Great Western Coffee Shop

Great Western Railway to name train in honour of Gurkha soldier awarded the Victoria Cross

Great Western Railway is to name a train in honour of Tulbahadur Pun, one of only 13 Gurkha soldiers to have received the Victoria Cross.

Pun’s son Arjun and daughter Megh Kumari will be joined at London Paddington by guests including actress Joanna Lumley OBE, whose father Major James Rutherford Lumley was Pun’s Commanding Officer during the Second World War.

Where: Platform 1 London Paddington station
When: 1030-1200, Wednesday 23 June
(A press but not a public invite is included)

Pun was aged just 21 and serving as a Rifleman in the 3rd Battalion of the 6th Gurkha Rifles when his heroic deed at Mogaung, Burma, led to him receiving the highest honour for gallantry awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Having seen several members of his platoon killed during an attack on a railway bridge on June 23, 1944, Pun continued the charge alone, killing three enemy soldiers and forcing five more to flee.

He then gave accurate supporting fire, enabling the rest of his platoon to reach the bridge. Later rising to the rank of Honorary Lieutenant, Pun was awarded 10 other medals including the Burma Star.