Celebrating the deeds and sacrifice of soldier Gurka Sher Bahadur Thapa awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously
SAN MARINO, 11 June 2024 – On 15 June, the San Marino Postal Service will issue a postal series commissioned by the Castle Council of Faetano, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Monte Pulito and the sacrifice of soldier Gurkha Sher Bahadur Thapa, who managed to save two wounded comrades before he was ultimately killed and for this, he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest British military honour awarded for valour “in the face of the enemy.” The Nepalese Gurkha are an elite corps of the British army, particularly known for their bravery and loyalty. Sher Bahadur Thapa was amongst these soldiers who made an important contribution to the victory of the Allies.
“On 18/19 September 1944, a company of the 9th Gurkha Rifles met fierce opposition from a well-placed German position. Section commander and rifleman Sher Bahadur Thapa made a charge and managed to silence the machine gun. After his section commander was wounded, the Rifleman, by now alone, made his way to the exposed side of a ridge, from where, ignoring the barrage of bullets, he managed to silence more machine guns, cover a retreat and save two wounded men, before being ultimately killed”.
The company of Gurkha was located in the border territory between the State of San Marino and Italy, in the Castello di Faetano, where every year visitors and diplomats arrive especially from abroad to attend the commemorations organised by the Council in September. There is also a thematic philately on “Victoria Cross stamps”.
The first stamp of €0.90 depicts an illustration of the rifleman Gurkha Sher Bahadur Thapa, with Mount Titano in the background, before the Battle of Monte Pulito. Completing the stamp of 0.90 euro is “San Marino”, the Coat of Arms of the Republic, the legend “80° anniversario della battaglia di Monte Pulito “, the name of the designer and the year 2024.
The second value of 0.90 euro features an illustration of the rifleman Gurkha Sher Bahadur Thapa saving a wounded comrade during the Battle of Monte Pulito. Completing the value of 0.90 euro is “San Marino”, the Coat of Arms of the Republic, the legend “80° anniversario della battaglia di Monte Pulito “, the name of the designer and the year 2024.
The band on the left of the sheet bears the title “80° anniversario della battaglia di Monte Pulito”, a text about the battle, the symbol of the Gurkha Fusiliers and the inscription “Emissione richiesta dalla Giunta di Faetano in ricordo dell’eroico gesto di Sher Bahadur Thapa”.
On this coming 21 June, this issue of the San Marino Postal Service will be presented to the Most Excellent Captains Regent of the Republic of San Marino.
Date of issue: 15 June 2024
Values: a diptych of No. 2 values of 0.90 euros. Miniature sheet of 4 stamps (two diptychs) with band on left side
Run: 20,000 series
Printing: Four-color offset, a Pantone and fluorescent yellow invisible ink by Cartor Security Printing
Perforation: 13 ¼ x 13
Stamp size: 30 x 40 mm
