WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:01.120 Hey guys, it's Jack. 2 00:00:01.199 --> 00:00:03.240 I just wanted to talk to you today about a 3 00:00:03.279 --> 00:00:05.919 way that you can help support the podcast if you're 4 00:00:05.960 --> 00:00:09.519 not already to support the channel is to become a 5 00:00:09.519 --> 00:00:13.000 Patreon member. So we have Patreon memberships that start at 6 00:00:13.199 --> 00:00:15.919 just five dollars a month, and when you sign up, 7 00:00:15.919 --> 00:00:19.160 you get access to all of our episodes add free. 8 00:00:19.640 --> 00:00:21.679 That's the big bonus for that. I mean, we also 9 00:00:21.719 --> 00:00:26.239 do some Patreon bonus episodes for our subscribers, but this 10 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:28.960 is the biggest and best way that you can support 11 00:00:29.079 --> 00:00:33.679 the Teamhouse channel and podcast if you'd like to, and 12 00:00:33.799 --> 00:00:36.200 we really appreciate that, So go and check us out 13 00:00:36.200 --> 00:00:49.439 at patreon dot com. Slash The Teamhouse, Special Operations, Covert Ops, Spionage, 14 00:00:50.399 --> 00:00:57.200 The Team House with your hosts, Jack Murphy and David Park. 15 00:01:02.600 --> 00:01:05.560 This is episode three hundred and thirteen of The Team House. 16 00:01:05.680 --> 00:01:08.799 I'm Jack Murphy here with David Park and our guest 17 00:01:08.840 --> 00:01:13.239 on tonight's show is Kushaw Limbu. He served in the 18 00:01:13.280 --> 00:01:17.040 second Battalion of the Royal Gurrica Rifles. We're very excited 19 00:01:17.079 --> 00:01:20.719 to have him on the show tonight this to talk 20 00:01:20.760 --> 00:01:26.040 about his life in his career and surmounting some really 21 00:01:26.079 --> 00:01:29.680 difficult situations, and also to talk about this storied nepalice 22 00:01:29.760 --> 00:01:32.799 unit that probably many people here in America don't know about. 23 00:01:33.480 --> 00:01:35.439 Before we jump into the interview real quick, I need 24 00:01:35.439 --> 00:01:37.560 to tell you about our sponsor for tonight's show, which 25 00:01:37.599 --> 00:01:41.200 is KRG, a Kinetic Research Group. 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So that's 45 00:02:48.800 --> 00:02:52.280 the kind of care and attention that goes into their 46 00:02:52.319 --> 00:02:58.520 precision rifle products. So definitely check them out. You will 47 00:02:58.520 --> 00:03:00.240 find things that you love there. 48 00:03:01.120 --> 00:03:04.039 And I got to shamelessly self promote my own book, 49 00:03:04.080 --> 00:03:07.639 We Defy. The Last Chapters of Special Forces History comes 50 00:03:07.639 --> 00:03:09.960 out in just a week December ninth, and we will 51 00:03:10.000 --> 00:03:12.400 be doing a show on the release date talking about it. 52 00:03:13.120 --> 00:03:16.840 So without further Ado Kushaal, welcome to the show. Thank 53 00:03:16.879 --> 00:03:17.879 you for joining us tonight. 54 00:03:19.439 --> 00:03:22.400 Thank you so much, Jack Dave, thank you so much 55 00:03:22.400 --> 00:03:23.599 for having me on your show. 56 00:03:23.919 --> 00:03:27.080 Looking forward to So tell me from the beginning, tell 57 00:03:27.080 --> 00:03:29.919 me about growing up in the Pall and how your 58 00:03:29.960 --> 00:03:32.000 life took you towards the Gurkhas. 59 00:03:33.560 --> 00:03:37.840 So. I was always throwing at because my father was 60 00:03:37.879 --> 00:03:44.599 indust as well so so so I grew up in 61 00:03:44.960 --> 00:03:48.639 the military in well at a very young age. So 62 00:03:49.520 --> 00:03:54.919 I always wanted to be you know, soldier, so yeah, 63 00:03:55.039 --> 00:04:01.319 so and field mine because in the military as well. So, 64 00:04:01.319 --> 00:04:05.199 so it's kind of British commutration to to go to 65 00:04:05.199 --> 00:04:12.599 to military and that's how we started. Frankly, so with 66 00:04:12.599 --> 00:04:17.279 with with specifically to join Gokus. It's a it's a 67 00:04:17.519 --> 00:04:22.839 it's a long history, more than two hundred years history. 