Italy / Biography
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The Nepalese Gurkha are an elite corps of the British army and are particularly known for their bravery and loyalty. The Gurkha were among the fiercest enemies of the Germans, who preferred to surrender to other nationalities' forces. Sher Bahadur Thapa was one of these soldiers who played a major role in the Allied victory.
There were several acts of bravery during the breakthrough of the Eastern Gothic Line, in particular during the last days of the Battle of the East, the Nepalese soldier Sher Bahadur Thapa performed an important action that awarded him the Victoria Cross - the British Army's highest honour. The official motivation reads: 'On 18/19 September 1944, a company of the 9th Gurkha Rifles encountered fierce opposition from a well-placed German position. Section commander and rifleman Sher Bahadur Thapa carried out a charge and succeeded in silencing the machine gun. After his section commander was wounded, the Rifleman, who was now alone, headed for the exposed part of a ridge, from where, disregarding the volleys of bullets, he managed to silence other machine guns, covering a retreat and saving two wounded men before being finally killed.'
The Gurkha Company was situated in the border territory between the State of San Marino and Italy, namely in the Castle of Faetano, and it was precisely in this territory that the heroic act of Sher Bahadur Thapa took place, which not only saved the lives of several comrades but also enabled an important position to be taken for the continuation of the battle.