. LET ME HOLD MY VC Gurkha hero Pun in new battle to get back medal Exclusive by Rebecca Evans 16/07/2007 VETERAN Gurkha Tul Bahadur Pun gazes longingly at his Victoria Cross in a museum - 30 years after it was taken from him for "safekeeping." Pun, 84, came to Britain last week from his home in Nepal for medical treatment after a Mirror campaign overturned a callous decision to deny him citizenship rights despite his heroic service. But now the frail veteran, who is nearly blind, is being forced into a new battle as he tries to get his VC back. Advertisement Pun went to see his medal on display in a case at the Gurkha Museum in Winchester. Museum chiefs use a picture of Pun on their leaflet - but when asked if he could hold it they refused. Sad Pun said afterwards: "It is mine. I want it back. I must have it back. "I am glad to have seen it after so long but my eyesight isn't good enough and I couldn't see it clearly through the glass." Pun, who has heart problems and diabetes, won his VC in Burma in 1944 after he charged a Japanese machine gun nest that had wiped out his platoon. In 1974 the Army sent Pun a letter about the medal - although he does not read - and then an officer visited him in his hut in Nepal. He said: "The officer said the medal was too valuable to be in my possession and the Army would hold it for safekeeping." Some time later he received a payment of 40,000 rupees - the equivalent of about £500 today - which he believed was a loan. A Victoria Cross sold at auction last year for £500,000. Pun's lawyer Martin Howe said: "The medal is his - he risked his life for it. He did not understand he would not get it back." Museum trustee chairman Christopher Bullock said: "The medal was bought from Mr Pun for the market value at the time. It is on display here for the world to see and serves as an inspiration." His VC is held at the museum with another 10 of his medals. Pun is one of only 13 living VC winners. Each VC is made from the bronze of a Crimean War cannon. There is only enough metal left to make around 35 more. .