The 6th June 1944 saw the largest invasion force in history land on the beaches at Normandy merely a couple of hours after a huge number of paratroopers had dropped in Nazi occupied France. D-Day was at long last underway.
1000s of Allied soldiers landed at the five beaches of Normandy; Gold, Sword, Juno, Omaha and Utah. There were countless acts of bravery yet there was simply one single Victoria Cross awarded on D-Day. It had been given to CSM Stan Hollis who landed on Gold Beach.
Hollis was an experienced veteran who had been in combat at Dunkirk, El Alamein and Sciliy. He'd previously been captured by Rommel's Afrika Korps but managed to get away to rejoin the war.
Discipline wise, Hollis was never a model soldier yet on D-Day, there was no doubting his expertise as a soldier. He had also been recommended for a Distinguished Conduct Medal while in action in Italy and it was as part of the offensive on the Mont Fleury Battery that Hollis earned his Victoria Cross in action with the Green Howards regiment.
While his company, advanced inland, he spotted two pillboxes had been missed. When Hollis went to investigate, the Germans within began firing. Hollis attacked them and cleared both pillboxes acquiring quite a few prisoners in the process. This allowed the primary exit from the beachfront to stay open.
Later in the day close to the village of Crepon, Hollis assaulted the Germans with a Bren gun to free 2 British troops who had been cornered in a building. He successfully rescued both soldiers. The bravery shown by Hollis in Normandy on D-Day preserved many British lives and he was accorded the Victoria Cross. He was injured in September that year and the next month was presented with his medal by King George VI. Now, his Victoria Cross is on display at the Green Howards Museum in Yorkshire alongside quite a few other Victoria Cross awarded in combat to other soldiers of the same regiment.
1000s of Allied soldiers landed at the five beaches of Normandy; Gold, Sword, Juno, Omaha and Utah. There were countless acts of bravery yet there was simply one single Victoria Cross awarded on D-Day. It had been given to CSM Stan Hollis who landed on Gold Beach.
Hollis was an experienced veteran who had been in combat at Dunkirk, El Alamein and Sciliy. He'd previously been captured by Rommel's Afrika Korps but managed to get away to rejoin the war.
Discipline wise, Hollis was never a model soldier yet on D-Day, there was no doubting his expertise as a soldier. He had also been recommended for a Distinguished Conduct Medal while in action in Italy and it was as part of the offensive on the Mont Fleury Battery that Hollis earned his Victoria Cross in action with the Green Howards regiment.
While his company, advanced inland, he spotted two pillboxes had been missed. When Hollis went to investigate, the Germans within began firing. Hollis attacked them and cleared both pillboxes acquiring quite a few prisoners in the process. This allowed the primary exit from the beachfront to stay open.
Later in the day close to the village of Crepon, Hollis assaulted the Germans with a Bren gun to free 2 British troops who had been cornered in a building. He successfully rescued both soldiers. The bravery shown by Hollis in Normandy on D-Day preserved many British lives and he was accorded the Victoria Cross. He was injured in September that year and the next month was presented with his medal by King George VI. Now, his Victoria Cross is on display at the Green Howards Museum in Yorkshire alongside quite a few other Victoria Cross awarded in combat to other soldiers of the same regiment.
About the Author:
The D-Day invasion in Normandy witnessed the start of the Allied fightback in the Second World War. Today, the landing grounds are regularly visited by tour groups wanting to see the old battlefields for themselves.. This article, The Only Victoria Cross of 6th June 1944 is released under a creative commons attribution license.
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