Geoffrey John Kirkby Commander of the British Empire Three Distinguished Service Cross Mentioned in Despatches http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_John_Kirkby
Leon Verdi Goldsworthy - Australia's highest decorated Naval officer of WW2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Goldsworthy George Cross Distinguished Service Cross George Medal Mention in Despatches
Leif Larsen - Norwegian sailor who operated the Shetland Bus http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leif_Larsen Incomplete list. War Cross with two Swords (Norwegian) St. Olav Medal with oak branch (Norwegian) Norwegian War Medal with tree stars (Norwegian) Participation (in WWII) Medal (Norwegian) King Haakon VII's 70th anniversary Medal (Norwegian) Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (British) Distinguished Service Medal and Bar (British) Distinguished Service Cross (British) Distinguished Service Order (British) Participation in the Winter War Medal (Finnish)
John Andrew Pearson - minesweeping http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Andrew_Pearson_(Royal_Navy_officer) DSC and Bar Four MID
Frederic John Walker - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederic_John_Walker Order of the Bath DSO and Three Bars Three MiDs
Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Cunningham,_1st_Viscount_Cunningham_of_Hyndhope DSO and Two Bars Companion of the Bath Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Baronet of Hyndhope, Selkirk Knight of the Thistle Baron Cunningham of Hyndhopenote Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope Order of Merit Special Grand Cordon of the Cloud and Banner (China) Légion d'honneur, Commandeur (France) Medal of Military Merit, 1st Class (Greece) Grand Cross of the Order of George I (Greece) Grand Officer of the Order of Ouissam Alaouite (Morocco) Order of the Netherlands Lion, Knight Grand Cross (Netherlands) Grand Cordon of the Order of Nichan Iftikhar (Tunisia) Legion of Merit (USA) Navy Distinguished Service Medal (USA)
Philip Vian - Admiral http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Vian http://www.admirals.org.uk/admirals/fleet/vianpl.htm Distinguished Service Order and Two Bars Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire Order of the Bath Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath Legion of Merit, Degree of Chief Commander (U.S.A.) Distinguished Service Medal (U.S.A.) The St Olav Medal with Oakleaves (Norwegian) Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath
John Duncan Bulkeley - USN http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_D._Bulkeley Medal of Honor Navy Cross Two Distinguished Service Cross Navy Distinguished Service Medal Two Silver Star Legion of Merit Two Purple Heart Croix de Guerre. Philippine Distinguished Conduct Star
Roy Milton Davenport - USN Submarines http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_M._Davenport Five Navy Crosses Two Silver Star' Two Navy Commendation Medals
Johnny Walker CB DSO and three bars HMS Starling; the RNs most successful anti-submarine commander. Died of a heart attack on board HMS Starling 9th July 1944, probably due to overwork and exhaustion.
I've just noticed you've already added Walker - but I didn't notice because you listed him as Frederic John, whereas I always think of him as "Johnny"
I wouldn't think of myself as close, but I suspect I tend to think of war heroes the way football fans think of their favourite footballers, i.e they occupy that part of my life and I would jealously guard their memory. Are we strange people or what!? I think we would argue that our heroes are more deserving of respect and of being remembered than footballers or pop stars.
I don't think we're strange (well not too strange). I quite agree with you about heroes deserving respect and admiration but then again I've never considered musicians or actors as heroes. They maybe famous and some are even good at what they do, but they never laid their lives for us, or demonstrated utter unselfishness in their actions.
