1319: Ignoring an English army mustering to retake Berwick, Scots forces under the Earl of Moray marched south into Yorkshire and met local levies, led by the Mayor of York, Nicholas Flemming, in battle at Swaledale near Boroughbridge. The Yorkshiremen were heavily defeated, and the main English army broke up as the earls of the northern Marches headed home to protect their lands.

1643: The First Battle of Newbury. Having driven Charles I away from his siege of Gloucester, the Parliamentary army under the Earl of Essex was attempting to retreat to London, but found its path blocked by Prince Rupert at Newbury. Reinforced by King Charles, the Royalists enjoyed a superiority in numbers, but were short of ammunition. Rupert's pleas to delay battle until a supply convoy reached them were overruled; the Royalist infantry duly ran out of ammunition, and defeat was only avoided by the success of Rupert's cavalry. However, the Royalists were unable to prevent the Parliamentary army from passing down the road and escaping to London. Viscount Falkland was a notable casualty.

1854: The first major engagement of the Crimean War was fought at the Alma river, north of Sebastopol. Prince Menshikov's Russians enjoyed a strong defensive position behind the river. Lord Raglan's British, French and Turkish army had limited room to deploy, and advanced in some confusion, not helped by the need to wade across the river.

The British Light Division captured, with heavy loss, the key Russian fortification of the Great Redoubt on Kourgane Hill, but were then driven out again. The Guards Brigade then retook the Great Redoubt, while the Highland Brigade captured its sister the Lesser Redoubt. The victory was decided by a French assault which seized Telegraph Hill. Seven Victoria Crosses were won:

* Captain Lindsay, Scots Guards
* Captain Bell, 23rd Regiment
* Sergeant Knox, Scots Guards
* Sergeant McKechnie, Scots Guards
* Sergeant O'Connor, 23rd Regiment
* Sergeant Park, 77th Regiment
* Private Reynolds, Scots Guards

1914: In France, Captain Ranken, Royal Army Medical Corps, suffered serious wounds. However, rather than allow himself to be hospitalised, he remained in the front line with only field dressings on his injuries, tending to other casualties.

By the time he was finally taken to the rear, his injuries were beyond treatment. His self-sacrifice was recognised by a posthumous Victoria Cross.

1940: One major air combat occurred over Kent during the day. London was again bombed during the night.

1944: Sergeant Baskeyfield of the 2nd Battalion South Staffords (part of 1st Airborne Division) was killed whilst conducting a lone anti-tank defence at Arnhem despite already being wounded. He was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross. The full citation reads:

On 20th September, 1944, during the Battle of Arnhem, Lance-Sergeant Baskeyfield was the N.C.O. in charge of a 6-pounder anti-tank gun at Oosterbeek. During the early stages of a heavy enemy attack, the crew commanded by this N.C.O. were responsible for the destruction of two Tiger tanks and at least one self-propelled gun, thanks to his coolness in allowing each tank to come well within 100 yards of his gun before opening fire. Lance-Sergeant Baskeyfield was badly wounded and the remainder of his crew were either killed or severely wounded, he refused to be carried away from his post, and when the attack was renewed he manned his gun alone and fired round after round until his gun was put out of action. His activity was the main factor in keeping the German tanks at bay, and his example and his courage were responsible for keeping together and in action the surviving men in his vicinity. When his gun was knocked out, he crawled to another nearby which was left without a crew, and succeeded in putting out of action another self-propelled gun before being killed. Lance-Sergeant Baskeyfield's supreme gallantry is beyond praise. During the remaining days at Arnhem stories of his valour were a constant inspiration to all ranks.

Lieutenant Grayburn, 2 PARA, who had repeatedly distinguished himself in the fighting at Arnhem Bridge, finally succumbed to fatal wounds. He too received a posthumous Victoria Cross. His citation reads:

Lieutenant Grayburn was a platoon commander of 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment which was dropped on 17th September 1944 with the task of seizing and holding the bridge over the Rhine at Arnhem.

From the evening of 17th September until the night of 20th September, a period of over three days, Lieutenant Grayburn led his men with supreme gallantry and determination. Although in pain and weakened by his wounds, short of food and without sleep, his courage never flagged. There is no doubt that, had it not been for this officer's inspiring leadership and personal bravery, the Arnhem bridge could never have been held for this time.

1st Airborne pulled back to a final defensive position around Oosterbeek. At Arnhem bridge, the Parachute Regiment's 2nd Battalion endured a fourth day cut off, withstanding determined German assaults using artillery and flamethrowers. A brief truce was called to allow over 200 badly wounded men from both sides, including Lt Col John Frost, to be evacuated by German medics. Frost received the Distinguished Service Order for his gallant command of the defence.

To the south, the US 504th Parachute Regiment made a gallant river assault across the Waal which helped finally secure the bridge at Nijmegen. German demolition charges failed to detonate, and the Guards Armoured Division duly crossed the bridge. However, the advance now fell victim to the huge succession of bottlenecks back down a single precariously held road which prevented adequate supplies and reinforcements reaching the lead troops.