african troops in burma

[summsi]

did they receive Kukris like the Chindits?

[Poiter50]

No, Kukri has a sacred, cultural significance to the Ghurkhas. West Africans would have been issued with Machetes for cutting jungle foliage. In desperate close combat, they would have been a last resort.

[summsi]

but not only Gurkhas had Kukris, also other indian troops (like Jammu and Kashmir rifles) and british Chindits

[Plynkes]

For what it's worth, many of the Jammu and Kashmir troops were Gurkhas.

[summsi]

hm...ok, but Chindits were not Gurkhas (I know that some were, but most were british)

[Plynkes]

Can't speak for the West Africans, but in John Nunnelely's memoir of service in the KAR there is no mention of kukris. They carried the East African panga bush knife (essentially a machete) for clearing brush, and a bayonet for skewering Japanese. He does mention capturing Ghurkhas serving in the I.N.A., so in fact you can have kukris on the Japanese side, if you want.


An interesting titbit I picked up is that the white officers in the KAR blackened their faces and hands for combat, because otherwise they would attract an undue amount of fire from the Japanese, who naturally would try to shoot anyone who obviously stood out as an officer.

[summsi]

thank you Plynkes, so it seems I can not use Gurkhas for african troops!

[summsi]

and thank you Poiter50!!

[Plynkes]

Don't think it would take too much work to do a conversion, making the kukris look like pangas (don't forget to alter the sheaths, too). Gurkhas don't really look like black Africans, but a "paint-conversion" might have an acceptable outcome, depending upon how particular you are.

[carlos marighela]

Use the Artizan 'Commonwealth' infantry or the TAG 14th Army chaps if you want West Africans.