Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 021, folder 18: Stanley Elton Hollis

3 The brilliant success of this Company's attack cleared the beach of small arms fire. These three brave men were all fated to be killed five days later in the action near Oristot, but all received posthumous awards for their gallantry. Captain Honeyman was awarded the Military Cross, and L/Sgt. Prenty and L/Gpl. Joyce the Military Medal, In addition to these three men, Lieuts. R. V. Mather, K. J. Hudson and L. A. Grosvenor, particularly distinguised themselves by their courage and leadership in this action. "D" Company, commanded by Major R. Lofthouse, ran into deep water, mines, and heavy mortar fire as it landed, and suffered many casualties, including such good N.C.O' s as Sgts, J. J. Hill, H. N. Scott, A. W. Lawson and W. Woolston. Despite this unlucky start, Major Lofthouse collected the remainder of his Company, and personally led them across the protecting minefield into the enemy's positions. So swift had been his progress, the enemy troops defending the battery were taken by surprise, and were either killed or taken prisoner. Major Lofthouse immediately exploited his success on the right flank, and had soon established his company in a position from which it was able to dominate the front of the whole battalion. The determination, initiative, and personal courage of Major Lofthouse enabled a tract exit from the beach to be opened at an early stage in the proceedings, and had a direct bearing on the operation as a whole. 14ajor Lofthouse was awarded the Military Cross. It was during this assault, and for continuous bravery throughout the day, that C.S.M.S.E. Hollis was awarded the Victoria Cross. The official citation liately exploited his success on the right flank, accompanying his award reads; - "In Normandy, on June 6th, 1944, during the assault on the beaches and the Mont Fleury battery, C.S.M. Hollis's Company Commander noticed that two of the pill-boxes had been by-passed, and went with C.S.M. Hollis to see that they were clear. When they were twenty yards from the pill-box a machine-gun opened fire frou the slit, and C.S.M. Hollis instantly rushed straight at the pill-box, recharged his magazine, threw a grenade in through the door, and fired his Sten gun into it, killing two Germans and making the remainder prisoner. He then cleared several Germans from a neighbouring trench. By his action he undoubtedly saved his Company from being fired on heavily from the rear, and enabled them to open the main beach exit.

4 Later the same day, in the village of Crepon, the Company encountered a field gun and crew, armed with spandaus, at a hundred yards range. C.S.M. Hollis was put in command of a party to cover an attack on the gun, but the movement was held up. Seeing this C.S.M. Hollis pushed right forward to engage the gun with a P.I.A.T. from a house at fifty yards range. He was observed by a sniper who fired and grazed his right cheek, and at the same moment the gun swung round and fired at point blank range into the house. To avoid the falling masonry G.3.M. Hollis moved his partyto an alternative position. Two of the enemy gun crew had by this time been killed, and the gun was destroyed shortly afterwards. He later found that two of his men had stayed behind in the house, and immediately volunteered to get them out. In full view of the enemy, who were continually firing at him, he went forward alone using a Bren gun to distract their attention from the other men. Under cover of his diversion, the two men were able to get back.

Wherever fighting was heaviest C.S.M. Hollis appeared, and in the course of a magnificent day’s work he displayed the utmost gallantry, and on two separate occasions his courage and initiative prevented the enemy from holding up the advance at critical stages. It was largely through his heroism and resource that the Company's objectives were gained and casualties were not heavier, by his own bravery he saved the lives of many of his men."

In addition to Major Lofthouse and C.S.M. Hollis, Lieuts. R. L. Fitzwilliam, L. Loxley and J. A. Kirkpatrick led their platoons with great gallentry, and contributed largely to "D" Company’s success.

"B" Company, following behind the assault companies, rapidly secured its objective, clearing a quarry occupied by the enemy on the way and taking some prisoners.

"C" Company, led by Capt. J.C. Linn, waded ashore thirteen minutes behind the leading companies. By this time the enemy had recovered from his inital suprise and was plastering the high water mark with all the weapons at his disposal. Halfway up the beach Capt. Linn was wounded in the leg, but continued to direct operations from a sitting position until he was hit again and killed. This very gallant and popular company commander was a great loss to the Battalion. Several first class N.C.O.'s, including

