by Tricia Jamieson

tjamieson@thekmgroup.co.uk

A Gurkha who received the second highest award for bravery for single-handedly fighting off up to 15 Taliban insurgents has been further honoured.

A/Sgt Dip Pun, of the Folkestone-based 1st Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles, got special recognition in this year’s Pride of Britain Awards.

Sgt Dip, 32, used up all his ammunition and threw grenades at his attackers.
When his weapon was damaged, he lobbed a machine gun tripod at one of the insurgents.

“I did not care about my life because I did not have any choice,” he said. “I thought, 'before they kill me, I have to kill some of them’.”

Sgt Dip, who lives in Ashford with his wife Shobha, received the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, the second highest award for bravery after the Victoria Cross, from the Queen earlier this year.

He was on sentry duty at night with three other soldiers at a small outpost in a hostile area when the incident happened.

He spotted three Taliban trying to plant an IED (improvised explosive device) and opened fire.

Using his weapons and grenades, he fought off the insurgents, at one time throwing a grenade at some trying to climb up into the compound.
His citation states: “Dip’s courage and gallantry were simply astonishing.”

He was among winners featured on the Pride of Britain awards ceremony programme due to be screened tomorrow evening.