The Team House - Royal Gurkha Rifles (RGR) | Kushal Limbu | Ep. 313

Episode Date: December 6, 2024

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Hey guys, it's Jack. I just wanted to talk to you today about a way that you can help support the podcast if you're not already. To support the channel is to become a Patreon member. So we have Patreon memberships that start at just $5 a month. And when you sign up, you get access to all of our episodes ad free. That's the big bonus for that. I mean, we also do some Patreon bonus episodes for our subscribers. But this is the biggest and best way that you can support the Team House. channel and podcast if you'd like to and we really appreciate that so go it and check us out at patreon.com slash the team house special operations covert ops espionage the team house with your hopes jack murphy and david park this is episode 313 of the team house i'm jack murphy here with david park our guest on tonight's show is Kushaal Limbu. He served in the second battalion of the Royal Gurkha Rifles. We're very excited to have him on the show tonight to talk about his life and his career and surmounting some really difficult situations. And also to talk about this storied Nepalese unit that probably many people here in America don't know about. Before we jump into the interview,

real quick, I need to tell you about our sponsor for tonight's show, which is KRG. a kinetic research group. They are owned and operated by a couple American Special Forces veterans. And amongst other things, they make this X-ray chassis, Generation 5. This is a polymer chassis completely modular. Almost everything on here can be adjusted to you and your preferences. And this can be fitted with a Remington 700 or a TCA T3 rifle, as you guys prefer. there's other products they make, magazine spacers, buttstock spacers, all sorts of different things.

So I hope you guys will go and check them out at kineticresearch group.com. The link should be down in the description and up on the screen right now. And what episode can you see one of their founders in? Yeah, so check out Justin's story is phenomenal. He's episode 304. In addition to the long-range precision stuff, I mean, Justin is a guy who decided he wanted to build an aircraft, build an airplane. So basically bought every book you could find on building an airplane and learned how to do it.

So that's the kind of care and attention that goes into their precision rifle products. So definitely check them out. You will find things that you love there. And I got to shamelessly self-promote my own book. We Defy the Lost Chapters of Special Forces History comes out in just a week, December 9th, and we will be doing a show on the release date talking about it.

So without further ado, Kuchal, welcome to the show. Thank you for joining us tonight. Thank you so much, Jack, Dave. Thank you so much for having you on your show. I'm looking forward to it. So tell me from the beginning, tell me about growing up in Nepal

and how your life took you towards the Gurkhas. So I was always surrounded by my my father was in military as well. So so I grew up in the military environment at a very young age. So I always wanted to be a soldier. So yeah, and a few of my anchors are in the military as well. So it's kind of family tradition to go to military. And that's how we start, frankly. So with specifically to join Gokers, it's a long history,

more than 200 years of history. So the Gokers first joined British Army, was in 1815. It's a long story, but obviously we've been served. We'd love to hear it. Take as much time as you like. So obviously, I don't want to go too much detail on it. Obviously, I might be wrong in some aspect.

But so basically when the British is in the company, so British army or British, you know, what do you call? you know, the viceroy and yeah, the East India company. Yeah, yeah. A corporate, kind of a corporate construct. Yeah, so basically, we're talking about more than 20 years ago.

And when the British Ampao, when they were expanding outside India, you know, because Nepal is just next to India. So when they were, you know, expanding their territories and they're trying to, you know, capture or trying to get land from Nepal. So they had a, you know, they had a war, the small war between British Army and Nepalese army from that time. And as they were fighting each other, it was tough for British army to, you know, win over them because, because Nepal is very, hilly area.

So on those days, it was difficult to, you know, capture places like, you know, do you know what I mean? So, and I think while they were fighting each other, the British armies, what they realized

that, I mean, these fellows are really tough, you know, why why can't come them get them in our side, you know, ask them to fight for us or something like that? And they made this, you know, they made this, made the contract with that time of king of Nepal, you know, to send them and fight with us, you know, rather than fight with each other. And they made this treaty between India, Nepal and Bresham, to get those boys agreed to the Bresham.

That's why the Indian Army have Gurkhas and British Army as Kirkus. So there are two places that Gurkhas served outside Nepal. So that's how he started. So it started in 2015. So I saw you know, 1815. We actually had 200 year anniversary in 2015. So that was the short story. he started but but now it has become a symbol in British Army and an Indian

army to have a Kirk is a special regiment you know very unique regiment you know we have our own tradition even though so let's say so so so I was in British Army it's exact same as other British Army British regiment but I was mostly it's very unique because most of the men are Nepalese, you know, even in the British army. They speak our own language. We're going to have a British officers. But so mostly the soldiers were in their place. And it's a very unique, very unique kind of regiment, different from other British regiment.

Kishol, what is the military like in general in Nepal and how do the Gurkhas fit in that scheme of Nepalese military? So basically, Nepal is a very small country. I mean, so Nepal is not, so it's surrounded by China and other side is India. So Nepalese army I mean Nepal is not threatened by any country So they're not threatened by So they're not threatened by so army

Not designed to protect anything Truly speaking But as GERC is a bit different So obviously we serve It's a different country Right But we have a different You know

It's a completely different idea Yeah. So are the traditional or standard Nepalese forces more like border forces and, you know, just kind of handle like internal things? Yeah, I mean, it's like any countries are, you know, it's only small countries, so I don't know the numbers, how many of them are. But the Gurkhas, obviously, it's a little bit different when it comes to Indian Gurkis, because they have more regiment in India, whereas the British Army, we are about three to four thousand troops. But in India, there are lots of regiment. I think there's more than 60,000, 70,000 troops. because they have a lot more regiment.

Because in the first place, it was all, the Gurkhas were all in India before. So when they moved from India to when they left India in 1947, you know, they took field regiment to British Sharmia and they left all the remaining regiment in India. So, yeah, that's why the numbers are different here.