68 00:04:24.079 --> 00:04:30.319 So the Gokus the first joined British Army was in 69 00:04:30.720 --> 00:04:37.199 eighteen fifteen. It's a long story, but obviously we. 70 00:04:37.319 --> 00:04:39.439 Love to hear it. You take as much time as 71 00:04:39.439 --> 00:04:39.720 you like. 72 00:04:40.600 --> 00:04:43.160 So obviously I don't want to go too much detail 73 00:04:43.160 --> 00:04:46.240 on it. Obviously I'm might be wrong in some you 74 00:04:46.319 --> 00:04:51.519 know something that's fact. But so so basically when when 75 00:04:51.560 --> 00:04:55.160 the British is in the company. So yeah, so British 76 00:04:55.759 --> 00:04:59.279 Army or British you know, what do you call. 77 00:05:00.680 --> 00:05:05.360 You know, British the viceroy and yeah, the East India 78 00:05:05.360 --> 00:05:08.959 Company a corporate kind of a corporate construct. 79 00:05:09.759 --> 00:05:14.040 Yeah, so basically we're talking about more than two years 80 00:05:14.040 --> 00:05:18.319 ago and when the British Empire, when they were spent 81 00:05:18.600 --> 00:05:24.879 expanding outside India. You know, it's because Nepal, Nepoli is 82 00:05:24.920 --> 00:05:27.680 just next to India. So they were when they were 83 00:05:27.879 --> 00:05:31.759 you know, expending their tat phrase and they're trying to 84 00:05:32.079 --> 00:05:35.920 you know, capture or trying to get land from Nepal. 85 00:05:36.399 --> 00:05:40.319 So they had a that you know, they have war, 86 00:05:40.480 --> 00:05:45.600 the small war between British Army and Nepalese army from 87 00:05:45.600 --> 00:05:51.279 that time. And as they were fighting each other, it 88 00:05:51.480 --> 00:05:55.360 was tough for British Army too, you know, win over 89 00:05:55.439 --> 00:06:01.839 them because because Nepal is very hilly area. So on 90 00:06:01.879 --> 00:06:06.319 those those days, it was difficult to you know, capture 91 00:06:07.040 --> 00:06:09.720 places like you know, do you know what I mean? 92 00:06:10.160 --> 00:06:15.879 So uh and I think while they were fighting each other, 93 00:06:15.959 --> 00:06:19.120 the British armies what what they realized that, I mean, 94 00:06:19.160 --> 00:06:22.120 these fellows are very tough, you know, why we can't 95 00:06:23.079 --> 00:06:26.000 can't then get them in our side, you know, ask 96 00:06:26.040 --> 00:06:28.720 them to fight for us or something like that. And 97 00:06:28.759 --> 00:06:35.759 they made this, you know, they made this, made the 98 00:06:35.800 --> 00:06:39.319 contract with the at that time of King of Nepal, 99 00:06:39.959 --> 00:06:42.720 you know, to send them and fight with us, you know, 100 00:06:42.879 --> 00:06:47.639 rather than fight with each other. And they made this 101 00:06:47.800 --> 00:06:55.000 treaty between India Paul and British Army to get to 102 00:06:55.399 --> 00:06:59.680 get those boys grew to the British army. And that's 103 00:06:59.720 --> 00:07:06.360 why the Indian Army have gurkus and British Army as gurkuse. 104 00:07:06.399 --> 00:07:12.800 So there are two places. The gurker served outside. So 105 00:07:12.879 --> 00:07:16.160 that's how he started. So it started twenty fifteen, So 106 00:07:16.319 --> 00:07:20.600 I saw not twenty fifteen, eighteen fifteen. We actually had 107 00:07:20.600 --> 00:07:24.720 two hundred years university of twenty fifteen. So so that 108 00:07:24.800 --> 00:07:27.279 was that was so that was that was the short story. 109 00:07:27.800 --> 00:07:33.319 That's how we started. But now it's it has become 110 00:07:34.879 --> 00:07:38.959 a symbol in British Army and Indian Army to have 111 00:07:39.000 --> 00:07:43.720 a Girkus. It's a special regiment, you know, very unique regiment. 