Tibetan Army during WWII

Discussions on other First and Second World War militaria and collecting in general. Hosted by John G & William Kramer.
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Billy
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Tibetan Army during WWII

#1

Post by Billy » 24 Nov 2005, 02:31

Tibet was neutral during the war and had a small army. Does anyone have any photos, illustrations etc. of Tibetan Army soldiers during WWII or in the 1930s? I've never seen what they looked like. Thanks very much in advance.

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Billy
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#2

Post by Billy » 15 Oct 2007, 06:08

nobody has anything on them?


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#3

Post by JonS » 15 Oct 2007, 07:07

I'll give you credit for patience ;)

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#4

Post by Stephan » 15 Oct 2007, 08:15

there is the film "Seven years in Tibet" with Brad Pitt. The action going on mainly in Tibet, during the forties into the Chinese coming.

I presume /hope the scenes and clothes are fairly accurate.

There in the film we do se some Tibetan soldiers with their uniforms.

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Billy
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#5

Post by Billy » 19 Oct 2007, 05:42

Thanks JonS and thanks Stephan. I will have to check that out, good thinking.

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waldorf
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#6

Post by waldorf » 20 Oct 2007, 01:57

This site might help you:
http://tibet.prm.ox.ac.uk/mission_1936-9-8.html
(some of the shots are of men in uniform)

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#7

Post by thorwald77 » 20 Oct 2007, 02:52

The movie Tibet:Cry of the Snow Lion at a few shots of the Tibetan forces that opposed the Red Chinese in 1950-51. I rented it on Netflix.

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Illustration

#8

Post by Sean RR » 27 Oct 2007, 08:54

Tibetan junior NCO 1936. They also wore traditional dress and khaki woollen uniforms. Officers in British jackets, breeches and high boots. Looks a bit strange to see the ponytail hanging down the back.
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tibet36.GIF
tibet36.GIF (11.85 KiB) Viewed 5499 times

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Billy
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#9

Post by Billy » 28 Oct 2007, 07:14

Thanks!! Beautiful illustration. You mentioned a wool uniform; were those surplus British SD uniforms, or the same colour?

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#10

Post by Sean RR » 06 Nov 2007, 13:04

Don't know whether they were surplus or simply supplied new serge 1903 pattern service dress. Certainly worn as a complete uniform with drill-covered Wolesley sun helmet and long putties. The wool uniforms were khaki as opposed to the light or drill khaki shown above.
In the same photo are personnel wearing native dress, unusual.

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#11

Post by Peter H » 06 Nov 2007, 16:11

Brigadier Philip Neame.VC,commanded the British Military Mission in Tibet in 1936.

Neame was the only VC winner to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games.This was in Paris,1924,in shooting.Captured in North Africa 1941.

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Billy
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#12

Post by Billy » 07 Nov 2007, 05:59

Thanks Sean RR and Peter H., and Waldorf and Thorwald77. Great information!! The Tibetan Army of that era was always one of the "blank spots" in the info I had available about period uniforms. Thanks so much to all of you for clearing that up.

As an aside, does anybody know about the Nepalese Army's uniforms back then? I know they sent a lot of Gurkha troops to fight in British divisions but presumably these were kitted out in British uniforms, at least from what photos I've seen of them; but what about the Nepalese Army personnel in Nepal defending the kingdom itself?

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#13

Post by Stephan » 17 Nov 2007, 19:06

Billy wrote: As an aside, does anybody know about the Nepalese Army's uniforms back then? I know they sent a lot of Gurkha troops to fight in British divisions but presumably these were kitted out in British uniforms, at least from what photos I've seen of them;
As I understand the Gurkhas werent SENT from Nepal, but hired in individually as professional soldiers.

Although I presume the government accepted this, and I also presume Nepal did get some rewards.


(I may be misunderstanding the word troops - which may be both many soldiers - say a battalion, and also a very individual low rank soldier can be called for troops, especielly in american english).

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#14

Post by Animal » 11 Jan 2008, 10:31

I believe the Nepalese Army proper wore British style uniforms.

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#15

Post by Sean RR » 13 Jan 2008, 21:47

Nepalese uniforms, for field work, were like those used by the British Indian Army. Parade dress was different and based on green tunics and trousers with a Nepalese headdress.
Equipment and arms were British patterns.

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