#WW2 D-Day Hero Co Sgt Major Stanley Hollis - Green Howards Regiment

Stanley E. Hollis VC 1912 - 1972

"The only serviceman to be awarded the Victoria Cross on D-Day June 6, 1944, for his actions at Gold Beach, La Rivière, The Mont Fleury Battery and Crépon, during the Normandy Invasion of Europe.

"An immensely brave and modest family man, born at Archibald Street, Middlesbrough, on September 21, 1912.Stanley E. Hollis VC 1912 - 1972 "The only serviceman to be awarded the Victoria Cross on D-Day June 6, 1944, for his actions at Gold Beach, La Rivière, The Mont Fleury Battery and Crépon, during the Normandy Invasion of Europe. "An immensely brave and modest family man, born at Archibald Street, Middlesbrough, on September 21, 1912. "A never-to-be-forgotten leader, protector and inspiration to his comrades." © Mike Morgan, author of the authorised biography "D-Day Hero: CSM Stanley Hollis VC"

"A never-to-be-forgotten leader, protector and inspiration to his comrades."

© Mike Morgan, author of the authorised biography "D-Day Hero: CSM Stanley Hollis VC"

Stanley Hollis Memorial Website Link

Stanley Hollis was a Co Sgt Major of 6th Battalion Green Howards, a northern regiment. He won the only V.C awarded for his actions on D-Day.  Read the full story here:   http://www.flamesofwar.com/hobby.aspx?art_id=286

There is an excellent BBC Tees Interview and documentary about Stan Hollis, you can find it here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p020gt21

#D-Day 6th June 1944 More Of Hobart's Funnies

Last night I forgot to mention a couple of Hobart's inventions created for D-Day.
The AVRE was an armoured bulldozer, useful for pushing obstacles aside and also for Engineers to shelter behind.





There was also a bridge laying tank, again a Churchill:

Churchill Bridge Laying Tank

There was no need for Royal Engineers to spend hours building a bailey bridge under fire when they had these, they were ideal for crossing narrow rivers.








To summarise, These were British inventions, not American. Sometimes the British used American kit and improved it for different scenarios such as the DD swimming tank and the Sherman fitted with a 17pdr gun.
I can't help but scratch my head as to why General Bradley didn't adopt these tanks in larger numbers, even if only for D-Day instead of relying on frontal assaults by engineers and infantry. they may have saved many lives.