112 00:07:43.959 --> 00:07:48.519 You know, we have our own tradition. Even though so 113 00:07:48.600 --> 00:07:53.920 let's say so so I was in British Army, it's 114 00:07:54.000 --> 00:07:58.360 exact same as other British Army, British regiment, but obviously 115 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:04.360 it's it's a very unique because most of the men 116 00:08:04.439 --> 00:08:07.360 are the police, you know, even in the British Army, 117 00:08:08.000 --> 00:08:12.120 they we speak of our own language. There we're going 118 00:08:12.199 --> 00:08:17.040 to have a British officers, but so mostly the soldiers 119 00:08:17.079 --> 00:08:20.319 will be in their police and it's it's a very unique, 120 00:08:22.040 --> 00:08:27.279 very unique kind of regiment, different from other British regiment. 121 00:08:28.759 --> 00:08:32.799 What what is the military like in general in Nepal 122 00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:39.039 and how do the Gurkhas fit in that scheme of 123 00:08:39.679 --> 00:08:42.519 Nepalese military? 124 00:08:43.720 --> 00:08:46.759 So basically Nepoty is a very small country. I mean, 125 00:08:49.279 --> 00:08:52.960 so Nepolice, it is not. So it's it's surrounded by 126 00:08:53.399 --> 00:08:59.559 China and other side of India. So the Nepalese army 127 00:08:59.279 --> 00:09:02.960 they are I mean ne party is not threatened by 128 00:09:03.000 --> 00:09:05.799 any country, you know, so that they're not threaten by 129 00:09:05.799 --> 00:09:11.440 so they so army not designed to protect anything, truly speaking. 130 00:09:12.759 --> 00:09:16.720 But it is a bit different. So obviously we we 131 00:09:16.919 --> 00:09:21.200 sell it's a different country, right, but we have a 132 00:09:21.399 --> 00:09:25.960 different you know, it's a completely different idea. 133 00:09:26.600 --> 00:09:30.200 So are there is there the traditional or state or 134 00:09:30.279 --> 00:09:33.879 Nepalese forces more like border forces and you know, just 135 00:09:33.960 --> 00:09:36.159 kind of handle like internal. 136 00:09:37.960 --> 00:09:39.480 Things. 137 00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:44.960 Yeah, I mean it's it's like any any countries army. 138 00:09:45.039 --> 00:09:48.639 You know, it's only small countries. So I don't know 139 00:09:48.679 --> 00:09:52.679 the numbers how many of them are, but the Gurkas 140 00:09:53.039 --> 00:09:57.679 obviously it's it's a little bit different when it comes 141 00:09:57.679 --> 00:10:02.480 to Indian gourcause because the they have more regiment. In India, 142 00:10:03.639 --> 00:10:10.120 where it's a British army, we are about three two 143 00:10:10.200 --> 00:10:16.559 four thousand troops. But in India there are lots of regiment. 144 00:10:16.879 --> 00:10:21.080 I think it's more than sixty seventy thousand troops because 145 00:10:21.320 --> 00:10:25.480 they have a lot more regiment. Because in the first place, 146 00:10:26.159 --> 00:10:29.480 it was all the Gurkhas were all in India before. 147 00:10:30.200 --> 00:10:33.519 So when they moved from India, when they left India 148 00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:38.559 in nineteen forty seven, you know, they took field regiment 149 00:10:38.600 --> 00:10:42.600 to British Army and they they left or the remaining 150 00:10:42.600 --> 00:10:45.919 regiment in India. So yeah, that's why the numbers are 151 00:10:46.080 --> 00:10:46.720 different here. 152 00:10:46.879 --> 00:10:49.360 And we should of course, I'm going to miss some 153 00:10:49.519 --> 00:10:52.919 here because this is such a storied historical unit. But 154 00:10:53.919 --> 00:10:57.559 the Gurkhas fought in the British Afghan conflicts during the 155 00:10:57.639 --> 00:11:01.679 Victorian era, World War One, world War two, and this 156 00:11:01.799 --> 00:11:04.440 unit saw a lot of action over the years. 