Very interesting Wander00. I am afraid that on these occasions I usually shamelessly buttonhole the wearers and try and find out the circumstances of the awards. A few years ago I was at a service at the Bomber Command Memorial when I spotted an old gent wearing his WW2 medals, headed by the Military Cross. I asked him if he would mind telling me about it and his reply started with "I wonder if you have heard of a place called Kohima". I had!
On another occasion when I still had my militaria shop I got talking to a chap who mentioned that he had a DSC. I discovered that he was ex WO2 John Phillips, RE, who had won his medal for his part in attempting to defuse a bomb on HMS Argonaut. The bomb exploded and Phillips was seriously injured, losing an arm. I think this award of the DSC to an army WO2 is probably unique.