How does Dunny view heroes? Does he see himself as one?

Dunstan has little interest in being a war hero. Like killing people in the battlefield, Dunstan sees the awards process as part of the war, perhaps like a bookend.

When Dunstan travels to London to receive the V.C (Victoria Cross) from the King himself, he is initially turned off by the pageantry involved. However, he decides these things are part of war and he might as well be involved.

He has a revelation when meeting the King, realizing that just as he is pretending to be a hero, the King is pretending to be an authority. He realizes that "we cast [people] in roles" in life, and that it is a challenge to live up to that.