Weather Tonight: 3°c Clear Night Morning: 9°c Sunny spells

Critics' Choice

Restaurants

Fay Maschler

quoteWith a single dessert and just two glasses of wine our bill was kept in check - but the effort of doing so was not much funquote

Fay Maschler Babbo Film

Andrew O'Hagan

quoteThis is a film with beautiful performances and a visual style that urges you towards reflectionquote

Andrew O'Hagan Bright Star Theatre

Henry Hitchings

quoteAlthough the first half of Kwei-Armah’s production is pacy, funny and intelligent, the energy level then drops offquote

Henry Hitchings Seize The Day

Reader reviews

Film

Squiz, Islington

quoteI loved this film from start to finish. Take the girlfriend, tell your mum - I'd see it again tomorrow and will buy the dvd.quote

An Education Theatre

Joe, London

quoteI saw this last night and can't remember the last time I was so moved in the theatre.quote

This Much Is True Restaurants

Hiroshi Sugiyama

quoteI have been to many of London's so-called best Japanese restaurants and none have been as good as the food that I've had at Aqua Kyotoquote

Aqua Kyoto

VC hero Gurkha banned from living in Britain 'because he has no strong ties with UK'

Last updated at 18:06pm on 25.05.07

 Add your view

 

His courage in the face of almost certain death earned him the Victoria Cross.

Tul Bahadur Pun single-handedly stormed Japanese machine-gun positions during the Second World War.

The Gurkha's extraordinary act of valour won him royal admirers and he was invited to the Queen's Coronation and had tea with the Queen Mother.

Scroll down for more ...

gurkha Tul Bahadur Pun

Old soldier: 84-year old Tul Bahadur Pun, who earned his VC in Burma on June 23, 1944, after almost all his comrades were wiped out, is being denied entry

Yet, despite his illustrious record, his application to live in Britain has been refused.

The old soldier was told: "You have failed to demonstrate that you have strong ties with the UK."

Lawyers acting for Mr Pun, 84, along with 2,000 former Gurkhas, will appeal before the immigration courts in London in August.

Mr Pun, who has a number of serious health problems, must hope he can survive the intervening months in his home in Nepal.

He has a heart condition, poor eyesight, asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure and he requires daily medication – which is not always available where he lives.

Scroll down for more ...

gurkha Tul Bahadur Pun

Young hero: Tul in 1953, nine years after he won the VC

Mr Pun, who receives a £132-amonth Army pension, wants to move here because of his health.

However, among the reasons officials gave for refusing his plea was that he had "not produced satisfactory evidence" that he had a "chronic or long-term medical condition", and that treatment here would significantly improve his quality of life.

"I have served the UK with the utmost loyalty and to be treated in this way is appalling," he said.

"I take a substantial amount of medication daily. There is not always a constant supply.

"There are no doctors or nurses, no medical outposts.

"I wish to settle in the UK to have better access to medication, care and support."

He has to travel from his mountain home to the Gurkha camp at Pokhara once a month to collect his pension.

It involves a day's walk and he has to be carried in a basket by several men.

Mr Pun earned his VC in Burma on June 23, 1944, after almost all his comrades were wiped out. He seized a Bren Gun and, firing from the hip and running through ankle-deep mud, he ignored Japanese fire to storm machine gun positions.

His official citation read: "His outstanding courage and superb gallantry in the face of odds which meant almost certain death were most inspiring and beyond praise."

His Ealing-based solicitor Martin Howe said former Gurkhas such as Mr Pun have to show "strong reasons" – which can include medical needs and family ties – why they should be allowed into the UK.

He criticised Government officials in Nepal for being "too formulaic" in their approach. "They don't take into account the dignity and valour of these people," he added.

"This man was prepared to lay down his life in defence of Britain."

In Burma the Gurkhas fought with the special forces group known as the Chindits. Major Neville Hogan, chairman of the Chindits Old Comrades Association, said: "I can't think of a braver soldier who served the British Crown. I have met him three or four times.

"The decision to refuse him entry is an absolute bloody disgrace. He should be sent to an army hospital or a home and given VIP treatment."

The Home Office said an independent immigration judge had powers of discretion on appeals from applicants such as Mr Pun.


Bookmark and Share
 
 

Reader views (19)

 Add your view

What this country needs right now, is more Gurkhas & less Labour politicians!