5 Sgts, W. Burns and A.Thompson, were also lost at this early stage in the proceedings. The company was led on to its objective by the second in command, Capt. R. C. Chambers, despite the fact that he had been hit on the back of the head, and was bleeding profusely. When it reached the cover of the dunes at the top of the beach, it was temporarily immune from fire. On taking stock, it was found that the Company had sustained fairly heavy casualties, one platoon having already lost twelve men out of its original thirty-three. During the half hour on the beaches, when the Company was under heavy mortar fire, Pte. S. Addis, a stretcher bearer, carried out his duties of rendering first aid, with complete disregard for his personal safety, and with unselfish devotion to his comrades. He was awarded the Military Medal. "C" Company then proceeded to advance through "D" Company, which was firmly established on the site of the coastal battery, which it had captured. The next two objectives, well inland, were the 88 mm. gun position, and the unspecified rocket projector hidden in a wood. When the Green Howards arrived at the gun position, they found that the crew had made good use of the gun's mobility, and had not waited for the arrival of the British troops. Accordingly "C" Company pushed straight on to the rocket projector site. This was in a wood, easy to recognise as there was a long tunnel running away from the wood to a nearby road. The Green Howards approached to within forty yards of the edge of the wood before the enemy opened fire. Capt. J.D.E. Franklyn then crawled over the back of an unoccupied firing position in the tunnel, and three in a hand grenade. There was no movement after the explosion and the tunnel was found to be empty. Meanwhile the 4/7th Dragoon Guards arrived with their tanks, and poured a heavy fire into the wood. One lucky shot set off an ammunition dump in the middle of the wood, and for a while it was better to watch from a distance. When the ammunition dump began to quieten down, Capt. Franklyn and Lt. G. A. Kenny led their men forward into the wood. On getting inside they found a maze of underground tunnels and strongrooms, into which they lobbed a few grenades. This was enough for the enemy, and forty sorry looking Germans, including a Lt.-Col, gave themselves up. "C" Company left behind at least a dozen enemy dead and twice that number wounded, its only casualty being one man wounded.

-6It then proceeded on towards Crepon, and joined up with the rest of the Battalion. The first objectives had now all been taken, but not without losses. In addition to those already mentioned, the Battalion suffered a severe blow when Major R. J. L. Jackson, one of the mainstays of the Battalion, was severely wounded as he stepped off his landing craft as Unit Landing Officer. By mid-day the Battalion was pushing on fast towards Crepon with some of the 7th Green Howards in front. Little resistance had been anticipated inland of the coastal defences, but at Crepon the Green Howards had their first experience of really determined resistance in close country. Acting by-passed, unless absolutely unavoidable, the Battalion on instructions that any resistance encountered was to be/ignored some snipers and a 75 am. gun in the outskirts of Crepon, and pushed on towards Villlers Le Sec. A further misfortune befell them in Crepon, when Capt. D. Jones, commanding the carriers, was killed by a shell, when passing through the village. Soon after three o'clock in the afternoon the Green Howards arrived on the northern outskirts of Villers Le Sec. The 5th East Yorkshires were engaged in heavy fighting in the village, and Lt.-Col. Hastings sent "B" Company in to attack on the right side of the village and "D" Company on the left. This move caused the enemy to withdraw, but not before "D" Company had come under heavy mortar fire, and sustained some casualties, including Lieuts. Fitzwilliam and Kirkpatrick. The Battalion then moved on towards St. Gabriel. Reports were received on considerable movement of energy armoured forces moving west from Caen, and, at about 6 p.m., enemy tanks were reported to have reached Brecy. St. Gabriel was being heavily shelled by the enemy, and at 7.30 pm. the Battalion was ordered to halt its advance towards this village. Later, at about 9 p.m. , the Battalion moved to a position to the west and slightly south of St. Gabriel, where it passed a quiet night. Although it was still some two miles short of its original planned objective for June 6, in view of the fact that the weather had prevented the maximum results from the naval and aerial bombardment, the Battalion could be considered to have been lucky to have landed, and moved five miles inland, with in this short time, however, with as few as eighty to ninety casaulties. Even on this short time, however,

-7the Green Howards had had experience of the chief problems of war in the bocage, namely the sniper and the mortar, both of which were provided with innumerable hiding places, and concealed lines of retreat. There were two kinds of sniper, the professional who hid well, shot well, and would not surrender, and the soldier who had been bypassed, and was prepared to show some resistance before surrendering to strong forces. The chief ambition of the latter was to pick off a sitting General passing by in his jeep, or even, as Major Hull feelingly says, a second in command passing to and fro between the beachhead and the Battalion inland. Fortunately, such shooting was inaccurate on the whole. The day had been one of many heroic deeds, and it was also the first day on which the 6th Battalion had seen its commanding officer in action. No one who was there will forget the inspiring example set by Lt.-Col. Hastings, and it is true to say that from that moment the Green Howards would have followed him anywhere.