep us going.
Really appreciate it, guys. We will see you on Friday.
Thanks so much, guys. Thank