- Steve, Driffield

An absolute disgrace, I am ashamed to be British. A Victoria Cross winner is deemed to have failed to demonstrate that you have strong ties with the UK. Shame on our Government for allowing this situation to even happen.

- B.Bough, Coatbridge

Surely being awarded a Victoria Cross for services to Britain, you should be allowed to walk in and out as you see fit. In fact, you should be given free travel, a place to live and some servants to help you with your shopping! Why can this country's government not enforce the things that make us proud to be British like rewarding bravery for one?

- A.Noyd, London

Let all the Gurkhas in. Sorry, but this is typical of what B-Liar is doing to Britain. New Labour don’t seem to like old soldiers who disagree with them. Remember Walter Wolfgang?

- Michael, Birmingham, England

"You have failed to demonstrate that you have strong ties with the UK."
Surely fighting for this country at war makes you pretty strongly tied to it? How has this escaped the warped logic of the immigration control?

- A.Noyd, London

Anyone who fights for the country should be allowed to live here. All the Gurkhas should be allowed to live here.

- Mick Griffin, London, England

Why should anyone put their life on the line for this country when bravery and gallantry are rewarded in such a tawdry, shameful manner.

- Warren Alexander, London, UK

Just when you thought that these pedantic bureaucrats could not stoop any lower! What is it with civil servants and lack of common sense and decency? Do the right thing... Please

- Ray, London, England

What do you expect from this government who openly let terrorists walk through the door but refuse entry to a real hero of Britain? This man has earned the right to come to England and have free housing and health care and I do not mind my taxes going to help people of this calibre. Bring him over as soon as possible and lets give him a little something back for his generosity to us.

- Steve, London, England

It is a disgrace that as a country we seem to let all sorts of undeserving cases into the country and don't allow a VC who has served this country with such distinction. I agree with Mark of SE London who suggests that Mr Pun be sent to an army hospital, if only we had one to send him to. Perhaps it is no surprise at the disdain towards Mr Pun when the government treat our own soldiers so badly.

- John, Carshalton, UK

Absolute scandal this man fought for this country he's more entitled to be in this country then all the economic migrants we are currently letting in.

- Steve, halstead

I'm increasingly ashamed of my country and all it stands for. I hope Mr.Pun will come to realise that this is the action of our government and not our people, for they no longer represent the will of the people.

- Jane, London

With its "walk-in immigration policy", the UK allows in hundreds of economic migrants every day. Hardly any end up leaving. Yet when a person who could have died for the UK applies through appropriate legal channels, this is what happens. If I were the gentleman in question, I'd forget going through the legal channels and just arrive. It's a sad day when those who act illegally are in a far better position than a person who goes through the proper legal process. Just shows what a total mess the UK entry policies are.

- Phil Jones, London UK

Stories like this made me mad. How come someone who has put their life on the line for this country is treated so appallingly, yet other less deserving people seem to gain access to this country and all it's state benefits with relative ease? I hope this decision is overturned. I'd much rather have people like this gentleman in our country than many of the others who come here and give nothing back.

- Julie, London

As ever - fight for the country and get treated like dirt. Fight against it and be welcomed with open arms.

- Ian, London

"The decision to refuse him entry is an absolute bloody disgrace. He should be sent to an army hospital or a home and given VIP treatment."

Spot on.

- Mark, South-East London

This has got to be a joke! This man should be allowed to come into this country and be honoured for what he done for ALL of us. What kind of mesage does this give to rest of the world?

- Martin Barrett, Gravesend. Kent

What disgraceful treatment for an "old Soldier of the Crown". The immigration judge should be sent to Nepal, perhaps then they would then see the error of his misjudgement?

- S_Sd, Vancouver, Canada

The immigration people should be ashamed of themselves to refuse Mr. Pun entrance to England, he has done more for the country than they have I expect.

- Mrs. Taylor, Newbury, England


Add your comment

 

Your email address will not be published

Terms and conditions make text area bigger You have  characters left.


 
 


 
 
London's Weather
Tonight
Clear Night
3°c
Morning
Sunny spells
9°c
5 day forecast
 
 

Daily Mail Mail on Sunday Travel Mail This is Money Metro

Loot | Jobsite | Homes & property | London jobs | FindaProperty.com | Primelocation.com | Educate London | Holiday Villas