157 00:11:05.480 --> 00:11:09.759 Yeah. Yeah, I mean we were involved in pretty much 158 00:11:09.960 --> 00:11:15.960 every every conflict. So yeah, I think mostly World War One. 159 00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:19.519 I think there were lots of you know, because you 160 00:11:19.600 --> 00:11:23.519 will never never turned home. World War two is the saying, 161 00:11:23.559 --> 00:11:27.320 but I think world War one was I think we 162 00:11:27.320 --> 00:11:31.960 were in well in most places in World War One. Yeah, 163 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:34.279 and let's the conflict. 164 00:11:33.960 --> 00:11:37.320 As well and the so let's talk a little bit 165 00:11:37.320 --> 00:11:38.399 about your experience. 166 00:11:38.440 --> 00:11:40.039 You come from a military family. 167 00:11:41.120 --> 00:11:43.759 You presumably you want to you want to be a 168 00:11:43.759 --> 00:11:47.039 part of this unit. Tell us about like the selection, 169 00:11:47.240 --> 00:11:49.679 like how you apply to it and the selection course 170 00:11:49.720 --> 00:11:50.679 to get into this unit. 171 00:11:53.159 --> 00:11:56.080 Yeah. So so basically to get in British Army, it's 172 00:11:56.080 --> 00:12:06.840 a it's a very it's as a very prestigious thing 173 00:12:06.960 --> 00:12:11.519 to get in in Nepart in all aspect, I mean 174 00:12:12.360 --> 00:12:15.519 as a as a job expect as a you know, 175 00:12:16.840 --> 00:12:19.960 it's a uniqueness of regiment as well, you know the 176 00:12:20.120 --> 00:12:24.799 name and fame, so so you will see there will 177 00:12:24.879 --> 00:12:32.720 be lots of applicant for example when I joined, because 178 00:12:32.759 --> 00:12:37.519 we have a two three different stages of selection. So 179 00:12:37.679 --> 00:12:40.399 you go to smaller selection, then you get selected, you 180 00:12:40.399 --> 00:12:43.559 go to you know, bigger selection, and you have a 181 00:12:43.600 --> 00:12:47.559 final selection of land. So from if you take from 182 00:12:47.600 --> 00:12:52.120 the beginning, I think we had about twenty twenty thousand 183 00:12:52.159 --> 00:12:58.159 applicants from the initial stage and then we I think 184 00:12:58.159 --> 00:13:04.440 we were ABO two hundred, two hundred and thirty got selected. 185 00:13:04.240 --> 00:13:06.200 In the British album out of twenty thousand. 186 00:13:07.440 --> 00:13:11.320 Yeah, a lot of Yeah, so what what do those 187 00:13:11.399 --> 00:13:16.440 initial selections look like because obviously, obviously I don't think 188 00:13:16.480 --> 00:13:20.240 that like an American who wants to join the American 189 00:13:20.279 --> 00:13:22.120 forces or a brit who wants to join the brit 190 00:13:22.200 --> 00:13:26.360 Forces will go through that kind of a narrowing process, right, 191 00:13:26.759 --> 00:13:32.080 So you guys aren't just like a conventional British regiment 192 00:13:32.240 --> 00:13:36.200 made up of volunteers. You go through a very you 193 00:13:36.240 --> 00:13:39.120 go through three different selections, like you say, what what 194 00:13:39.159 --> 00:13:39.960 are they looking for? 195 00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:41.000 What are they selecting for? 196 00:13:41.080 --> 00:13:43.200 And what are some of the things that you guys 197 00:13:43.279 --> 00:13:47.360 specifically that that Nepalese have to do to become a girka. 198 00:13:49.440 --> 00:13:54.559 So well, so they said there are two or three 199 00:13:54.600 --> 00:14:00.080 different stages. So the first few stages are kind of 200 00:14:00.200 --> 00:14:06.080 the only looking at your your your your education level, 201 00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:10.799 or your small fitness you know, like pull ups, you know. 202 00:14:11.919 --> 00:14:14.759 So it's a little bit changed. Now I can tell 203 00:14:15.120 --> 00:14:17.960 what was what what was it when when I when 204 00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:23.240 I joined. So from from an initial state, obviously, I 205 00:14:23.279 --> 00:14:26.039 think it's it's just a sheer number of people that 206 00:14:26.519 --> 00:14:29.679 we can I think they have to choose, you know, 207 00:14:29.679 --> 00:14:32.039 they have to they have to