1917: The great British offensive was unleashed on the Arras sector, including an assault on Vimy Ridge by the Canadian Corps, following a three-week long artillery bombardment. The Canadians took the Ridge, but at heavy cost. Seven VCs were won that day:

Captain McDowell (Canadian)
Lance-Sergeant Sifton (Canadian) - posthumous
Private Milne (Canadian) - posthumous
Lance-Corporal Bryan
Sergeant Cator
Sergeant Whittle (Australian)
Private Kenny (Australian)

1918: On the Western Front near Givenchy, Second Lieutenant Schofield, Lancashire Fusiliers, with only nine men, attacked a German strongpoint.

They were met by a German counter-attack ten times their number, but defeated them and took twenty prisoners. He then took his small team further forward and stormed the German lines, taking a further 123 prisoners. At the moment of triumph, Schofield was hit and killed.

From his citation

For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty in operations. 2nd Lt. Schofield led a party of nine men against a strong point which was reported strongly held by the enemy, and was attacked by about 100 of the enemy with bombs. He disposed his men so skilfully, and made such good use of rifle and Lewis gun fire, that the enemy took cover in dug-outs. This officer himself then held up and captured a party of twenty. With the help of other parties this position was then cleared of the enemy who were all killed or captured. He then collected the remainder of his men, made his party up to ten, and proceeded towards the front line, previously informing his Commanding Officer as to the position, and that he was proceeding to retake the front line. He met large numbers of the enemy in a communication trench in front of him and in a drain on his right and left. His party opened rapid rifle fire, and he climbed out on to the parapet under point blank machine gun fire, and, by his fearless demeanour and bravery, forced the enemy to surrender. As a result, 123 of the enemy, including several officers, were captured by 2nd Lt. Schofield and his party. This very gallant officer was killed a few minutes later.

Nearby, Second Lieutenant Collin had commanded a defence of a medieval fortification. With only five men left, he was eventually forced to withdraw by overwhelming German numbers. Having got his men clear, Collin then returned to attack on his own, destroying a machine-gun position. Whilst taking on a second machine-gun, he was mortally wounded. Both he and Schofield were awarded posthumous Victoria Crosses.

At Bethune, continual German bombardment made it nigh impossible for ambulances to reach the front lines. Nevertheless, Private Masters of the Royal Army Service Corps volunteered to make the attempt. He repeatedly drove his ambulance along the exposed stretch of the road, often having to stop to clear debris in his path, under continual artillery and machine-gun fire, and on one occasion an air attack, bring back load after load of wounded men. He was awarded the Victoria Cross.

1940: In appalling weather amid snow squalls off Norway, the elderly battlecruiser HMS Renown took on the two German battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. The weather prevented a conclusive action, but Renown distinguished herself with accurate long range gunnery under the most difficult of conditions.

1942: Following its raid on Columbo on 5 April, and the sinking of Dorsetshire and Cornwall, Admiral Nagumo's Carrier Fleet attacked Trincomalee. Once again, a handful of RAF and Fleet Air Arm Hurricanes and Fulmars took to the air. They inflicted somewhat heavier losses on the Japanese on this occasion, scoring perhaps 15 victories for the loss of some 11 British aircraft. RAF Blenheims also attempted to bomb the Japanese fleet. Unfortunately, the Japanese once again enjoyed success in finding some of Admiral Somerville's dispersed ships, catching the small and elderly aircraft carrier HMS Hermes and her escort, the Australian destroyer HMAS Vampire.

Both were sunk.

1945: At the Senio River, an attack by the 5th Mahratta Light Infantry suffered heavy casualties. Sepoy Namdeo Jadav carried two wounded men back across the river, then returned to launch a lone attack on the enemy-held bank. Negotiating a minefield, he destroyed three enemy machine-gun positions, then stood atop the German lines to summon reinforcements. His efforts transformed the situation, and allowed the battalion to secure a foothold across the river.

Similarly, Sepoy Ali Haidar of the 13th Frontier Force Rifles played a leading role in his unit's crossing of the river. He was one of only three men to succeed in getting across in the first attack.

Whilst his two comrades provided covering fire, Haidar attacked a strongpoint and, despite being wounded, knocked it out. He then killed or captured the defenders of a second position, allowing the remainder of his company to cross the river and consolidate the bridgehead.

Both men were awarded the Victoria Cross.