And we should, of course, I'm going to miss some here because this is such a, storied historical unit, but the Gurkhas fought in the British Afghan conflicts during the Victorian era, World War I, World War II. This unit saw a lot of action over the years. Yeah, yeah. I mean, we were involved in pretty much every conflict. So, yeah, I think mostly World War I, I think there were lots of, you know, Go-Kers, you know, never never turned home. World War II is the same, but I think World War I was, I think we were involved in most places in World War I.

Yeah, and let's start the conflict as well. Yeah. And the, so let's talk a little bit about your experience. You come from a military family. You presumably, you want to, you want to be a part of this unit. Tell us about like the selection, like how you applied to it. and the selection course to get into this unit? Yeah, so basically to get in British Army,

it's a very, how do I say, it's a very prestigious thing to get in Nepal. In all aspects, I mean, as a job expect, as a, you know, it's a uniqueness of, regiment as well, you know, the name and fame. So you will see there will be lots of applicant. For example, when I join, because we have two, three different stages of selection, so you go to smaller selection, then you get selected, you go to, you know, bigger selection, and you have a final selection at then. So from, if you take from the beginning, I think we had about 20,000

applicant from the initial stage. And at the end, I think we were, what, 230 got selected in the British Army. Out of 20,000? Yeah, out of 20,000, yeah. So what do those initial selections look like? Because obviously, obviously I don't think that like an American who wants to join the American forces or a Brit who wants to join the Brit forces will go through that kind of a narrowing process, right? So you guys aren't just like a conventional British regiment made up of volunteers. You go through a very, you go through three different selections. Like you say, what are they looking for? What are they selecting for?

and what are some of the things that you guys specifically that the Nepalese have to do to become a Gurkha? So well, so I said there are two, three different stages. So the first few stages are kind of the only looking at your education level or your smart fitness, you know, like pull-ups, you know. So it's a little bit changed now. I can tell what was, what was it when I joined. So from the initial state, obviously, I think it's just a sheer number of people that are applicant. I think they have to choose, you know, they have to get narrowed down to the lower

numbers. I mean, by the time you get to the final selection, there will be about 1,000 people, thousand guys to choose from the final stage. I would say

if you choose out of those thousand men, if you choose anyone, if you pick blindly, you get a very nice or good soldier of them.

It's just we only had 230 back in that time. Yeah. I mean, that's what I think.

I mean, it's just so many people at, and in terms of the final selection, it's quite, it's quite demanding. I mean, the main,

the main, the fitness criteria is, you must have heard that thing, the race, you have to carry your, carry 35 kilogram, in your back and go uphill. Right.

I don't remember. It's about two, three kilometers uphill all the way. Yeah. And you have to do well to get, you know, because like that. So is that one of the things that they are looking for is Nepal is a very mountainous country. And if we're drawing, if we're creating a regiment from people from this country, they have to be good in the mountains. They have to be able to, like, hit those hills hard.

Yeah, I mean, as I said, I mean, things have been changed because the welfare has changed now. Right. So it's not so much nowadays. I think the selection pressure must have been changed. I don't follow at the moment. I mean, I'm not sure what it's like. I mean, I suppose that this, you know, they're still there, but I mean, I think the wage wise or the distance wise, I think that it's got narrowed down a little bit, you know. But I think as I said, I mean, the welfare has changed.

So they might not look into, they're not, they might not look in those criteria anymore. Right, right. Whereas when I was in our time, there was, yeah, there was so much, you know, that race, that was the main race, the carrying weight and gone up. There was the most important race that they would look in before you get in the selection. Yeah. And then tell us about, you know, you get selected. You're one of the 230 that gets picked up for that year.

What was the training like to become a Gurkha? I mean, presumably after selection, they train you to be a soldier, right? Yeah. So, I mean, what did I do? Yeah. What was the training consist of? Oh, so it was, I mean, so basically I was a bit lucky.

I'm good because my, one of my, my auntie's husband, he was ex-ex, Gercas. He recently retired from, you know, Gerkis. And he, so me and my other friend, we had a training, we got training from him. So he's the one who, you know, you train us and did all the fitness, all the, you know, running and, you know, carrying weights and go up and down on the heads.

So I think I did about two, three months of training before I, before the final selection. Right. But it was quite, you know, quite intense training. like almost every, every day, every day. So, I mean, yeah, it's quite tough. If I remember those days, it's, I mean, I, I, I quite surprised myself, how did you do that? I mean, it was tough.

Yeah. After the selection course, after you were selected, what is the actual Gurkha training like where they're teaching you how to shoot a rifle and how to do all these soldier tasks? So yeah So the Gurk is The Gurk is training a slight different than the British counterpart

It just we I think the other unit They do three Four or four or five five months training We do nine months training Almost a year The reason for that is

Because From those nine months Two months Would be we learn English for two months. So, because it's important, because you have to work with, you know,

British regiment or, you know, because it's a British army, you just can't, you have to, you know, you have to be speaking English and, you know, speaking well. So, so two months, if I remember, well, I think two months is English and so basically,

start with, you start with all, you know, basic training, like, you know, fitness or the fitness thing. And I think we started with indoor shooting first, I think. I used to call sat or something. It was still a real gun, but it just, nothing comes out of it. Just, you point at the screen and just shows, it shows the target kind of thing. Yeah. So, yeah, that's, that's how. we started and I think after a few months they they you know they got us in the real range and you know yeah cool and and how does the training progress into like tactics and and getting you ready to do this job once you once you graduate yeah I mean it's I I mean I hardly remember actually yes quite a long time I mean the first the first

The first impression or the first experience when we, because when we got to UK, it was a month of February, beginning of February. And the training centre is in north of UK, which is the further north, the further, the more cold related. So I remember we, we arrived. He threw airport, I think it was somewhere around evening, yeah, five, six. And it took us about three, four, four, five hours to get to where I was training center was. And it was the middle of the night. I think it was, I think it was one in the morning. And it was month of February.