get narrowed down to 208 00:14:32.159 --> 00:14:38.559 the lower numbers. I mean, but by the time you 209 00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:43.720 get to the final selection there there will be about 210 00:14:43.720 --> 00:14:48.480 a thousand people, a thousand guys to choose from the 211 00:14:48.519 --> 00:14:52.879 final state. I would say, if you if you choose 212 00:14:53.720 --> 00:14:58.159 out of those thousand men, if you choose anyone, if 213 00:14:58.200 --> 00:15:03.840 you pick like finally, you get a very nice or 214 00:15:03.960 --> 00:15:08.720 good soldier of them. It's just you only have two 215 00:15:08.759 --> 00:15:11.919 hundred thirty. I can see that that time. Yeah, I 216 00:15:11.960 --> 00:15:15.639 mean that's what I think. I mean, it's just so 217 00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:21.000 many people that in terms of the final selection is 218 00:15:22.799 --> 00:15:28.240 it's quite it's quite demanding. I mean the main, the main, 219 00:15:30.120 --> 00:15:32.799 the fitness criteria is you must have heard that that 220 00:15:33.320 --> 00:15:37.440 then the race you have to carry your carry thirty 221 00:15:38.159 --> 00:15:43.559 five kilo in your back and go go uppial about right, 222 00:15:46.120 --> 00:15:50.000 I don't remember. It's about two three kilometers up pill 223 00:15:50.159 --> 00:15:54.240 all the way. Yeah, and you have to do well 224 00:15:54.639 --> 00:15:58.399 to get you know, because like that, so is. 225 00:15:58.360 --> 00:16:00.399 That one of the things that they are looking for 226 00:16:00.519 --> 00:16:04.200 is Nepaul is a very mountainous country and if we're drawing, 227 00:16:04.320 --> 00:16:08.240 if we're creating a regiment from people from this country, 228 00:16:08.480 --> 00:16:09.720 they have to be good in the mountains. 229 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:13.679 They have to be able to like hit those hills hard. 230 00:16:15.159 --> 00:16:19.000 Uh. Yeah, I mean, as I said, I mean things 231 00:16:19.039 --> 00:16:24.279 have been changed because because the warfare has changed now right, 232 00:16:25.879 --> 00:16:29.080 so it's not so much nowadays. I think I think 233 00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:32.440 the selection crashure must have been changed. I don't follow 234 00:16:32.440 --> 00:16:34.559 at the moment. I mean, I'm not sure what it's 235 00:16:34.679 --> 00:16:40.279 like I mean, I suppose that this, you know, there's 236 00:16:40.279 --> 00:16:43.799 still there. I think the wage wise or the distance wise, 237 00:16:43.799 --> 00:16:46.240 I think there's new down to a little bit, you know, 238 00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:49.639 but I think, as I said, I mean, the warfare 239 00:16:49.679 --> 00:16:53.200 has changed, so they might not look into they're not 240 00:16:53.559 --> 00:16:57.120 they might not look in those cratera anymore, right, right, 241 00:16:57.279 --> 00:17:02.120 Whereas when I was in our time, there was there was, Yeah, 242 00:17:02.159 --> 00:17:05.960 there was so much. You know that that race that 243 00:17:06.079 --> 00:17:10.359 was the main race, the cutting waging going up, that 244 00:17:10.200 --> 00:17:13.599 was that was the most important race that they were 245 00:17:13.640 --> 00:17:16.400 looking before you get in the selection. 246 00:17:16.559 --> 00:17:19.400 Yeah, yeah, and then tell us about you know, you 247 00:17:19.480 --> 00:17:21.480 get you get selected, you're one of the two hundred 248 00:17:21.519 --> 00:17:23.400 and thirty that gets picked up for that year. 249 00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:26.519 What was the training like to become a girka? 