Not too long ago I was at my grandparents’ house, and while watching the usual Deal or No Deal/Countdown head burp, my granddad began talking about the amount of people getting themselves stabbed in sunny London. The conversation naturally veered off into World War II, and then the Gurkha knives that his brother had given to him. I kept prodding him to tell me more, and then my nan abruptly announced that she wanted them out of the house. My granddad leapt from his chair and headed upstairs. He was always such a gentle, loving soul, so I couldn’t believe what he brought down: a stockpile of old knives. That were still gelled with lots and lots of blood.
He died a couple months after this. I knew my nan didn’t want the knives in the house, so I asked if I could have them. She gladly gave them to me, wrapped in a suspicious plastic bag along with the medals he received for serving in the Navy during World War II. I’m doing research on the knives at the moment but for now I’ll share with you what I (sort of) know.
The Kukri
I’m annoyed because I can’t remember if it was found in a Gurkha’s head or in a German’s, but I’d like to think that a Gurkha valiantly killed a German with it. Then slipped on his bloody corpse and impaled his own head onto its thick point, thus enhancing its future eBay value.
Now, this little one I do remember something about. It was found in the gut of a German, but was bought at a market by my granddad for a rather cheap price. It has an ivory handle. I don’t know its make though.
I wish I found out more about them, because finding out about them is finding out about him. I’m not a fan of knives or the embarrassing masculine posturing they encourage, but these bloody slices of history fascinate me because of their passage into my granddad’s hands. Which have now reached mine. I don’t really plan on using them to halve anyone, but there is definitely something appealing about tradition.
MATT GILBERT
Reader Comments
January 23rd, 2009
i was given this exact gurkha knife over christmas.
it belonged to my grand dad who fought in burma, against the japs.
unfortunately no dry blood though.
January 23rd, 2009
It’s a massive shame the whole ‘knife war’ has gone beyond saviour by common fucking sense. Every 12yr old kid should be allowed to run(or walk sensibly) around with a knife, for carving stick ends into points etc, without the worry of being judged and punished as a face slashing suckfish.
Make it right, give a kid a knife. (assuming the kid isn’t simple enough to prefer it with ‘dry blood’ on)
oh shit, tried to get down of my horse and got hit with vertigo. sorry
January 23rd, 2009
oh and nice knives too. here’s to Grandads.
January 23rd, 2009
why are the comments off on that skins ad, sorry, article???
January 23rd, 2009
I have my grandfather’s WWII canteen. It’s one of my most prized possessions.
January 23rd, 2009
the kukri looks oddly similar to the circumcision knives in uganda.
January 23rd, 2009
good stuff. as much as i love the idea, i imagine that “blood” is probably rust though.
January 23rd, 2009
it sorta looks like rust to me too, but that nut-popper (what i like to think it does) on the kukri looks gnarly.
January 23rd, 2009
Traditionally Gurkha soldiers did not wipe the blood from their knives. And the second knife’s handle is horn, not ivory.
January 23rd, 2009
my great uncle was a major player in the French resistance during the end of the war. Im sure he killed a few people. All I remember of him was this old crazy french canadian I watched Brave Heart with as a 9 year old. He also lived in florida and would send us shitloads of awesome grapefruits every year. He’s in some ww2 book. he was fuckin great.
January 23rd, 2009
Don’t sell those shits on eBay, assy. Do you realize a kukri is specifically made and designed for the chopping off of heads? If you ever feel like some pansy gay, just hold that in your hand.
January 24th, 2009
more of this please
January 24th, 2009
My granddad used to have a Hitler youth knife and a deactivated Luger, unfortunately he gave them to my cousin. All i got was a clock from a shot down Nazi plane. OK i suppose….
January 24th, 2009
Blood has to be drawn every time a Gurkha takes the Kukri out of it’s sheath so for ceremonies of respect and suchlike they kill chickens. I’m guessing your blood that allegedly came from a Nazi skull-popping expedition is actually just a chickens.
January 26th, 2009
And you think a knife collection is something to be proud of?