It was cold. It was windy. It was horrendous. so whenever I think about my training days I mean I think about the weather it's horrendous I think I think they they put the training centre then purpose

because of all the training I think so yeah that's how I remember my training in the first place, very cold you know so yeah I think all of my friends they're the same about same experience

very cool and it's a very new thing because you are a new place, completely new place you know a thousand of miles away from your own you know some of us were really homesick as well you know

I think I was I would say I was pretty all right with the situation that I was in because being grew up grew up in the military environment all the time. I was pretty okay with the homesickness or the military thing. And my father was, he was really,

I would say, really, really military man. And, you know, he brought us as a soldier as well. I mean, if you know what I mean. Yeah. So it wasn't new for me, for me. But for the most of my, My friends, they were, it was pretty shocking, you know, change in their life when I started the training. Yeah. I have to ask you, too, as we talk about this, about the knife, the blade that the Gurkhas carry, the kukri, which is, as I recall, it started off many years ago as an agricultural tool and then shifted into a combat tool. Can you tell us a little bit about this?

I mean, is it ceremonial today or is it something that's still in use with the unit? If you could tell us a little bit about it and what it means to the Gurkhas. Yeah, the kukary is very unique to us as well. Obviously, the kukary's weapon, it can be used for many things, you know, as a tool as well. I would say the kirkery was more. weapon on those days than nowadays. I think now it's more ceremonial, but obviously, it doesn't mean that you can't use it, obviously.

But I would say that a limited scenario or situation that you would use in Cuckoole. But, yeah, but it's a, have you seen the Cucre? Oh, yeah, we have one. Yeah, I have a, I have one. I bought in Kathmandu here in the office, actually. You want to grab it and show it to people who have it for D. Dmitri will.

It's funny because there wasn't, like in 2010 or 2011, wasn't there a former Gurkha in India on a train? And the train was like overtaken by like 30 or 40 robbers. And he like killed like seven of them with a kukry and chased the rest off. Do you remember that story? Yeah, that is true. That is true. And that guy was actually, I think he was leaving the service. I think he got retired and he was going home when it happened.

But yeah, it's quite, that guy must be. Yeah. So did you guys, you know, even though it was more ceremonial, did you still carry them in combat? Did you train with them in training? is there a, like, a Nepalese martial art that incorporates that? Like, how did the kukri become so synonymous with the Gercas? Yeah, so in the training, in the basic training, we do have some, you know, some drills that goes with the kirkis.

We actually have a kukri drill. It's like a martial art moves with the kukkri. Yeah. And it's quite nice to look at it. For our viewers, I am not the expert. Kushaal is the expert here on this. I am just a fan. And that's what the blade looks like for folks who are watching this.

That's fantastic. this is this is yeah this is typical and I think the size is is it's about perfect size I mean you don't want to carry too much too too too too I was told I was told that this is a replica of what they carried in World War II the one they carried today is a little smaller uh I think it's about the same

I mean it depends on which regimen because sure um If you see Nepal is divided in two regions, east and west. So if you see Nepal map, geographical map, it's a long map. And you see east and west. So for east region, they're a little bit different, Kukkuri and the other, you know, the western have a little bit different shape, the kukkari. Eastern, if you see East, this is more like Western shape.

Eastern will be more thin and longer shape. But they work exactly same. Yeah, yeah. So, yeah, talking about the training. So we do have what we call cookery drill. It's like a martial art moves. with the kookery and you know you have to go around with it um well um well we have to carry carry carry the kukri um all the time uh in our training or even you know whenever you you go out

with your you know your kit military kit cookery goes goes with it so yeah yeah it's it's fascinating um i mean it's it's a scary weapon for sure Oh yeah, I mean, it's quite, I mean, it's quite unique shape as well. Yeah. The shape of that cookie is, it's quite sharp. And obviously, you have to, you have to use it properly. Because obviously, I've seen, it's quite funny that the young British officer who come to Kirkland regiment, and they, when they used the cookoo the first time,

they, obviously they don't know how to strike it. You have to strike it with an angle, a little bit angle, and, you know, sideways. And if you can use it properly, it can, it can chop anything. Yeah. Almost anything. Yeah. And in the Gercas, so it's a little bit different, it's completely different than British Army.

obviously in in in in in in k there are some rules and you know there are some other things that you can't you know you can't do things you can't go chop around animals you know but in indian gherkas when when we do ceremonials we we actually um cut real animals yeah at the ceremony yeah which is fine in india because it's they're not you know it's completely different and Yeah. Was that, I mean, this is one of the rumors that I've heard so you can confirm. But is it a cow or a goat? But like the idea is to be able to behead an animal in a ceremony with one blow with a kukri.

Is that a myth or is that true? It's true. Okay. It's true. I mean, yeah, you have. to do it in one blow. Otherwise, it considered as a bad luck to the regiment. That's why the guy we chose a generally big. Yeah. Yeah. And the kukri is about, it's quite a long kukri. I think it's about a meter

long, something like that. I've never seen. So yeah, when I was young, I was growing up, because I've seen so many ceremonial. And it was quite scary as well. Because when the guy, you know, does that, there will be some soldiers behind him with a rifle, with the blank fire goes with the strike, makes it quite even, you know, scary. Interesting.

So when you enlist, because you mention that they're a regiment or a regiment or regiments in India and then the regiment in England, the British Army, when you enlist, do you decide which regiment you want to go into? Do you decide if you're going to go to the India or the British regiment? Or do they, does everybody train with the Brits and then go to India from there? Or how does that work? Oh, no, it's a completely different selection process. So we have different selection center in Nepal. So it's completely different. So Indian Gurk, they're separate.