250 00:17:26.759 --> 00:17:28.920 I mean presumably after selection they trained you to be 251 00:17:29.000 --> 00:17:34.400 a soldier, right, yeah, So I mean what did I do? Yeah? What? 252 00:17:34.559 --> 00:17:34.720 Yeah? 253 00:17:34.759 --> 00:17:36.039 What was the training consist of? 254 00:17:37.640 --> 00:17:44.319 Oh? So it was I mean so basically I was 255 00:17:44.319 --> 00:17:51.119 a bit lucky because my one of my my auntie's 256 00:17:52.119 --> 00:17:58.559 husband it was x x gcause he recently retired from 257 00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:04.279 you know gcause and he so me and my other friend, 258 00:18:05.880 --> 00:18:08.599 we we had a training, We got training from him. 259 00:18:08.759 --> 00:18:11.759 So he he's the one who you know, you train 260 00:18:11.920 --> 00:18:15.359 us and did all the fitness, all the you know, 261 00:18:15.720 --> 00:18:18.319 running and you know, cutting weights and go up and 262 00:18:19.519 --> 00:18:23.400 on the hills. So I think I did about two 263 00:18:23.680 --> 00:18:27.640 three months of training before I before the fan selection. 264 00:18:29.200 --> 00:18:32.759 But it was quite you know, quite intense training, like 265 00:18:34.240 --> 00:18:39.839 I almost like every every day, every day. I mean, yeah, 266 00:18:39.960 --> 00:18:42.440 it's quite tough. If I if I, if I remember 267 00:18:42.519 --> 00:18:47.000 those days, I mean I can't surprise myself. How did 268 00:18:47.039 --> 00:18:47.200 I do? 269 00:18:47.359 --> 00:18:47.400 That? 270 00:18:48.599 --> 00:18:48.920 Was tough? 271 00:18:49.759 --> 00:18:54.160 Yeah, after after the selection course, after you were selected, 272 00:18:54.960 --> 00:18:57.519 what is the actual Girka training like where they're they're 273 00:18:57.640 --> 00:18:59.279 teaching you how to shoot a rifle and how to 274 00:18:59.319 --> 00:19:00.559 do all these soldiers tasks. 275 00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:06.960 So yeah, the gurgu Is Gurgus training are liter slightly 276 00:19:07.039 --> 00:19:12.400 different than to the British counterpart. It just we I 277 00:19:12.519 --> 00:19:16.519 think the other unit they do three four or four 278 00:19:16.720 --> 00:19:20.480 five five months training. We do nine months training almost 279 00:19:20.519 --> 00:19:26.680 a year. The reason for that is because from those 280 00:19:26.880 --> 00:19:32.799 nine months two months would be we learn English for 281 00:19:32.920 --> 00:19:39.279 two months. So because it's important because you have to 282 00:19:39.359 --> 00:19:44.359 work with you know, very surgyment or you know, because 283 00:19:44.359 --> 00:19:46.920 it's a Ritish army. You just can't you have to 284 00:19:47.119 --> 00:19:49.599 you know, you have to be speaking English and you 285 00:19:49.680 --> 00:19:54.440 know speaking well. So so two months if I remember, well, 286 00:19:54.480 --> 00:19:58.839 I think two months is English. And so if basically 287 00:19:58.920 --> 00:20:02.839 start with it's out with all you know, basic training life, 288 00:20:02.839 --> 00:20:06.839 you know, fitness or the fitness thing. And yeah, I 289 00:20:06.880 --> 00:20:10.920 think I think we started with indoor shooting first. I 290 00:20:11.000 --> 00:20:14.359 think I used to call sat or something it was. 291 00:20:15.920 --> 00:20:19.519 It's still a real gun, but it's just nothing comes 292 00:20:19.559 --> 00:20:23.599 out of it. Just you pointed the screen and just 293 00:20:24.039 --> 00:20:28.039 right right shows the target kind of thing. Ye. So yeah, 294 00:20:28.119 --> 00:20:31.240 that's that's how we started. And I think after a 295 00:20:31.319 --> 00:20:36.400 few months they they you know, they got some the 296 00:20:36.839 --> 00:20:42.160 real range and you know, yeah cool. 297 00:20:42.319 --> 00:20:45.240 And and how does the training progressed until like tactics 298 00:20:45.319 --> 00:20:47.720 and and getting you ready to do this job once 299 00:20:47.799 --> 00:20:48.880 you once you graduate. 