1917: During an action in Palestine, two stretcher-bearers from the 6th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers braved heavy enemy fire in an attempt to reach a wounded man lying exposed in the open.

One of the stretcher-bearers himself fell wounded, whereupon his comrade, Private James Duffy, went back to get help. Another soldier returned with him, but was immediately killed. Duffy thereupon continued on alone, and eventually succeeded in rescuing both the wounded men. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his gallantry.

1941: British and Norwegian commandos mounted the first major Combined Operation, raiding the Norwegian island of Vaagso north of Bergen. The raid - Operation Archery - was intended to tie down German troops in Norway and distract them from operations in the north against Murmansk. Specific targets on the island included the harbour, a power station, fish factories and an oil facility. The island was relatively well defended by German troops, particularly on the small island of Malloy which guarded the entrance to the Ulvesund, and South Vaagso town.

The attack commenced at 0848, with a hurricane bombardment of the German positions on Malloy from the cruiser HMS Kenya and four destroyers. Twelve Hampden bombers from 50 Squadron RAF bombed coastal defences and dropped smoke bombs to cover the approach of the landing craft launched from the troopships Prince Charles and Prince Leopold. Some 580 Commandos and Royal Norwegian Army troops were landed. RAF Blenheim bombers mounted diversionary attacks on German shipping elsewhere on the Norwegian coast and suppressed the nearest air base. Six Blenheims and two of the Hampdens were lost.

German resistance was greater than expected - it later emerged that some front-line infantry were on leave in South Vaagso. After five hours of heavy fighting, the British and Norwegian forces withdrew, having killed some 100 Germans, captured a similar number, and destroyed all the valuable facilities together with several ships. Furthermore, many Norwegian men on the island took the opportunity to return to the UK as volunteers for the Free Norwegian Forces.

1943: The Australian 7th Division captured 'The Pimpel" on Shaggy Ridge in New Guinea after four months of heavy fighting.

By Christmas 1943, the Australians were nearing the end of the Markham and Ramu Valleys campaign, having reached Shaggy Ridge. This was one of the most imposing of many ridgelines encountered. Once it was captured, the way was clear to the coast. Lieutenant Robert 'Shaggy' Clampett, 2/27th Battalion, wrote of the ridge that was named after him:

The Australians pushed on, gradually making their way down towards the coast to link up with troops fighting their way around the Huon Peninsula's coastline. The 15th Infantry Brigade took over the campaign, pushing on to link up with troops who advanced inland on the Huon Peninsula. By the start of February 1944, the last objectives in this area were taken. It was then left to troops of the 8th and 15th Brigades to push on along the coast.