Crab,
I don't post much on here but I am a bit surprised at your comment. For what it's worth I was privileged to be crewed with SSgt Bertie Banfield as part of Gazelle Flight on Telic 1 in 2003 with 663 Sqn AAC for which he as awarded the DFC after multiple missions in contact with a determined enemy at low level. In 2012 I was lucky enough to fly AH on Herrick 15/16 during which time I witnessed the courage of professionalism of the Chinook crews.
After the Iraq experience I must admit I felt a certain empathy with them flying into hostile areas at low level in unarmoured helicopters. I certainly don't take anything away from those AH crews that have been awarded gallantry medals for their undoubted courage but for the majority of the time flying an Apache at 2000' above Helmand is probably one of the safest places to be! In fact I'd go as far to say that most AH pilots are quite keen for the enemy to take a pop at them because we can turn around and very quickly hit back hard (as the Taliban found to their cost early on in the campaign). Not so in other aircraft types.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that, to me, 23 DFCs genuinely is a reflection of the danger that the Chinook Force (and Lynx, Sea King, Pedro etc) faced - a record that they can be justifiably proud of. I've yet to meet the infanteer that would disagree.
All the best
Chimpy