The British 1st Airborne Division were awarded the Victoria Cross four times for the epic, yet failed, stand at Arnhem. In the Normandy campaign the 6th Airborne Division got none. This, in spite of taking, and holding both the Pegasus and Horsa bridges over the Orne. Also assaulting and capturing the Merville Battery with only 150 of the over 600 soldiers allocated the task. The 6th A/B Div. then spent a protracted period successfully defending the flank of the Normandy invasion beaches... Echoes of the 'Rorke's Drift/ Isandlwana' syndrome in the award of Britain's highest gallantry award here, or wot?
If I remember correctly Hollis' was the only VC awarded for 6/6/44. What I don't know is how many were actually put forward for consideration via recommendations and then possibly downgraded - or even rejected entirely. ( Some info might be found in this Index: WO 373/48 Medal Recommendations, June 1944, NWE ) A thread on downgraded VC recommendations: Victoria Crosses That Never Were.... For the same action in NA, an NCO was awarded the VC while an officer from the same battalion had his recommendation downgraded to DSO. A sergeant from another unit also recorded as present in an equally significant role was awarded MiD. [Along with his comrade a relative was awarded VC for an action during Boer War. According to records there was a similar pairing, from the same regiment, doing the same, under the same circumstances, just yards away. They weren't awarded anything.] For many reasons, I don't think the awards system can ever be totally fair: arguments could be made for inequitable omissions but cases were made for the actual awards.
