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Pinched from them chaps what is over at Once A Marine.

Who would you say are the bravest? Those who make selfless sacrifice or struggle against daunting odds (pushing a pebble up a hill for eternity doesn't count. That's just pointless).

History is awash with brave deeds but who gets your vote?

HM Armed Forces are certainly up there, but for me it is the crews of the RNLI.

At an individual level, there are those that have endured seemingly unbearable hardship or conditions every day of their lives. I use the following, who are household names, as examples:

Stephen William Hawking
Simon Weston
Christopher D'Olier Reeve

Bravest of the brave??

One of my lance-jacks who said to the RSM; 'with all due respect sir.....'
[he did'nt get any farther]

For me it is the countless number of men that have gone over the top knowing that it will be their last action, yet have gone any way.

The firemen and workers who had to deal with the immediate aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster deserve a nod of acknowledgement in the bravery department. And some bravery pills to go with the potassium iodide tablets and flimsy lead aprons and diving suits they were given as ‘protection’ against the radiation while working to clear up.

Volunteers went beneath the reactor immediately after the explosion to drain the massive water reservoir before molten radioactive lava could hit it and cause the rest of the reactors to explode. They drained the tanks but all died in the process. The whole Chernobyl thing could have been an even worse disaster if they hadn’t.

Fireman and soldiers, dubbed ‘Bio-Robots’, were sent out onto the roof of the reactor to sweep clear the toxic debris as best they could back into the jagged hole caused by the explosion. Acute radiation syndrome killed many firemen immediately after the accident. The ‘Bio-Robots’ were exposed to extremely lethal doses of radiation during this work.

Were they brave? Or were they just unaware how lethal a situation it all was for them...... Probably had little option anyway (A bit like the poor old Toms in the WW1 trenches I s'pose)

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8oVzYCBq ... re=related
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=OH7ot08Y3 ... re=related

Blimmin' heck.

I started this thread on 17th Nov 08 and a month and half later on 1st Jan 09 it kicked off. Maybe it's a sign of new hope for the new year!

Well done you chaps. All good nominations.