1807: Curacoa was captured by British forces.

1889: Surgeon Crimmin was awarded the Victoria Cross for his gallantry during an action in Burma during the Karen-Ni Expedition, where he not only tended the wounded under heavy fire, but also fought off an attack on them with his sword, as well as joining the firing line at one point.

1943: An RAF Coastal Command Sunderland flying boat spotted the German blockade runner Rhakotis in the Bay of Biscay on 31 December 1942, attempting to smuggle in war cargo from Japan. The light cruiser HMS Scylla was diverted to intercept, and ran at full speed through a gale for some 20 hours, with the Sunderland guiding her towards the target by dropping flares along the course.

Scylla eventually caught Rhakotis that evening and sank her 140 miles from the French coast.

1945: During an attack on the Dortmund-Ems Canal, a Lancaster bomber of 9 Squadron was badly damaged by two anti-aircraft hits and the fuselage set on fire. The wireless operator, Flight Sergeant Thompson, rescued the gunners from the rear and mid-upper turrets, extinguishing their burning clothing with his bare hands, suffering appalling injuries in the process. The aircraft crash-landed, and although one of the gunners died, the other survived thanks to Thompson's efforts. Flight Sergeant Thompson died of his injuries three weeks later, and was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross.