Bravest act on the Allied side.

Discussion in 'General' started by The Aviator, Dec 3, 2007.

  1. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Having been over Nijmegan bridge at the time. I still say that the bravest act by any service man, was Lt Arthur Heal. RE Who opened up the huge Hillman defensive position, by clearing a mine free path through the barbed wire and mines under heavy fire from all quarters.


    That was bravery of fantastic quality. failing that then the infantry man that won the VC from My Monty's Ironsides.

    You may like to consider the actions of the Sappers, that were in the water removing the charges off the beach obstacles. Many that were drowned doing the job, knowing full well that their sacrifices would never be recognised
    Sapper
     
  2. Oldman

    Oldman Very Senior Member

    Dedicated to the young men of the allied nations who in the hour need put their country and its people first, then to the uncommon valour of the men who looked after their friends by selfless sacrifice.

    Thank them one and all from the Russian convoys to the steaming jungles of Burma
    they deserve our appreciation
     
    Za Rodinu likes this.
  3. jonsidneyb

    jonsidneyb Junior Member

    I think there is not way to tell the bravest. Some times I wonder if the bravest acts are when they knew there was no chance of success. There where too many acts of courage every place in every theater by every nationality.

    While this might be unfair buy maybe the way to tell if something is the bravest act is by discounting some brave act. Do you need 5% less bravery when you are so busy you don't have time to think about it? Are you a tiny bit less brave when if there was a place to run you would but there is no where to go so you do the best that you can? Are you more brave when you didn't have to do that act of bravery and no one would have thought less of you if you didn't? Is it more brave if you do an act and in your mind you know that no one would know what you did?

    I think having time to think about the situation when you realize how bad it is well before you have to act would be a brave act. You are not yet busy enough to be distracted.

    One story of a brave act that I find haunting is of the HMS Rawalpindi. It seems they realized there was no chance of winning or escape and had time to ponder the situation before they were busy. There was no, thinking "We might go down but we will surely take a lot of them with us"

    Not to make the acts on this ship any less brave but I wonder how much of it was being resigned to the situation. I do know there was bravery for them to do their duty with full knowledge they were not going to get away and they were not going to win.


    "We’ll fight them both, they’ll sink us, and that will be that. Good-bye".
     
  4. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    When asked a question like this. First you must have the full story of what took place.

    The opening a path onto the heart of Hillman was one of those quite extraordinary Sappers feats.... Yet oddly enough, you would find it difficult to find anything about Lt Arthur Heal's heroic deed, in penetrating the huge 650 by 450 meters defensive position, (Untouched by shell of bomb!) under continuous heavy and sustained fire.

    Sapper
     

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