So they have different selection criteria, almost very different to each other. So in an army, it's pretty much, I think it's almost same as other. other Indian regiment. Okay. So, yeah, whereas in the British Army, it's a very good because they're completely different

than the British Regiment. So a little bit different. I think I would say, I'm not saying because I'm ex-British Army. The selection of British Army selection is more, it's a lot tougher. Right. It's a lot tougher. Yeah. I imagine the pay, there's probably a difference in pay too, right? in terms of like being part of the British Army

versus being part of the Indian Army? I would say in terms of in their national GDP, Indian Gherkas have paid quite a lot. Oh, are they? Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

It used to be a little bit lower those to when mom. Because my, you don't tell you about my father was Indian Gherka. Okay. So I grew up in India. So, yeah, so that's how I started. So yeah, I think in terms of GDP, the Indian Gerkas or as a whole, an Indian army or, you know, they're paid better. Okay.

And do they have to do that in order to remain competitive with the Gercas that are going to England, I guess? Say that again. probably had to increase the Indian Gurkha pay in order to make it competitive. Otherwise, everybody would want to go to the British Army if the pay was something much better. Yes, no, I'm not too sure. But it just, it just, the two words completely different. I mean, although they are, they both at Kirkk at Sergei Mulder, obviously, also be. because there are more places in Indian Gherkis than the British Army.

In British Army, we only get selected once in a year, whereas in Indian Gherkers there will be every other month, the selection will be every other month or in a few months. So because there are lots of regiment there, so there were more people, more vacancies there. So you get to 2nd Battalion of the Royal Gurkha Rifles, and I was doing a little bit of research before the show. I saw you did two tours to Afghanistan,

and it sounded like also you did a few years in Brunei. Can you start talking to us a little bit about what it's like actually to be a Gurkha and to start getting on this deployment cycle? Yeah. So, I said, joining 2002, after finishing my... basic training I went to my regiment the second road good raffle

we we have two infantry two infantry regiment gurg regiment um um excuse me first

first roll go gara raffle and the other one is second roguer where I served and the both regiment they and these so one

station in UK and the other stage in Brunei and every three years we swap each other every three years so so when I went to my regiment it was in the UK

that time I think it was next year 2003 we so we walked to Brunei and yeah so Brunei

is very different from the UK you probably know it is it's hot all the time it's a completely different environment I think it was more of mostly for jungle training I think in that aspect

it's more of it's it's a yeah it's it's a proper jungle it's if you're not comfortable with jungle environment

it's not for you it's very, very tough to navigate around Brunei jungle. So I did three years in Brunei and came back. Actually, when Afghanistan for the first time in from Brunei, I think it was 2004. I was only there for two, three months. It was somewhere in north. of Afghanistan.

It wasn't like that at that time. It was almost like pace. It wasn't crazy like, you know, although parricks later on. But that's what I went to Afghanistan for the first time.

And came back after three years from Brunei to the UK. I think it was 2008. 2008 and that was headache nine, we used to call, we have different number for different headache, continually. So headache nine, when we deployed, my regiment got deployed to Afghanistan. And that time, it was, was community different. Obviously, this was, it was more south of Afghanistan, and Helmand province. All the crazy places were there. We were part of

commandal brigade and we were attached to them and working alongside with them. And my regiment was particularly in a place called Musa Kala. That's where we were based and we were operating from there to smaller places, local places from there. I was actually a sniper train that time. A very new sniper. I think I only did my training about a year ago. I went to the sniper platoon. And when I was in Afghanistan, I think I was I was there for about a month or so, not long before my injury.

So I was with a, so my sniper section was attached to a regiment called P.WR, which was an armored, armored worker regiment. so we were basically there to support them as a fire support to them so yeah that that was my role in Afghanistan and I had it 9 in 2008 should I tell you about my incident or yeah yeah yeah please yeah so so as I told you it had been only about a month or so we were deployed in October, somewhere in October, I can't remember the date. And it was 15th on November.

So we were, so basically our job was to go there, clear the area, and stay there, hold the position for as long as possible. After a few days, we were called back from that place to the main base camp. And we, so me, me and other friends, we were in the armored vehicle. So I think we were in the conway, about four or five armored vehicle in conway. I think we were about third or second in the convoy was pretty strange. And our our vehicle, he drove over a big IAT. He just drove, I think the back of the vehicle got hit by it. It was quite huge.

It was so huge that tragically, we lost our friend. He was a goka as well. And he was a very good friend of mine as well. Yeah, sadly, we lost him straight away. And I, because I was sitting so close to him, so I got most of injuries after him, lost my legs below my knees. I can remember everything, actually.

I didn't pass out. So I remember everything. that incident. So I I when I knew that we got hit

it just it gone dark completely like it was so I mean it wasn't dark but obviously in my mind it seemed quite dark you know what I mean

and I first I started to check my legs first because I didn't feel any pain at all. But I started to check myself, you know, I started to check my hands. My hands were right. My bad hand was bleeding a little bit, you know. And as I looked down, I'm trying to lift my leg.

I saw my leg hanging. And I checked other leg that was hanging too. That was pretty tough to look at having both legs. know got shattered. So we were quite lucky though because we didn't have any follow-up attack after the blast. So and we we had lots of medics in our group. So we so they got us got us out from the vehicle you know try to fix my legs you know you know trying to wrap it off. It was quite bleeding.

It was quite bleeding. Bleeding quite a lot, actually. And I think after about 10 minutes or 15 minutes, I started to feel pain. I think because I think my brain is start to, you know, recognize what's going on. I mean, I started feeling pain immensely. It was so much pain.

