News

.... a weekly column from Michael Howard MP 

7 June 2007

On Wednesday of last week I did a pre-recorded interview for Meridian TV about the case of Tul Bahadur Pun VC who had been refused leave to come to this country from Nepal where he has been living in retirement. I said the decision was indefensible and should be changed and called for the Home Secretary to intervene.

 

About 24 hours later the Home Office did indeed intervene and the decision was changed. Rifleman Pun will, after all, be allowed to come here.

I would like to think that my intervention made all the difference. But I am realistic enough to know the limits of my influence. Many others were making the same point and, on this occasion at least, the Home Office listened and reversed the decision.

It is worth recalling the extraordinary valour shown by Rifleman Pun for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross, our highest award for gallantry.

On June 23, 1944 Rifleman Pun, then just 21 years old, was fighting the Japanese in Burma.

After two weeks of fighting, his regiment, the 6th Gurkha Rifles of the Indian Army, had been reduced from 1,400 men to about 830. At dawn an attack was ordered on a key Japanese position at a railway bridge. Only three members of Rifleman Pun’s section survived the initial assault. The other two were badly wounded as they pressed home the attack. Rifleman Pun then made a furious lone charge across 30 yards of open ground at an enemy machine gun nest, killing three Japanese and putting five more to flight. He then used the machine gun he had captured to provide covering fire for other troops to secure their objective.

The citation for his VC states:-

“His outstanding courage and superb gallantry in the face of odds which meant almost certain death were most inspiring to all ranks and beyond praise.”

Apt words. And thank goodness that in the end we had apt action to recognise the contribution Rifleman Pun has made to our country.