Company Sergeant Major Stanley Hollis VC Plaque

As you stand before the Company Sergeant Major Stanley Hollis VC Plaque, take a moment to reflect on the extraordinary bravery exhibited on one of the most consequential days in history: D-Day, June 6, 1944. This day marked a turning point in the Second World War and the beginning of the extensive Allied campaign to liberate Western Europe from Nazi control. Among the many heroes that emerged from the chaos of that day was Stanley Hollis, whose acts of courage would earn him the distinguished Victoria Cross.

The landings at Normandy were the culmination of years of meticulous planning, known as Operation Overlord. Allied forces, comprised of soldiers from multiple nations, converged on five beachheads in a daring assault against formidable German defences. Hollis, a member of the British 50th Infantry Division, approached Gold Beach with his comrades, fully aware of the peril that awaited them. He witnessed the chaos firsthand: the sound of gunfire mingling with the cries of wounded men, the explosion of shells, and the fierce determination in the eyes of those around him.