And the medic gave me some. painkillers, you know. And I think the most tough part of the incident is when they tonic it around my leg I just can't forget that feeling. It was so painful. I think it was painful

then, you know, the first initial impact. It was just so much pain. and I think they gave me another another morphine a pain killer and I think the pain started ease off you know

and I ask the other guys I mean because I didn't see my friend who got killed I didn't see him I saw him you know

make a little bit noise on Braction inside obviously I didn't see him at all and asked him I'd ask the guys how he doing and they said he just didn't

make it that was quite tough when I when I heard it was quite tough but you know crazy it was crazy I think

we we sat there for about 45 minutes or something before the Shunuk came to pick up and we will want to come to combustion for the initial surgery. So I had another friend who was, he wasn't as much injured as my, he broke his legs, but he wasn't better as mine. and there was a lady captain who was the commander of that vehicle as well so she she lost her leg as well

so yeah so altogether we were four or five including including my friend who got killed so yeah it was pretty tough when I remember when I remember back those days. And then you're going through a pretty long rehabilitation process, I have to imagine. And if I recall, right, you were also married during this time. Yeah, I was. I've been married for a year or so. I think that was married in 2007.

And it was a year after that. So just over a year. married for my wife was still she was still in back home so yeah so when they when they hear the news

the first time they were they flown to the UK to see me in hospital yeah it was it was quite long recovery

especially the the first few months were really tough because I when I lost my legs I mean they they were infected as well so

I had to go through lots of lots of surgeries I was I was in the ICU for 10 days 10 12 days I was I'm completely ventilator in some point

yeah it was crazy I mean it almost like It was like nightmare. When I was in the hospital, but I felt like it was nightmare every, every day, you know. I could see my dad and my wife.

They, you know, came to see me. I saw them by my bedside all the time, but I couldn't speak to them. I was too weak or, you know, I was too much drowsy with all the medication that I had. pretty crazy. I think I was in the hospital for a month or so. And it was before the Christmas. So yeah, it was pretty bad time. Very bad time, yeah. And were you at this point medically discharged from the Gurkhas or did they keep you on? I mean, what is that process sort of like after you

receive some pretty serious injuries? Well, I was, I stayed for a while. obviously I didn't have much to do in the regiment because I was so young in my service I didn't I didn't have obtained any any rank as well so I was I was just the private you know so in that aspect I didn't have you know much to do any and physically I wasn't I wasn't able to do anything so but I spent about three, four years before I got out. Wow, okay. But I think, but the most of the time I was, you know, I was, you know, recovering or, you know.

I think the last. It sounds like they took pretty good care of you then. Yeah, I would say, yeah. I think I need, I needed emotional, I need emotional help more than you. Yeah, you need to be around your teammates. Yeah, yeah. I mean, it's quite tough to think as well, because when you see yourself, you know,

on your wheelchair all the time, you know, and the other hand, you see your friends doing their, you know, normal things that you used to do it. I mean, it was pretty tough to, you know, tough to see. and, you know, not be able to do it like them. Right, right. But I was, I would say I was kind of like, you know,

I mean, I felt really lucky as well, you know, to be, to be alive, you know. And I, from that aspect, you know, it kind of, it kind of balanced it. you know i mean and emotionally wise how uh i mean i know eventually you know and today you're now participating in athletics what was the process like of being fitted for prosthesis um and kind of like getting back up to where you are today uh yeah i mean once i started to use my prosthetics you know um i think i think when i got my prosthetic legs and uh when i started to get you used to them. I think that's when I got where I got my all the confidence back, you know. Whereas before my, before I got my prescetti, I was I was on the wheelchair at the time, you know.

So it was quite tough though. I think it was about four, five months after my incident. But when I got my prostate black and I got used to them, you know, and I got my strength back, you know. and I really thought I should do something for myself, you know, or even something for my family to something to look forward, you know, rather than just be sorry for yourself, you know. Because I was a sporty person before my injury anyway, I used to do lots of sports.

So I thought I should do something, you know. obviously I knew I couldn't do anything similar to what I used to do but obviously I had some ideas what can be done with prosthetics you know prosthetic legs like athletics you know because I saw because I saw some of the guys using those running blades in athletics before so yeah so I think it was 2010 I think when I first started using running blades. It was quite tough to start. It was quite tough to even, you know,

because it was completely new thing. But once I got used to that, you know, used to that within balance and everything. I started, yeah, I did really well in my training days. So yeah. And I had a vision. I had a, you know, and that time, the 2012 Olympics were coming as well. So I had something to focus on, you know.

But obviously, I couldn't, I didn't make to the team. That's a different story. But when I started my training for a 30I, I was aiming to get to 2012 Olympics. Yeah. And you did end up participating in the Invictus games and winning a couple medals, right? Yes, that was something, yeah. You know, it was one of the, you know, greatest thing about my, you know, achievement, I think I would say. To be, you know, to be in the Invictus games, yeah.

So yeah, because I couldn't get in the team in 2012, so I was very disappointed about after the Olympics. I didn't get into the team. Then I didn't stop training even after 2012. So I kept training, I kept in training. I had a coach, I had a local coach in a athletic stadium. I used to go there every two, three times a week, you know.

Then there was an opportunity for me to go to US for Warrior Games in 2013. And I, so, yeah, I competed in World Games. Cool. Yeah. And I won, yeah, a couple of gold medals there. So yeah, so my event was 100, 100, 200 Meredash. I also took part in seating volleyball as well. So, yeah.

So that's how he started, competitive aspect from World Games. Then the year after 2014, the Invictors games were introduced first time by Prince Harry. it was in London. All the venues was same, exact same as 2012 Olympics. So it was pretty bonus. You know, you know,

it was a disappointment from 2012, but I had a chance to, you know, compete in the exact same location, which was pretty cool. And that time, I think that year, the first year, or first, you know, the Invitis games are really, really big thing in 2014 because it was, you know, after 2012.

