A Life-Saving Act
Hollis narrowly avoided death when a German sniper’s bullet grazed him and caused blood to trickle down his face. However, it was clear that the proud Englishman would continue to put his body on the line as long as he was still breathing. Just three hours after his remarkable capture of 20 enemy soldiers, Hollis produced his second incredible act during the D-Day landing.
His Company advanced into the Normandy countryside but was halted by a German position in an orchard. Other soldiers had tried and failed to get past them, and when Hollis and his men arrived, they found eight dead comrades and two others who were trapped near a farmhouse and almost certain to die. Once again, Hollis charged at the enemy, fired his weapon and stood his ground until the two men were able to escape. He was shot numerous times that day and the bullets lodged in his feet remained there for the rest of his life. Hollis later ran a pub, and blood occasionally streamed from his feet when he stood behind the bar and served customers.
A Reluctant Hero
Hollis was immediately recommended for the VC for his bravery, but the man himself was not someone who enjoyed the spotlight. He claimed he was lucky and that someone else would have performed the heroics if he didn’t. His war came to an end in September 1944 when he was wounded in the leg and evacuated to England. King George VI presented Hollis with his honor on October 10, 1944.
As is the case with so many soldiers, Hollis suffered mentally after returning home. He had severe depression, and on a number of occasions, he would lock himself in a room for days. During this time, he pushed money under the door, so his family could buy food, and once he emerged, he carried on as if nothing had happened.
One incident in particular haunted Hollis to his grave. Soon after D-Day, the Allies pushed inland and captured a 16-year old boy, a member of the Hitler Youth. His captors treated him leniently by all accounts, but one day, the boy stole a gun and killed several men. Hollis had no choice but to kill the boy. As his son wasn’t much younger, the incident played on Hollis’ mind for the rest of his days.
A number of local men in the Teesside area where he lived challenged Hollis to fights after the war. They were keen to take on a VC hero. According to Hollis’ biographer, the war hero won every single fight. Although he was proud to receive the VC, he refused to talk about the war nor did he seek the spotlight. Instead, he lived out his life in relative obscurity. The proud veteran refused to accept state handouts in any form including the war pension he was entitled to and family allowance.
Hollis worked as a sandblaster, in motor repair, and as a ship’s engineer before running a pub he renamed The Green Howard. It was demolished in 1970, so Hollis worked at another pub until his death in 1972. A statue of Hollis was unveiled near the Middlesbrough cenopath on November 26, 2015. There is also a retired/sheltered accommodation center named after him called ‘Hollis Park.’ The chairman of Vodafone and Racal, Sir Ernest Harrison, is a keen medal collector and bought Hollis’ VC in 1997.