1854: The Russians under Prince Menshikov moved on the Allied supply depot at Balaclava supporting the siege of Sebastopol. An initial attack seized defensive redoubts on the heights which had been manned by Turkish troops supported by British gunners. A large formation of Russian cavalry then advanced towards Kadikoi, just north of Balaclava. Sir Colin Campbell held the position with 700 Sutherland Highlanders and 1,000 Turkish troops. The "Thin Red Line" held despite tremendous odds.

Then Major General Scarlett led the Heavy Brigade in one of the finest actions of the British cavalry's history, charging uphill with some 300 men to break at least 2,000 Russian cavalry. Sergeant-Major Grieve and Sergeant Ramage were awarded the Victoria Cross.

However, Balaclava is best remembered for the disastrous charge by Lord Lucan's Light Brigade "into the valley of death". (Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote poems about both cavalry charges.) Lord Raglan wanted the Light Brigade to stop the Russians taking away the British guns from the captured redoubts on the hills. Instead, the 673-strong Brigade charged approximately a mile and a quarter down the valley, which was lined with perhaps as many as 70 Russian artillery pieces. The survivors overran the artillery at the head of the valley, then had to cut their way through Russian cavalry before falling back, having lost 360 men killed and wounded, and 517 horses; their return to the Allied lines was aided by a gallant attack by the French cavalry on the Fedoukine Heights.

VCs were awarded to Lieutenant Dunn, Sergeant-Major Berryman, Sergeants Malone and Farrell, and Private Parkes.

1918: In France, Lieutenant Bissett of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders took over command of a company after the loss of the senior officers and mounted a determined defence against a German counter-attack until his men ran out of ammunition. Rather than withdraw, Bissett then led a bayonet charge that broke the enemy forces. He received the Victoria Cross. Further north in Belgium, the advance of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers stalled under the concentrated fire of German machine-guns. Private Harvey charged alone, killing twenty of the enemy gunners. The advance resumed, but later ran into a second defensive position. Harvey once again attacked alone successfully. He was awarded the VC.

1940: Bombs were dropped over a wide area of Birmingham, causing about 100 fires, the largest of which was in the Balsall Heath area where a number of small factories were set alight.

1942: Private P.E. Gratwick (2/48th Bn AIF) was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously for his actions at Miteiriya Ridge, El Alamein.

His citation reads:

During the attack on Trig 29 at Miteiriya Ridge on the night of 25-26 October 1942 the Company to which Private Gratwick belonged, met with severe opposition from strong enemy positions which delayed capture of the Company's objective and caused a considerable number of casualties. Private Gratwick's Platoon was directed at these strong positions but its advance was stopped by intense enemy fire at short range. Withering fire of all kinds killed the platoon commander, the platoon sergeant and many other ranks and reduced the total strength of the Platoon to seven. Private Gratwick grasped the seriousness of the situation and acting on his own initiative, with utter disregard for his own safety at a time when the remainder of the Platoon were pinned down, charged the nearest post and completely destroyed the enemy with hand grenades, killing amongst others a complete mortar crew. As soon as this task was completed, and again under heavy machine-gun fire, he charged the second post with rifle and bayonet. It was from this post that the heaviest fire had been directed. He inflicted further casualties, and was within striking distance of his objective, when he was killed by a burst of machine-gun fire. By his brave and determined action, which completely unnerved the enemy, and by his successful reduction of the enemy's strength, Private Gratwick's Company was able to move forward and mop up its objective. Private Gratwick's unselfish courage, his gallant and determined efforts against the heaviest opposition, changed a doubtful situation into the successful capture of his Company's final objective.

1944: In Burma, Subadar Ram Sarup Singh led his platoon from the Punjab Regiment in an attack on a Japanese position on the Kennedy Peak. The position was taken, but Singh suffered wounds in both legs. Nevertheless, he insisted on remaining with his men, and, when the Japanese counter-attacked, he led them in a successful charge which broke up the attack. Singh suffered a further wound, but pressed on and finally fell from a fourth, fatal injury. He was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross.