Bayonet attack on a machine gun post

10th July 1941: Australian James Gordon awarded VC for seizing initiative and bayonetting four men

An artist's impression of Gordon’s bayonet attack on the Vichy French machine gun post.

In June, the British had invaded Syria, at the time under the control of the Vichy French, in order to prevent the Germans from using the area as a base. It had been expected that the Vichy French forces might allow the British to occupy the country if they entered in…