BRAVERY MEDAL FOR GURKHA WHO FOUGHT OFF 30 TALIBAN IN AMBUSH

A HERO who took on Taliban attackers under overwhelming odds believing he was about to be killed yesterday received one of the highest military honours for bravery.

Corporal Dipprasad Pun was presented with the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross by the Queen for his part in seeing off 30 heavily armed insurgents.

His award is second only to the Victoria Cross, Britain’s highest honour for bravery in the face of the enemy.

Cpl Pun, 31, was spurred on by the belief he was going to die and so had nothing to lose when he took on the attackers who overran his checkpoint in Afghanistan.

Cpl Pun received one of the highest medals for bravery from the Queen

The NCO from 1st Battalion, Royal Gurkha Rifles, fired more than 400 rounds, launched 17 grenades and detonated a mine to thwart the Taliban assault on his position near Babaji in Helmand Province last September.

After exhausting all his ammunition, he used the tripod of his machine gun to beat off a militant who was climbing the walls of the compound, shouting as he did so the Nepali threat “marchu talai” – “I will kill you.”

Gurkha who repelled Taliban attack gets bravery medal

A Gurkha who single-handedly fought off an attack by at least a dozen Taliban insurgents has been awarded Britain’s second highest medal for bravery.

Acting Sgt Pun's father and grandfather were both Gurkhas too

Acting Sergeant Dipprasad Pun used up all of his ammunition and resorted to using his machine gun tripod to repel the attack in Afghanistan in September.

The Gurkha, 31, of Ashford, Kent, said he was a “lucky guy” and very proud to get the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross.

A total of 136 UK servicemen and women are being honoured, four posthumously.

On the roof

Acting Sgt Pun was on sentry duty at a checkpoint near Babaji, in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, on 17 September last year when he spotted insurgents trying to plant a bomb beside the front gate.

Moments later, militants opened fire on the compound from all sides.