And obviously, in those times, because of all the injuries from the herald, you know, Afghanistan, I think the games are very famous because of that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And how did this sort of journey the next step for you? It sounds like getting into golf. How did that come about? Oh, so golf, I picked up golf in 2014 as well. So yeah, somehow in 2014.

So golf is something that I never thought I would play, to be honest. As I said, I was really, really sporty person, but I think the golf is the only thing that I never played or I thought I would never play. I didn't like golf at all before my injury. But so in 2014, so my recovery, recovery officer at that time, it was captain.

He, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he did this, um, injured servicemen and family open day or, you know, outing kind of like it's open day for injured servicemen or families. And he, he organized this thing in a golf, multi-activity's place where the golf range was there. So that's where the first time I hit a golf boy on a golf range, me and other few friends. And we loved since then us. I think me and my two other amputee friend, amputee's friend, they, we all started in that year, 2014. It was all, yeah, end of 2014. So yeah, that's how we started playing golf. And what is, it's PXG? So PXG, the full form is P.G is Parsons Extreme Golf.

It's basically an American, an American golf company started by someone called Bob Parsons. He's, you know, ex-US Marine, a Vietnam veteran. So he started his company in 2014, I think. So this is very unique golf brand, you know. these clubs are really designed differently that they made a little bit different than other you know normal clubs other other brands and quite a little bit of expensive side as well you know but the good thing with pxg because of the owner is ex-military he has this vision or this program called heroes program where all the military all the military people or the military people or get discount from it. And it's including the first responders, including nurses and teachers as well. So all these men and women get discounted from PhD.

That's really cool. So I'm actually doing, I'm actually ambassadoring this program. I wouldn't say I was, yeah, people, you know, ask me if I'm best in the brand. It's not actually a best in the brand, but I'm actually investing the program called Heroes Program. It's a little bit different, I would say. Where can people go if they want to get involved in the program? So they have website, you know, their brand website. p.g.com.

Okay. Yeah. For the, for the U.S. customer, I think it's pretty straightforward. You can actually go, go to their website and actually check

everything, and I think you can put your data on it, and you can tell that you're eligible for the desk or not. Whereas in the UK, it's a little bit different. I think you have to go, you have to go physically and show them your ID card and everything and to get discount.

It's quite nice at the moment. It's 20% all the clubs and 30% all the other accessories and the clothing. It's very nice. Do we have any questions for Kishol? We do. Kishol, I want to ask you because, you know, you mentioned that when you first sort of lost your legs and, you know, you were in this situation and you were an athletic guy.

you know, you were an achiever, and you saw all your friends doing things that you couldn't do. I imagine that was a low time for you. And then, you know, you get your prosthetics and you start to get involved in all these athletic events. How did your mindset change? Like, what was the thing for you that says, I'm going to do this? Like, I'm not going to let this define me. And what advice would you offer to other veterans? or anybody who is in a similar situation?

Yeah. Yeah, I mean, it was pretty difficult, you know, because you are physically and mentally down on the same time. It's quite easy to say for me now than, you know, at the time. Actually do it, you know. But I would. So when I,

I was in that phase, you know, where I was in, you know, a few months down to my recovery, I actually thought of my family as well, you know, I said to myself, you know, I have to do something for myself and to my family, you know, because, because I, I, I, work so hard, I train so hard to get into the British shovel. It's a quite, it's a big achievement for me or for any good. And when you got, when you got injured and when you lose your both legs, it's, it's, it's a completely different, you know, your life is upside down. Right. And it's, I won't say it's a great shame, but you, you, you feel like that. You feel like that. You, you, you feel it's a shame that this happened to you and you want to do something to get over this, you know.

And luckily, I had some, you know, sports mentality to do something in that field, you know. So, yeah, that's how I felt for the first time. And I said to myself, I should do something for myself and for family, you know, rather than just sitting around and, you know, feel sorry for itself. And I think things just added up. So it may not happen to everyone, but, you know, so I think everything came together once I started to do something, you know. Yeah.

And I started to do well in athletics, you know, started to win medals, you know. So yeah. So would, would you say that the, mental recovery almost followed. Like you were kind of feeling down both mentally and physically. Would you say that starting the sports and starting the activities helped your mental recovery instead of like recovering mentally and then going, okay, now I'm going to get out there and do it?

It was like you just got out there and did it. And then your like your emotional well-being and everything caught up with that. say you can be simultaneously okay fundamentally you know they both have to click you know yeah but you know I was I was lucky enough to be on great family with me you know my wife my parents yeah everyone my regiment as well you know all my friends and families you know so you're so

I mean, so yeah, but obviously you have to be strong. You have to really strong. And I think all the departments need to click. But I would say that some people, I think they don't realize that how much support you get from, you know, from all the agency or all the places. sometimes it lacks of lack of knowledge as well you know people don't realize how much support you got and there are there are lots of different you know organization where you can get help from you know do some stuff you know do some activities you know and you know meet new people you know get your confidence back you know like like game of God you know you know, you, it's, I mean, I think because of the golf, I think I, because of the goal, I think I, I, because of the goal, I think I, I still see my older friends from, from the military. And it's, because the golf game is

quite unique, you can play in a level field, you know, regardless of your, your, your, you know, your, you know, your, you know, or age or sex, you know. Yeah. You can be a very good player or not so much, but you can still play in your handicap, you know, and compete, which gives you confidence back. Yeah. That's great.

Yeah, thank you. So some questions from our audience. Sully, thank you very much. Are some UK infantry units better than others? example of the parachute regiment and the Royal Marines. Oh, boy. Uh-oh. Getting salty, spicy.

Yeah, was it for me? Yeah. Yeah, that's true. Okay. Sully, thank you very much. If all UK infantry units were deployed to the Russo-Ukraine war, how would they perform? also, would they work well with each other? I think we did good.

