Gurkha Khukuri Training

Thanks Craig! I have enjoyed the posts from John Powell,you Lt Dan and others but we need a BS filter to keep people from posting weird and unrelated subjects as well as using this thread to dicredit and offend other people. Warrior 11...I made myself the HMFIC..Its part of being a professional soldier and seeking out responsibility....Lets keep this thread on subject and for those of you that have taken the time to post in interesting subjects I thank you....Cheers!

Trained to be cheerful.
 
Okay, PipeyCain. I highly respect John Powell's post regarding the lack of orthodox Ghurkha training. I'm really not trying to skirt the issue in my pursuit, but what I'm wondering about (I guess) is just what is the nature of what they actually do?

Strange, I seem to be developing an intense curiosity and urge to try that Gurkha Curry recipe of yours!!

BTW, this is one of my all-time favorite threads. Many, many thanks to all of you guys who have seen these things you've so graciously shared. I'm a little less ignorant because of your thoughtfulness....Dan

PS: Got any more?
 
For crying out loud. If you don't want to hear something, you just put your hands over your ears, and drown the truth out. Faughhhh
 
Lt Dan, maybe they are just practicing basic khukuri slashes(in the photos I have)in a formation so that the instructors can see if the Gurkha recruits are all moving in the same way. Our role model and Khukuri guru John Powell could probably shed light on this.Cheers!

Trained to be cheerful
 
Pipey, that could explain your yearbook photo. Pics of the Gurkhas using their famous khukuris would make good copy. I hope the eye witnesses will return with more info...such an interesting topic.
 
Sometimes you just feel like showing off with your khuks:
View
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[This message has been edited by Berkley (edited 02-19-2001).]
 
Berkly, What an excellent photograph! Would you please twell us more about it? Thank you for sharing it with us. Cheers!
 
Warrior 11:

Of course, you are right. It was 38 Long Colt.

Thanks for setting me straight.
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Pipey:

Don't be too hard us. You know what it's like. Once your engaged, it is hard to keep on the road sometimes.
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Seax


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Walk on.
 
Yes, Seax, getting off topic can be kind of like nodding off behind the steering wheel...you don't really know it until you wake up. And waking up sure beats the alternative! If you haven't noticed, I've taken the ditch more than once myself.

Those khukuris in Berk's photo. They look like SN1's to me, but could they be WW2's or something from home? Except for the buff head size, they look pretty similar to me. But I don't know for sure who these fellows are or when the pic was taken.

Can anybody help out here?....Dan
 
The pic came without provenance or explanation except for the cryptic caption "khukri dance". I believe the men are Indian Army Gorkhas in "native undress" uniform, date and unit unknown.
 
Berk's photo (thanks for the extra info!) looks to be a confirmation of Sonam's noteworthy post about the "Khukuri Dance". Being curious about that, I now have a little better mental image.

Noticing the big steel in the back, could there be various kinds of these dances that use different khukuris? Do the buff head sized knives go on deployment with the Gurkha units, or is this more like home entertainment?
 
Interestingly, I received an ad-rates card for a forthcoming edition of Hock Hochheim's Close Quarters Combat magazine. It is a knnife fighting issue and features an article on "Kukri Knife Fighting by Major Dale Corrigan, War Vet, British Army (ret.) and Gurkhas Training Wing Commander". Sounds like it might have something to contribute to this topic.
 
Kallisti, Thanks for your post. I recognize Major Corrigan's name. If you could give us any information on that issue of the magazine we would be thankful to you. Stay in touch. Cheers! Pipey
 
Kallisti, thanks for the info. I'm also interested to learn more about what you saw.

PipeyCain, have you heard anything more from your friends across the sea?
 
here is the info I have received from England regarding Col. Corrigan:
"He was an officer in 6 GR... He left the army for several years (worked for the Hong Kong Jockey Club) then rejoined at a time when the army was short of officers. His last job was indeed as OC of recruit training
when it was done at Church Crookham in Hampshire (mid to late 1990s).
Perhaps he introduced formal kukri training in that period -- his
information on that period will of course be correct -- but it was not done
in my time in the Brigade. He now earns a living as a military historian."

I look forward to what he has to say in the article.

 
Thanks for your information John. I dont see the Gurkha Article in the current CQB magazine I found today. I hope any of you can point me towards how to get a copy if you find one. Cheers!
 
I'm always grateful for JP's continuing education. Maybe I'm hung up on semantics here, but I still don't have an understanding of the nature of Gurkha khukuri training. Perhaps there is a good explanation for why I'm just not really getting it. JP's post on 02/16/01 mentioned, "There is no combat training performed specifically for using the kukri. None." Now in today's post about Col. Corrigan, "Perhaps he introduced formal kukri training in that period..."

Can anybody help me out here? I'm not meaning to manipulate quotes, but the nature of the training, if any, escapes me. What I'd like to understand is how they train and to what degree, if at all, with their khukuris. It would be good to know how these warriors use their weapons. There are many different things said about this in this thread...are they all correct and I just don't have the big picture?

Lacking a grasp of what may be keenly obvious to all other forumites....Dan
 
Lt Dan, I caught JP's contradiction as well. I have kept an open mind as to whether or not some type of organized training exists . It's amazing that after all these posts that the Question cannot yet be confirmed.
Lt Dan I havent heard from my friends in UK lately- Im contemplating another cross oceanic telephone call for this week end to check up on them. Cheers!


Trained to be cheerful...
 
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