Green Howards Memorial
Crépon, France
Although it is often said that the larger than life-size statue is of Stanley Hollis who had the distinction of receiving the only Victoria Cross awarded on D-Day, this is not true.
The courage and example, he showed, particularly during the fighting in La Reviere and Crepon certainly deserved the V.C. however, James wanted his soldier to represent all the soldiers of the 6th and 7th Battalions of the Green Howards, who landed at dawn on the 6th June 1944, in the first assault wave on Gold Beach.
Here we see the figure sitting on a mound of rubble, with an expression of sheer exhaustion etched on his face.
James initially modelled the the right hand holding a cigarette as would have been the case, however the commissioning committee thought better of it and the cigarette was replaced with the helmet.
