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Auction: 22001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 228

Pair: Lance Naik Damarbahadur Limbu, 7th Gurkha Rifles

1914-15 Star (No. 812 Rfmn. Damarbahadur Limbu, 2/7/Gurkha Rfls.); Victory Medal 1914-19 (812 L-Nk. Damabahadur Limbu. 2-7 Grks.), very fine (2)

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) database lists 812 Lance Naik Dambahadur Limbu 2nd Bn 7th Gurkha Rifles as having died on 22 November 1915 and he is named on Panel 55 and 67 on the Basra memorial.

The 2nd Battalion deployed to Egypt in defence of the Suez Canal in 1914 and helped to defeat the Turkish Army in its attempt to seize the Canal in January and February 1915. The Battalion subsequently re-deployed to Mesopotamia and was involved in the fighting for Shaiba. After one month's fighting, in overwhelmingly oppressive heat, it reached Nasiriyah, which was both the Battalion and Regiment's first major battle. The Battalion continued with British and Indian forces to advance up the River Tigris towards Baghdad until it reached the 'turning point' at Ctesiphon [where it is assumed Dambahadur was either killed-in-action. (KiA) or died of his wounds] followed by the withdrawal to Kut-al-Amara. The 2nd Battalion fought a most successful delaying action at a point subsequently named 'Gurkha Mound', holding up the whole of the 35th Turkish Division; it was largely due to this action that the withdrawal was successfully achieved. 2-7GR formed part of the Kut Garrison, which was subsequently besieged and eventually surrendered to Turkish forces in April 1916. A new 2nd Battalion was raised almost immediately in Mesopotamia and took part in the capture of Baghdad in 1917. The Battalion went on to serve in Palestine in the final year of the War (Extracts From The History of The Seventh Gurkha Rifles, 1954, refers).

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Sold for
£95

Starting price
£30