On 6th June 1944, CSM Stanley Hollis led his men of 6th Bn, Green Howards, down this sunken lane, just to the south of the #Normandy village of Cristot.
A short 🧵
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The lane continued across a quiet road, running out of the village. Just a 100 yds further along it was positioned a German machine gun post (possibly MG42), manned by two soldiers from 12th SS. Hollis and his men were immediately fired upon.
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The m-g was positioned where the corrugated iron can be seen at the end of the lane in this photo.
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Hollis - who had already probably secured his VC, following two other incredible feats of bravery that day - reached into his bag and pulled out a grenade, which he threw towards the m-g post.
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Alas, in the stress of the situation, he had forgotten to remove the pin, first.
Of course, the two 12th SS machine gunners didn’t know that, though.
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As they ducked for cover, Hollis charged their position and killed them both with his Sten gun.
If his VC wasn’t already secured, it was now.
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*11th June. He was recommended for VC on 6th. This might’ve cemented it.
*5 days previously.
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This is the Chattri (‘umbrella’ in Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu): a #FWW memorial to 53 men of the Indian Army, which can be found in the middle of Patcham Down, in East #Sussex.
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The 53 men it commemorates (37 Hindu and 16 Sikh) all died from their wounds in one of three hospitals used for their care, in Brighton (including the Royal Pavillion, which was adapted as such because of its ‘homely’ oriental appearance).
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The dead men were brought up to Patcham Down and cremated in accordance with Hindi and Sikh beliefs.
Each of the 3 granite slabs here covers a cremation base (ghat) where their bodies were cremated.