300 00:20:50.839 --> 00:20:55.279 Yeah, I mean it's hardly wont but it is quite 301 00:20:55.279 --> 00:21:02.119 a long time. I mean the first the first impression 302 00:21:02.200 --> 00:21:05.279 of the first experience when I when we because when 303 00:21:05.319 --> 00:21:08.559 we got to the u K, it was a month 304 00:21:08.640 --> 00:21:15.039 of February beginning of February, uh and and the training 305 00:21:15.119 --> 00:21:19.960 center is in north of u K, which is the 306 00:21:20.079 --> 00:21:26.440 further north for the more cold cordated so so I 307 00:21:26.519 --> 00:21:30.799 remember we we we arrived he through it mid I 308 00:21:30.880 --> 00:21:36.079 think it was somewhere around evening, yeah, five six, And 309 00:21:37.119 --> 00:21:42.000 it took us about three four, four or five hours 310 00:21:42.119 --> 00:21:45.480 to get to the where I was training center was 311 00:21:46.160 --> 00:21:48.000 uh and it was the middle of the night, it 312 00:21:48.079 --> 00:21:52.119 was I think it was. I think it's one in 313 00:21:52.200 --> 00:21:56.839 the morning. And it was month of February. It was cold, 314 00:21:56.920 --> 00:22:03.000 it was Windy's horrendous. So whenever I think about my 315 00:22:03.079 --> 00:22:06.039 training days, I mean, I think about the weather is surrendous. 316 00:22:07.839 --> 00:22:12.519 I think I think they they they they put the 317 00:22:12.599 --> 00:22:15.559 training center in purpose because because of the all the training, 318 00:22:15.640 --> 00:22:19.079 I think, so yeah, that's how I remember my training 319 00:22:19.240 --> 00:22:24.480 in the first place. Very cold, you know. So yeah, 320 00:22:25.119 --> 00:22:27.440 I think all of all of my friends they are 321 00:22:27.519 --> 00:22:32.680 the same, aout same experience, very cold, and it's a 322 00:22:32.799 --> 00:22:35.920 very new thing because you are a new place, completely 323 00:22:35.960 --> 00:22:40.720 new place, you know, Mark, you know, thousands of miles 324 00:22:40.720 --> 00:22:45.440 away from your home. You know, some of us were 325 00:22:45.519 --> 00:22:49.519 really homesick as well, you know, I think I was. 326 00:22:49.799 --> 00:22:53.279 I was. I was pretty all right with the situation 327 00:22:53.640 --> 00:22:57.440 that I was in because being grew up, grew up 328 00:22:57.480 --> 00:23:01.119 in the military in one all the time, I was 329 00:23:02.240 --> 00:23:07.359 pretty okay with homesickness or or the military thing. And 330 00:23:07.480 --> 00:23:12.440 my father was he was really I would say, really 331 00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:16.839 really military men. And you know, he he he he 332 00:23:17.000 --> 00:23:20.160 brought us as a soldier as well. I mean, if 333 00:23:20.200 --> 00:23:24.440 you you know what I mean. Yeah, so it wasn't 334 00:23:24.519 --> 00:23:27.559 new for me. For me, but for the most of 335 00:23:27.720 --> 00:23:32.119 my my friends, they were they were it was pretty shocking, 336 00:23:32.359 --> 00:23:36.799 you know, change in their life when I started the training. 337 00:23:37.119 --> 00:23:40.119 Yeah, I have to ask you too as we talk 338 00:23:40.200 --> 00:23:45.720 about this about the knife, the blade that the gurkhas carried, 339 00:23:45.759 --> 00:23:50.079 the kokery, which is as I recall, it started off 340 00:23:50.519 --> 00:23:53.880 many years ago as an agricultural tool and then shifted 341 00:23:53.920 --> 00:23:56.920 into a combat tool. Could you tell us a little 342 00:23:56.960 --> 00:23:59.400 bit about this, I mean, is it ceremonial today or 343 00:23:59.519 --> 00:24:01.359 is it something that's still in use with the unit. 344 00:24:01.920 --> 00:24:03.480 If you could tell us a little bit about it 345 00:24:03.559 --> 00:24:05.480 and what it means to the Gurkas. 