Pun was 21 years old, and a Rifleman in the 3rd Battalion, 6th Gurkha Rifles, in the Indian Army during World War II when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross: On 23 June 1944 at Mogaung, Burma, during an attack on the railway bridge, a section of one of the platoons was wiped out with the exception of Rifleman Tul Bahadur Pun, his section commander and one other.

Rifleman Pun, with a Bren gun continued the charge alone in the face of shattering fire and reaching the position, killed three of the occupants and put five more to flight, capturing two light machine-guns and much ammunition.

He had to move for thirty yards over open ground, ankle deep in mud, through shell holes and over fallen trees.

His outstanding courage and superb gallantry in the face of odds which meant almost certain death were most inspiring to all ranks and beyond praise.Despite the above text, Pun told a different story in an interview.

Pun's name is inscribed on the roof of an arched memorial stand at the Memorial Gates, at Constitution Hill, London (at the junction with Duke of Wellington Place, London SW1), along with other volunteers from the Indian subcontinent, Africa, and the Caribbean, who served with the Armed Forces during the First and Second World Wars and received the Victoria Cross or George Cross.

In a statement given to his solicitors, Howe & Co, of Ealing, West London, Mr Pun stated that his home had no sanitation and that he was therefore obliged to dig a hole in the surrounding fields to serve as a toilet.

In order to receive his monthly pension he had to be driven for three hours and then walk for one full day (being carried by two or three men in a wicker basket) to the Gurkha army camp at Pokhara.

A British Entry Clearance Officer refused his application for settlement on the ground that he had "failed to demonstrate strong ties with the UK".

This decision was not taken lightly and reflects the extraordinary nature of this case, in particular Mr Pun's heroic record in service of Britain which saw him awarded the Victoria Cross.

There has always been scope to grant settlement in the UK to ex-Gurkhas who have retired before July 1997, and who do not meet the requirements in the immigration rules.

[6] One of those who turned up to say farewell was old Gurkha friend and fellow VC recipient Lachhiman Gurung, 90, who lost a hand to a Japanese grenade in 1945.

"[9] On 20 April 2011, after suffering severe respiratory ailments, Pun died unexpectedly in his home village of Myagdi, Nepal.