I mean, I'm not in that position to comment on this. Sure. But in my experience, I think they could, but obviously it's a bigger picture. I mean, it's not something you can say. Yeah. Can I ask you in terms of how were the Gurkhas treated by the rest of the British Army

because Westerners often have a tendency to discount foreign soldiers, right, from countries that aren't Western. Did you experience that, or did they receive you with, like, open arms? So when I joined, I would say, by the time I joined, I think it was more neutral. I think the mentality was more neutral. I think, but I've heard from my senior gokers, you know,

they had some, they experienced a little bit of, you know, and even, you know, not a fair kind of. Yeah. There are some, we had some issues in the past about the pension thing. because the Kirkus were not given the, you know, same pension as the British soldiers. Oh, really?

You know, it's just because we, before 1999, we were, we were stationed in Hong Kong. So that was our station, Kyrka station there. So, so what, what the British Army is saying that, the people who served before 997, their service will not count as 100% to get the pension. So it won't count 100% before 997. So people who serve, the caregivers who served before 997, they're still fighting for their pension to get full pension for all their service they did.

So, yeah, I mean, as I said, I mean, Kirk is in British Army, it's a very unique regiment. If it's anything that I think we would treat a little bit different, but not in a bad way. I would say in a good way because we almost, even we are exact same British Army as the other regiment. We are almost treated as a special. regiment. Yeah, like a commanding regiment.

Yeah. Not especially forcible. It's very unique and we we have a really, um, what do you say? Because we have a very long history and very, um, our forefathers, they, they're on so much respect in the past and, you know, won so much Guarantee Awards, 13 vases. Yeah, yeah. So we are very decorated regiments, so yeah. Can I ask you, where do you think that, because obviously there is, Jack and I have both heard it, you know, I think most members of the U.S. military, at least the U.S. Special Operations Community,

have heard about the ferocity, the courage, and the combat prowess of the Gurkhas, and like you said, 13 Victoria Crosses, you know, that you have a storied past. And that includes, you know, Afghanistan, the Gurkha who fought off like 40 Taliban, was it? Or like, it was like 40 Taliban, right? Where does that come from? Is it just the nature of, is that the Nepali spirit? Is it the training you receive? what makes

Gurkhas this fierce force that you know I mean the box like you have the storied past of these fierce fighters

where does that come from or not where does it come from because it's real but what is it about the Gurkhas that makes that true okay I think it's a mix of everything

I think so I think it comes from the blood I think it's just as gene I would say in Nepalese's blood because I would say that because

even if you if you see a civilian Nepalese or non-Kerkener or you know as a normal Nepalese person when it comes to fighting or you know to do anything

it just it just comes naturally you know that you know they get pumped up so quickly you know what I mean in simple saying. So it's always, the fighting spirit is always there.

Yeah. Even without the training. It's just a cultural thing. Yeah, it's just, I give example. And I'm not talking about soldiers or go, because I'm talking about the just normal in a place, a bunch of guys.

Yeah. If you see, so let's say if you, if you're going down the street in the night or anywhere. And if you see a guy, in a police guy, getting beaten or getting bullied by someone else, there's a hundred percent chance that other guys go and help him and try to fight without a guy without knowing that in a police guy. I would guarantee you.

So that's the thing. within the Nepalese, you know, people. So, and when we get, when we get to the Gherkas, we have a different training. I think we have a different vision. We were told that what's it like to be in Gherkas and we were taught we are different. Although we are British Army, you know, we are different regiment. We have different methods with different motto. So we would train, on top of that thing, we would train with Kerkhas and a bit different than other regiment.

Yeah. So, yeah. Solly, thank you very much. I'm going to skip this question about the pass rate because I believe the Kushal has already answered that. Solly, thank you. Is there a stigma if a Gurkha quits on a course? Well, would you maintain? Can you elaborate that?

So if you guys are going through a tough phase of training and somebody is already a Gurkha, if he quits that training because it's tough, is there a stigma around that? Not necessarily, you know. Yeah. I mean, there have been few, I mean, there must be, I mean, cases where people, you know,

didn't go through the training. I mean, we're human up for all, you know. Yeah. So, do you mean, like, is there any shame? Yeah. But not really. Okay. No.

No. Sully, thank you much. Do Jack and Dave keep smoking and drinking since Rangers never quit? Yeah. Yeah. Nobody likes to quit her, right? Sully, thank you. what is the funniest moment in your career?

Oh, funniest. Oh, wow. There are lots, actually. I don't know. I would say golf, I think. Because when I started golf, I was very new to the sport. I didn't know. Nothing.

I only went to the range first. Someone asked me if I play golf, I said, well, I started playing golf. and got recently and i think that guy must have played all the time he asked me what's my handicap and i actually told him about my my my my my personality that i'm a double-emper-two honestly i did that i said double-am and i i was quite annoyed as well like why did you ask me you know i was i was a little bit annoyed you know and he said oh no no no i was you know i was you know I was talking about your, you know, golf,

and it's a system. And I said, oh, okay, I didn't know anything about that. Sorry about that. So I would say that was so funny. Yeah, when I look bad, it's funny. Yeah. Sully, thank you. Do you have any respect or sympathy for your former enemy

and do you think you would be like them if worn in their shoes? If I'm talking about the, the exact enemy who did that to me. Did it to me. Is that some... Yeah, I think so.

Yeah, like, you know, take the Taliban, I guess, or whomever in Afghanistan. Do you have any sympathy for them? Do you have any respect for them? Well, yes or no. I mean, I praise them, I praise the bravery,

because they, I mean, and you know and yeah it takes a lot of courage for them to you know because for them because they they have nothing they almost have nothing you know compared to what we what we have in it you know as a you know combat thing wise you know you have to be you know stooply brave to, you know, face the, you know, the soldiers. But, yeah, I don't know. Obviously, I can't say that I forgive them, you know, because it was, it wasn't like one-to-one combat, you know.

