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Auction: 21001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals (conducted behind closed doors)
Lot: 741

Army L.S. & G.C., E.II.R., Regular Army (21137759 W.O.Cl.2. Tarabahadur Rai. Gurkha Engrs.), impressed naming, good very fine

Tarabahadur Rai is listed in the Regimental History as the Troop Sergeant of Workshop Troop 70 Gurkha Field Park Squadron shortly after it was formed in 1960 in Malaya. In October 1962, he is shown in the Regimental History as the Squadron Sergeant-Major 70 Park Training Squadron, which had assumed responsibility for all trade training of the Gurkha Engineers at the beginning of the year. He has a further entry in the Regimental History which states:

'In the year 1960, Sergeant Tarabahadur Rai, a Carpenter & Joiner of the Regiment having successfully completed an upgrading course at the School of Military Engineering Workshop, was retained in Chatham and assigned to the task of making oak pews, designed by Sir Hugh Casson and presented by Lady Cartwright, for the Chapel of the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst. The Colonel of the Regiment suggested that Tarabahadur might 'sign' his work after the manner of the old-time master craftsmen, but this was not allowed, it being feared, perhaps, that the 'signature' might take the form of some Hindu symbol out of place in a Christian place of worship.'

It is assumed that Tarabahadur Rai enlisted into the Gurkha Engineers when it was formed in 1948 and that he had former service with the Indian Army during the Second World War. He will have served with the Gurkha Engineers throughout most of the Malayan Emergency.


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Sold for
£55

Starting price
£30