1580: Francis Drake returned from his circumnavigation of the world aboard Golden Hind, formerly named Pelican.

1857: The British relief force finally reached the beleagured Residency in Lucknow after yet more fierce fighting. They were too weak to organise a break-out, but reinforced the Residency's garrison until a stronger relief force could be organised. A further seven Victoria Crosses were won:

Surgeon Home, 90th Regiment
Assistant Surgeon Bradshaw, 90th Regiment
Colour-Sergeant McPherson, 78th Regiment
Private McManus, 5th Regiment
Private Hollowell, 78th Regiment
Private Duffy, 1st Madras Fusiliers
Private Ryan, 1st Madras Fusiliers

1901: In South Africa, Driver Bradley of the Royal Field Artillery was awarded the Victoria Cross for driving a limber full of desperately needed ammunition through heavy Boer fire.

1915: On the second day of fighting at Loos, Sergeant Saunders, Sussex Regiment, took command of his battalion's two machine-guns and, despite being wounded, provided very effective covering fire when the battalion was forced to retire. Private Dunsire, Royal Scots, twice ventured into No Man's Land to rescue wounded men. Saunders and Dunsire each received the Victoria Cross.

1916: At Thiepval, Private Edwards of the Middlesex Regiment attacked a German machine-gun which had helped up the British advance. He was awarded the Victoria Cross, as was Private Ryder of the same battalion, who single-handedly captured an entire German trench.

1917: The start of the Battle of Polygon Wood, during Third Ypres or Passchendaele. The ANZACs attacked the wood, a key position defended by numerous pillboxes, after a massive artillery barrage, and successfully took it, but suffered heavy casualties. Sergeant Dwyer, Australian Machine-Gun Corps, man-handled his heavy Vickers machine-gun through the mud and enemy fire to set it up just yards from a key German machine-gun nest, which he wiped out. He was awarded the Victoria Cross.

1927: At Venice, Flight Lieutenant Webster won the Schneider Trophy in a Supermarine S5 seaplane.

1939: Fleet Air Arm Skua aircraft from 803 Naval Air Squadron achieved the first British air-to-air victory in the Second World War, downing a German Dornier flying boat.

1940: The Luftwaffe's main daylight effort was against Southampton. London and Liverpool were the main targets at night.

Mr Tunna, a Great Western Railway employee, won the George Cross for extinguishing two incendiary bombs which had hit a fully loaded ammunition train in Birkinhead.

1944: After nine days holding out against relentless German attacks, 1st Airborne Division was evacuated across the Lower Rhine to Driel during the night. British and Canadian engineers from XXX Corps organised a successful ferry operation which smuggled some 2,600 troops through a 700 metre gap in the German encirclement and across the river. Those too wounded to be moved remained behind with volunteers, including medical staff and chaplains, and were taken prisoner the following morning. A further 240 soldiers later returned to Allied lines with the aid of the Dutch Resistance.