Hello Jim, Garhwali, Kuamon & Dogra troops {amongst others.] have used kukri for as long as the British inlisted Gurkhas have.
By mid Victorean times many Assam & Burma units did as well.
Many Sikh officers & later Chindit & even British , american & Australian air & tank crew in Burma in ww2 also used them. So did US special forces & even the OSS. This is all well recoreded.
Great point re. diversification of Lancers, there records do indeed show ground attacks & trench warfare in 1914/15 etc. i am just resistant to accepting salemans stories without evidence as I have learnt to do that to protect true knowledge as well as my finance.
Many collecters, forumites & dealers in the 1990s sold them as "kukri for the Gurkha regiment supplied by Maj. of Jodhpur" BNut Brit . Army records show he provided no infantry to europe in ww1 & just one regiment in ww2 of which 8 men were recorded as Gurkhas. " All of whom served in BURMA. {As did one of his sons.]
I have seen mayby 60 photos of the Jodhpuh lancers in France & Palistine in ww1, so far none show a kukri....
Personlay I would love to find some evidence to show the Jodhpuh lancers used kukri. but so far I am still skeptical of yet another "another arms & armour dealers sales pitch." Same as i am with car dealers & estate agents.
The currant currater of the Jodhpur armoury & museam states that he is "unaware of any kukri made for the jodhpur lancers." which doesnt mean they wernt, but it doesnt mean they were either.
Further research may reveal more, hopefully.
Spiral
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