Subedar Lalbahadur Thapa VC 2nd KEO Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles) was awarded the Victoria Cross for valour on 5th– 6th April 1943 at Wadi Akarit in Tunisia.
He was approximately 37 years old, and a Subedar in the 1st Battalion, 2nd Gurkha Rifles, in the Indian Army during World War II when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 5th– 6th April 1943 during the silent attack on Rass-es-Zouai, Tunisia, SubadarLalbahadur Thapa, taking command of two sections, made his first contact with the enemy at the foot of a pathway winding up a narrow cleft which was thickly studded with enemy posts. The Garrison of the out-posts were all killed by the subadar and his men, by kukri or bayonet and the next machine-gun posts were dealt with similarly. This officer then continued to fight his way up the bullet-swept approaches to the crest where he and the riflemen with him killed four – the rest fled. Thus secured, advance by the whole division was made possible.