346 00:24:07.440 --> 00:24:13.079 Yeah, the cookery is is very unique to us as well. 347 00:24:15.359 --> 00:24:19.359 Obviously this the cookerd is weapon. Uh, it can be 348 00:24:19.480 --> 00:24:22.440 used for many things, you know, as a tool as well. 349 00:24:23.880 --> 00:24:28.839 I would say the cookery was more weapon on those 350 00:24:29.000 --> 00:24:34.440 days than now it is. I think now it's more ceremonial, 351 00:24:34.759 --> 00:24:37.960 but obviously it doesn't mean that you can't use it obviously, 352 00:24:39.079 --> 00:24:44.440 but I would say that the limited scenario. Yeah, yeah, 353 00:24:45.240 --> 00:24:49.079 question that you were used in concrete. But yeah, but 354 00:24:49.200 --> 00:24:53.119 it's it's a it's a it's a have you seen 355 00:24:53.160 --> 00:24:53.680 the cookrete? 356 00:24:53.839 --> 00:24:54.960 Oh yeah, we have one? 357 00:24:55.039 --> 00:24:57.720 And yeah, I have a I have one I bought 358 00:24:57.759 --> 00:24:59.359 in Kathman. Do here in the office. 359 00:24:59.440 --> 00:25:02.079 Actually, you want to grab a jack and show it 360 00:25:02.119 --> 00:25:05.440 to people who haven't d Dmitri Wolf. It's funny because 361 00:25:05.559 --> 00:25:08.880 there wasn't like in twenty ten or twenty eleven, wasn't 362 00:25:08.920 --> 00:25:14.640 there a former Gurka in India on a train and 363 00:25:14.799 --> 00:25:17.400 the train was like overtaken by like thirty or forty 364 00:25:17.519 --> 00:25:19.839 robbers and he like killed like seven of. 365 00:25:19.880 --> 00:25:23.279 Them with a kukrie and chased the rest off. Do 366 00:25:23.359 --> 00:25:23.759 you remember? 367 00:25:23.839 --> 00:25:27.519 Yeah, the story that is true. That is true, and 368 00:25:28.039 --> 00:25:31.759 that guy was actually I think he was. I think 369 00:25:31.799 --> 00:25:34.599 he was leaving the service. I think he I think 370 00:25:35.240 --> 00:25:40.279 he died and he was going home and when it happened. 371 00:25:41.359 --> 00:25:45.000 But yeah, it's quite that guy must be. 372 00:25:45.599 --> 00:25:49.920 Yeah, so did you guys, you know, even though it 373 00:25:50.160 --> 00:25:53.880 was more ceremonial, did you still carry them in combat? 374 00:25:53.960 --> 00:25:57.039 Did you train with them? And training? Is that is 375 00:25:57.160 --> 00:25:59.119 it is there a like. 376 00:26:00.920 --> 00:26:05.119 Nepalese uh, martial art that incorporates that, like, how did 377 00:26:05.440 --> 00:26:08.599 the cookery become so synonymous with the google with. 378 00:26:08.920 --> 00:26:16.680 The yeah, concrete. So in the training, in the basic training, 379 00:26:16.759 --> 00:26:22.200 we we do have some some you know, some drills 380 00:26:22.440 --> 00:26:28.519 that goes with the cooks. We actually have a cookery drill. 381 00:26:29.799 --> 00:26:35.480 It's like a martial art moves with the cook and 382 00:26:35.960 --> 00:26:38.480 it's quite it's quite, it's quite nice to look at. 383 00:26:38.559 --> 00:26:40.839 I mean, for for for our viewers. 384 00:26:41.680 --> 00:26:44.200 I am not I'm not the expert. Khrushaw is the 385 00:26:44.279 --> 00:26:48.440 expert here on this. I am just a fan. And 386 00:26:48.640 --> 00:26:51.319 that that's what the blade looks like. For folks who 387 00:26:51.359 --> 00:26:51.920 are watching this. 388 00:26:53.240 --> 00:26:56.960 That's fantastic. This is this is This is a typical 389 00:26:57.759 --> 00:27:01.799 cook and I think the size is it is it's 390 00:27:01.880 --> 00:27:05.240 not perfect size. I mean, you don't want to carry 391 00:27:05.319 --> 00:27:06.880 too much, too too much. 392 00:27:07.200 --> 00:27:09.200 I was told I was told that this is a 393 00:27:09.279 --> 00:27:12.440 replica of what they carried in World War Two. The 394 00:27:12.559 --> 00:27:14.119 one they carry today is a little smaller. 395 00:27:15.880 --> 00:27:21.240 Uh. I think it's about about the same. I mean 396 00:27:21.319 --> 00:27:26.119 it depends on which regiment because if you see nepal 397 00:27:26.599 --> 00:27:30.200 Is it is divided into two regions. Eastern and west. 398 00:27:31.279 --> 00:27:36.640 So if you see Nepal map, map is a long 399 00:27:37.359 --> 00:27:42.200 map and you see east and west. So for the 400 00:27:42.319 --> 00:27:45.880 eastern region a little bit different cookery and the other 401 00:27:46.200 --> 00:27:51.480