Regarding Sgt Gray VC.
As an 18 year old spotty youth at college, I was intensely jealous of my best friend who had a spectacular girlfriend.
His girlfriend knew of of my interest in joining the Royal Air Force and one evening she astounded me by producing from her handbag a Victoria Cross. "This was awarded to my uncle, he was in the RAF" she said " he was killed in the war".
The girlfriend was taking it to a museum (as far as I can recall) and just had it in her handbag.
I didn't know of Sgt Thomas Gray VC then. I do now.