The Forgotten Victoria Cross of D-Day: The Heroic Actions of Private John Mortimore | June 1944



On the 6 June 1944, the 7th Battalion, Parachute Regiment, of the 6th Airborne Division, landed in Normandy, France, as part of the Allied invasion codenamed Operation Overlord. Among the men in the Battalion was Private John Mortimore, who on the morning of D-Day demonstrated extraordinary courage to save the lives of his colleagues. However, although his actions warranted the awarding of a Victoria Cross, he was never officially recognised for his heroism as there was no Officer present at the time to make a recommendation.

This video is dedicated to the memory of Private John Mortimore.
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Music licensed from Artlist.io
– Reflection by Oliver Michael
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*NO PART OF THIS VIDEO MAY BE REPRODUCED IN ANY FORM (REACTIONS OR RE-UPLOADED) WITHOUT THE PRIOR PERMISSION OF THE CREATOR*
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24 thoughts on “The Forgotten Victoria Cross of D-Day: The Heroic Actions of Private John Mortimore | June 1944”

  1. It’s the English Channel that should get the VC. The Germans would have over run Britain just like the rest of Europe without it. Then the US would not have been able to supply us with food or send troops here. We would not have got back across the Channel. And without having to fight in Western Europe the Germans might have defeated the Red army.
    VC for the channel.

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  2. Sad that he lost his life for this. Would warning shots, or a whistle blast, in the absence of radios, not have served the same purpose, in alerting of an enemy to their rear?

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  3. Thank you for bringing this action to light. Pvt John Mortimore may now never be forgotten for his brave and selfless act. I bet he wasnt concerned weather he was going to be rewarded for his action, but only for warning his comrades.
    Real Hero's dont seek reward of recognition.

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  4. I dont get it tho? How is it that the British troops he was trying to warn about the German troops presence behind them, couldn't hear the gunfire that was cutting into and around Pte Mortimore? But they could hear his shouts? That doesn't make sense.. I did 14 years in the British army as a infantry soldier and I know that those enemy weapons would have been heard upto 3 miles away and if they were shooting at a man only shouting distance away, they'd have known about it.

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  5. Brave? Undoubtably, but there's likely dozens of similar stories from 6/6/1944 – I'm also not personally convinced he would've been nominated for VC, based on the description & comparing other successful citations; yes he died, but I suspect military medal would be more likely considering circumstances & his rank

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  6. Le Port lies to the North West of Pegasus Bridge. The picture including Lt Col Pine Coffin. Shows Capt Richard Todd on the right of the picture. He was a renowned actor and played the part of Maj John Howerd in the movie, The Longest Day. The man in charge of taking Pegasus bridge by coup de main, glider assualt. Leading the Ox and Bucks light infantry glider troops. And several Royal Engineers.

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