Right. They were more like, you know, sit and hide somewhere and, you know, hit someone. So it wasn't really. not really commander to me honest, yeah. Yeah. M. Corbyn, thank you much.

Did someone from the SAS really take out three ISIS fighters with the Kukre in 2016? Oh, sure. Yeah. Do Gurkhas ever go to SIS? Do they ever go to the Special Forces selection that you know of? Yes.

There are a few good because I think some of us still serving a thing in S-S. Yeah, handful. There was that one dude, I think his name's Pims, who went to the SBS. Oh, yeah, NIMS, yeah. NIMS, thank you. The mom can't get it. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yeah, I think he's the only one who went to SPS. The other others in S-S-S-S, you can tell by his very, and he's one tough guy. Yeah. Names. But I know five or six guys from SES. Cool. Yeah, they, yeah, they've done really well.

Yeah. Yeah. Louis Vasquez, thank you very much. What's it like to compete on the Simpsons Cup team? Oh, yeah. So Simpson Cup is basically, it's a golf tournament between U.S. and UK veterans. It's like a rider cup.

If you know golf, you know rider cup. So it's a match play against US and UK veterans. 13 players in each team. And it's annual competition. So one held in US and the following year in the UK. So one year UK, one year US. So I, I, I, I, competed in four or four Simpson Cubs, including this year.

It was held in New York, Shinnecock Hill. If you know golf, you know, Shinnecock Hill. So we tied, we tied the cup. So we, it was half. But we retained the cup because we were previous champions, so we did hit the end of it. Yeah, I mean, it's one of the proudest moment, to be honest. I mean, it's tough, it's quite tough to get into the team. There are selection criteria, you know.

You have to be a certain level of golfing to get in the team in the first place. And yeah, it's a very unique tournament. and I'm really proud to be part of the and the presenting team GP. So Kuschal, now that you are, you know, a professional or semi-professional golf player and you do know what a golf handicap is, when people ask you what's your handicap,

do you still say double ampute just to see their reaction? No, I think, yeah, it's, well, I could say that. I mean, just, I think, I think I would, Yeah, I wouldn't want to say that now because I know it might not work. Yeah, almost I get like, because the first time it happened, because I didn't know anything. Yeah. It worked. So they took it as a joke.

But I think when I say, I feel that it might not work. This comes like I'd rather not sleep. Yeah. So because I play quite well nowadays, so I'd rather tell them my real handicap, not my physical. league have. Yeah. So I play out 8.8.0. So which I'm really proud of. So I kind of show off to say that. Scotchi, thank you very much. What do you know about the Gurk contingent in Singapore? Is the recruitment different since they are police? And do you know what they do? It must be a police guy. Okay. So I didn't, so I didn't mention this earlier because I didn't want to

to go through all the because this is this is part of British Army well it's not a part of British Army it's so when we get selected for British Army so there will be some some places to get in which is called it's Kirkka Singapore Place they I think they are well they are not they're not they're not They're not military, they are police. Okay. But the selection criteria is exactly the same. Okay.

It's just by the end of the selection, they, so they will be Singapore police, Gherka, Singapore police, and really are really shaman. Yeah. But I suppose that training is different when they get into the police, obviously because they're a place that they're different. And their role are completely different than ours. Yeah. So, yeah.

And then RS, thank you much. He says, I want to do this right. I owe Gorkahali. You did well pretty well. What's the right way to say it? I. I.O. Gorkali. Gorkali.

it's accent more than anything. Yeah. So Iyo is coming or go-kali is go-ka. So I think in a simple term, I say, here comes to go-ka or go-khas are coming. Yeah. So this is a war cry. This is the war cry of go-khas.

That's very cool. And do the... Are there any instruments associated with Gurkhas on the march? We have a Gurkha band. Okay. We have Pats of Drums, GERC Patser Drums. Okay.

And we have our own some designated music goes through the parade. And the other thing with the GERC regiment is the marching pace, you know, the pace of the march, is quicker than other British conflict. I don't want to be wrong here, but it's faster than, you know, other British unit. It's very quick. It's very interesting.

The march pace is very quick, yeah. Interesting. Dee, did we have anything on Patreon? No. Okay. Okay. Kusall, thank you for spending some of your evening with us. Is there anything that we didn't ask

or anything that you want to promote or put out there and let people know about? So I'm basically doing golfing nowadays more than anything. So yeah, so almost promoting PXE, you know, everywhere I go. So if you feel the golf, you know, just reach out to PXE website and if you, you know, you can get discount as fun. If not, then still great clubs, you know, can go and have a try. You might love them. Do you have a website for them?

So it's pxg.com. Yeah, pxg.com and you'll see everything there. And where can people find you? Are you on social media or? Yeah, I'm on Facebook and Instagram. Yeah, I don't really use them a lot, to be honest. So I think I'm a, for Instagram, I think I'm a Blade Runner. My ID's Blade Runner.

Okay. Okay. So it's PXG.com for the golf stuff, right? And then Blade Runner. On Instagram. On Instagram. Blade underscore Runner. Blade underscore Runner.

wrap. Kuschal, thank you so much for sharing your story with us tonight. I really appreciate you coming on here and telling us all about this and sharing some of this history as well as your personal experiences too. Thank you so much, guys. Thank you, Jack. Thanks for letting me talk in your show. I'm sorry if I missed anything, I know.

I'll humble a little bit because it's quite late. You did. You did great. And we can have you back anytime you want. want. And for our viewers out there, we'll be back on Friday with a Ranger who did a documentary about Rangers that I have to watch this week. But we'll have more on that Friday. Kushaal, again, thank you. And check out our Eyes On podcast, our sister podcast. There's a link down the description. And consider joining our Patreon to support this channel and keep us going. Really appreciate it,

guys. We will see you on Friday. Thanks so much guys.