1879: Sir Garnet Wolseley led the Transvaal Field Force plus Swazi allies against the town of King Sekhukhune of the Pedi people. The town was successfully captured, and the King's fort at "Fighting Kopje" surrendered a four days later. During the attack, a British officer was badly wounded. Privates Flawn and Fitzpatrick of the 94th Regiment rescued him, one carrying him back whilst the other covered their movements and returned enemy fire. They both received the Victoria Cross.

1914: During the operations against German colonial forces in Tanganyika, Commander Ritchie, of the battleship HMS Goliath, took a pinnace and a pair of other small boats into Dar-es-Salaam harbour to demolish the port installations. The boats came under heavy fire, and Ritchie was wounded eight times in the space of twenty minutes. However, he continued to direct operations until he eventually lost consciousness from loss of blood. The harbour was wrecked and three German ships disabled. Ritchie was awarded the Victoria Cross.

1916: Zeppelin LZ61 was shot down off Lowestoft by Royal Naval Air Service aircraft. However, a German naval pilot succeeded in flying his aircraft to London, just missing Victoria railway station with his bombs.

1917: Trooper Clare of the 5th Royal Irish Lancers distinguished himself by his gallantry as a stretcher bearer, repeatedly ignoring heavy fire to continue tending to the wounded. At one point, learning that every soldier in a detached position in front of the trenches had been killed or wounded, he braved enemy fire to get to their position, dressed their wounds, then defended the position on his own until relief could be sent. He then carried a seriously wounded man through the barrage back to his dressing station. He next alerted neighbouring troops to the use of gas shells. Sadly he was eventually caught by enemy fire and killed. He was awarded the Victoria Cross.

1942: RAF Bomber Command raided Turin, flying across France and the Alps to reach its target. Flight Sergeant Middleton, RAAF, was the pilot of a Stirling bomber from 149 Squadron which was badly damaged by anti-aircraft fire. One shell burst hit the cockpit. Middleton lost an eye, and the co-pilot and wireless operator were both wounded. Nevertheless, Middleton continued to fly the aircraft to its target, where the bombs were successfully dropped, then managed to nurse the Stirling back over the Alps and return to the UK. Losing fuel, he ordered his crew to bail out over the English coast. He then appeared to turn the aircraft away from land to avoid the risk of the aircraft crashing into habitation: he did not survive. He was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross.

1944: Following the capture of Walcheren and an intensive minesweeping operation, the first British convoy arrived in Antwerp, without loss, opening up a vital supply route.