Don't know if many people outside North East England know about him?
His Wikipedia entry:
On D-Day, the 6th Green Howards landed on Gold Beach. As his company moved inland from the beaches after the initial landings, Hollis went with his company commander to investigate two German pillboxes which had been by-passed.
He rushed the first, taking all but five of the occupants prisoner; and then dealt with the second, taking 26 prisoners.
He next cleared a neighbouring trench. Later that day, he led an unsuccessful attack on an enemy position containing a field gun and multiple MG 42 machine guns.
After withdrawing, he learned that two of his men had been left behind. He said to his commanding officer, Major Lofthouse, "I took them in. I will try to get them out."
Taking a grenade from one of his men, Hollis carefully observed the enemy's pattern of behaviour and threw it at the most opportune moment.
Unfortunately, he had failed to prime the grenade; but the enemy did not know that, and kept their heads down waiting for it to explode.
By the time they had realised their mistake, Hollis was on top of them and had shot them down.
by PigeonUTB
3 comments
I’ll put money on it he didn’t think he was doing anything much at the time.
I’m aware of him but I’m from the area. The story there doesn’t cover even everything he did that day either, you can read it on [his wiki](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Hollis).
There’s a statue to him near Albert Park in Middlesbrough.
As a born and bred Teessider (though long relocated), I can’t believe I’ve never heard of him, so I’m really grateful to you for posting this. I’m almost certain that my late father would have known him, being from Middlesbrough and around the same age, and also given that his own father lost two brothers in the Green Howards during WWI.
RIP Stan, and thankyou very much.