Dip Prasad Pun receives Gallantry Cross!

Dip Prasad Pun receives the Gallantry Cross from the Queen at the Buckingham Palace. Watch the video of the award ceremony courtesy of Sky News.

Dipprasad Pun CGC is a Nepalese corporal 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 September 17, 2010.[1] Pun, then an Acting Sergeant, singlehandedly defeated 12 - 30 Taliban insurgents who were storming his control post near Babaji in Helmand province.

Pun, who was with the 1st Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles, and posted in Afghanistan was on sentry duty at a checkpost outside the compound of the unit. The Taliban who were planting bombs near the compound gate, surrounded and attacked his post with AK-47s and RPGs. Corporal Pun thought he was going to die, and decided to take as many of the enemy with him, He reportedly spent all his ammunition, more than 400 rounds, used 17 handgrenades and a Claymore mine before battering the last attacker with the tripod of his machine gun. Two attackers were still attacking his post when he set off the claymore mine.

He later said that he had no choice but to fight, because the attackers had surrounded his checkpost and he was alone. Pun saved the lives of three of his comrades and saved his guard post from being overrun. His actions are cited as "the bravest seen in his battalion during two hard tours".

Pun originally hails from Bima in western Nepal, lives with his wife Shobha in Ashford. His Grandfather and Father both served with the Gurkhas.