Victoria Cross

Jun

23

1944

Two VCs in one day for ‘British’ soldiers

The Arakan Campaign January 1943 - May 1945: A Gurkha soldier at a camouflaged position in the Arakan jungle.

Despite these overwhelming odds, he reached the Red House and closed with the Japanese occupants. He killed three and put five more to flight and captured two light machine guns and much ammunition. He then gave accurate supporting fire from the bunker to the remainder of his platoon which enabled them to reach their objective.

Jun

6

1944

1000: Stanley Hollis wins only D-Day VC

Stanley Hollis VC

Wherever the lighting was heaviest CSM 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 holdng up the advance at critical stages.

Jun

3

1944

Posthumous VC following single handed attack

Canadian manned M-5 tank and other motorized units are shown moving through the main street of Frosinone, on Highway 6, shortly after this important German communications center fell to the Eighth Army. Frosinone, Italy. 3 June

Inspired by the example of Sergeant Rogers, the Platoon breached the enemy’s wire and began the assault. Still alone and penetrating deeper into the enemy position, Sergeant Rogers, whilst attempting to silence a third machine-gun post, was blown off his feet by a grenade which burst beside him and wounded him in the leg.

May

24

1944

Canadian infantry hold bridgehead against Panzers

Major John Keefer Mahony VC

Early in the action, Major Mahony was wounded in the head and twice in the leg, but he refused medical aid and continued to direct the defence of the bridgehead, despite the fact that movement of any kind caused him extreme pain. It was only when the remaining Companies of the Regiment had crossed the river to support him that he allowed his wounds to be dressed and even then refused to be evacuated, staying instead with his Company.

May

12

1944

Single handed attack overcomes German position

The fame of the old Indian Cavalry Regiments is known throughout the world. They have always been splendid horsemen, and fine fighting soldiers. These regiments still exist bearing their famous names and traditions, but newly equipped for modern warfare they have become the Indian Armoured Corps. Formations of this Corps have fought with distinction in the campaigns in the Middle East, and the Far East, and are now engaged in fighting in Italy. An Indian Armoured Formation somewhere in the Middle East. Picture shows:- The fighting Indian soldier. A fine study of Naik Gulab Nhan, in full cry, charging towards the camera, with fixed bayonets. He comes from the village of Amer Jaipur State.

Volunteering at once and crawling forward through the wire to a flank, Sepoy Kamal Ram attacked the post single handed and shot the first machine-gunner; a second German tried to seize his weapon but Sepoy Kamal Ram killed him with the bayonet, and then shot a German officer who, appearing from the trench with his pistol, was about to fire.

May

6

1944

Frontal assault on Japanese bunkers at Kohima

View of the Garrison Hill battlefield with the British and Japanese positions shown. Garrison Hill was the key to the British defences at Kohima.

He was only a few paces away, facing me. He had a rifle and bayonet and I had a light machine-gun. I pressed the trigger but found I’d got no ammunition left. As he came towards me, I realised that it was either me or him. I was an unarmed combat instructor and knew I could go hand-to—hand against anybody with a rifle and bayonet. I therefore let him come and I crashed the gun straight into his face.

Apr

9

1944

Victoria Cross as the Siege of Kohima begins

British infantrymen use a dismounted tank machine gun at Kohima.

Sergeant Tacon shouted out ‘Hang on,Taffy, I’m coming’, but as he crawled towards him he [Tacon] was hit in the arm and leg, fracturing it. He just managed to roll out of the danger area.Although we cou1dn’t help Taffy we did start talking to him because he was only about 2 yards from us down in a dip. He told us that he was paralysed. He was soon delirious and for eight hours he was screaming, shouting and calling for his Mum and Dad and praying, until he died.

Apr

6

1944

Islamic warrior earns VC leading counter-attack

Portrait of Abdul Hafiz, awarded the Victoria Cross: Burma, 6 April 1944.

Jemadar Abdul Hafiz then took a Bren gun from a wounded man and advanced against the enemy, firing as he advanced, and killing several of the enemy. So fierce was the attack, and all his men so inspired by the determination of Jemadar Abdul Hafiz to kill all enemy in sight at whatever cost, that the enemy, who were still in considerable numbers on the position, ran away down the opposite slope of the hill.

Mar

31

1944

Heavy losses as RAF Bomber Command targets Nuremberg

Halifax B Mark III, LV857, in flight shortly after completion by the Handley Page Ltd works at Radlett, Hertfordshire. In its brief service life, this aircraft served with Nos. 35, 10 and 51 Squadrons RAF before crashing at Schwarzbad while returning from a raid on Nuremberg on 31 May 1944.

Pilot Officer Barton faced a situation of dire peril. His aircraft was damaged, his navigational team had gone and he could not communicate with the remainder of the crew. If he continued his mission, he would be at the mercy of hostile fighters when silhouetted against the fires in the target area, and if he survived he would have to make a 4 1/2 hours journey home on three engines across heavily-defended territory.

Mar

17

1944

Officer’s VC after arm hacked off by Jap’s sword

Major General O C Wingate (1903 - 1944): One of the last pictures of Wingate, with his rifle, on board a Dakota of 1 Air Commando, during the second 'Chindit' expedition.

Some shots had come down at us but not as many as I had expected, which probably meant we had regained the initiative by then and taken them unawares. Then, to my surprise, the Japs leapt up as we went at them and charged into us. Two sides charging at each other was certainly not going according to the military rule books.

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