Churchill AVREs on Juno Beach

[Chris Wilcox]

Does anyone know what types of Churchill AVREs where used by the 5th and 6th Assault Regiments, RE when they landed in support of the Canadian infantry brigades? Where they all carrying fascines or were some using bobbins or SBGs?

Thanks.

[sapper740]

Originally posted by Chris Wilcox
Does anyone know what types of Churchill AVREs where used by the 5th and 6th Assault Regiments, RE when they landed in support of the Canadian infantry brigades? Where they all carrying fascines or were some using bobbins or SBGs?

Thanks.

Just to make sure we're talking the same language, by bobbins do you mean the rolled up mat for traversing sand and by SBG do you mean a bridging tank carrying a box girder bridge? The Flail tanks were also known as Crabs and I believe were all Shermans on Juno. Here's what I know about Churchill AVRE's: Yes, there were several carrying fascines. There also were bridging Churchill AVREs; one of which laid it's box girder bridge on top of a fascine carrying AVRE which had sunk into a culvert at Graye-sur-mere.
At Nan white beach near Wiederstandnest 28 a bridging AVRE dropped it's bridge onto the sea wall, but the first AVRE trying to negotiate the bridge hit a mine and blocked the approach so an Armoured Bulldozer came forward to push the damaged AVRE out of the way.
So, the short answer to your question is:
There were Churchill AVREs present on Juno beach carrying fascines and box girder bridges, this I know for sure. Haven't seen any reference to the mat carrying variety so I won't comment on whether they actually were there or not. Hope this helps.

[RichTO90]

1st Assault Brigade, R.E., (-) Brigadier G.L. Watkinson aboard LCT (Serial 1413a)

Brigade Workshops Company, R.E.M.E.
Manned 12 ARV distributed to the various assault squadrons
149th Assault Park Squadron, RE
Manned 12 D-7 armored bulldozers distributed to the various assault squadrons.

Attached to I Corps:
5th Assault Regiment, R.E., Lieutenant-Colonel Cocks
Casualties to the regiment (including RHQ) as of D+4 were (Officers & OR) 8 & 16 KIA, 8 & 39 WIA, and 0 & 49 MIA. Of 81 AVRE embarked, as of D+4 53 were fit, 8 were in 2nd line repair, 16 were in 3rd line repair or written off, and 4 were missing.
SWORD Beach:
77th Squadron, Major K.du B. Ferguson
Strength (including detachment 22nd Dragoons) was 13 Officers & 186 OR, D-Day casualties were
2 Officers & 7 OR KIA, 3 Officers & 7 OR WIA, and 2 OR MIA
1 Troop (GREEN Gap, QUEEN RED Sector), D-Day casualties were 1 Officer & 1 OR KIA and
2 OR MIA:
LCT (Serial 112) –3 Flail (A, 22nd Dragoons), 1 AVRE (Log Carpet and Porpoise), 1
AVRE (Assault Bridge), 1 AVRE (Bobbin), Captain G.C. McLennan (KIA),
Lieutenants C.J.P. Tennent (77th Squadron) and D. Knapp (22nd Dragoons)
2 Troop (YELLOW Gap, QUEEN RED Sector), D-Day casualties were 4 OR KIA and 6 OR
WIA:
LCT (Serial 111) – 2 Flail (A, 22nd Dragoons), 1 AVRE, 1 AVRE (Log Carpet and
Porpoise), 1 AVRE (Assault Bridge), 1 AVRE (Bobbin), Major Ferguson and
Captain Low
LCT (Serial 110a) – 2 Flail (A, 22nd Dragoons) 2 AVRE, 2 D7 Bulldozer, Captain
Wheway and Lieutenant Sadler (22nd Dragoons)
3 Troop (BLUE Gap, QUEEN RED Sector), D-Day casualties were 1 OR KIA and 2 Officers & 2
OR WIA:
LCT (Serial 110) – 3 Flail (A, 22nd Dragoons), 1 AVRE (Log Carpet and Porpoise), 1
AVRE (Assault Bridge), 1 AVRE (Bobbin), Captain W.C.S. Carruthers (WIA) and Lieutenant I.C.B. Dickinson (WIA)
4 Troop (RED GAP, QUEEN RED Sector) D-Day casualties were 1 Officer & 1 OR KIA and 1
Officer WIA:
LCT (Serial 109) – 2 Flail (A, 22nd Dragoons), 1 AVRE, 1 AVRE (Log Carpet and
Porpoise), 1 AVRE (Assault Bridge), 1 AVRE (Bobbin), Lieutenant-Colonel
Cocks (KIA), Captain T. Fairie, Lieutenants J.G. Charlton (77th Squadron, WIA) and Robertson (22nd Dragoons)
Support:
LCT (A) (Serial 533) – 2 D7 Bulldozer
LCT (A) (Serial 535) – 1 Flail (A, 22nd Dragoons)
79th Squadron, Major J.G. Hanson
Strength (including detachment 22nd Dragoons) was 10 Officers & 169 OR, D-Day casualties were
2 Officers & 8 OR KIA, 3 Officers & 10 OR WIA, and 2 OR MIA
1 Troop (GREEN Gap, QUEEN WHITE Sector), D-Day casualties were 7 OR KIA:
LCT (Serial 113) – 2 Flail (A, 22nd Dragoons), 1 AVRE, 1 AVRE (Log Carpet and
Porpoise), 1 AVRE (Assault Bridge), 1 AVRE (Bobbin), Major Hanson, Captain
R.C. Cunningham, Lieutenant V.W. Boal (22nd Dragoons)
2 Troop (YELLOW Gap, QUEEN WHITE Sector), D-Day casualties were 1 Officer KIA, 1
Officer & 3 OR WIA, and 2 OR MIA:
LCT (Serial 114) – 3 Flail, (A, 22nd Dragoons), 1 AVRE (Log Carpet and Porpoise), 1
AVRE (Assault Bridge), 1 AVRE (Bobbin), Captain G.C. Desanges (KIA), 2nd
Lieutenant A.J. Nicholson (WIA)
3 Troop (BLUE Gap, QUEEN WHITE Sector), D-Day casualties were 1 Officer KIA, 1 Officer
& 4 OR WIA:
LCT (Serial 114a) – 2 Flail (A, 22nd Dragoons), 2 AVRE, 2 D7 Bulldozer, Captain
W.M.B. Ayers (KIA)
LCT (Serial 115) – 2 Flail 1 AVRE, 1 AVRE (Log Carpet and Porpoise), 1 AVRE
(Assault Bridge), 1 AVRE (Bobbin), Lieutenant W.M.M. Hutchinson (WIA)
4 Troop (RED Gap, QUEEN WHITE Sector), D-Day casualties were 1 OR KIA, 1 Officer & 3
OR WIA:
LCT (Serial 116) – 3 Flail (A, 22nd Dragoons), 1 AVRE (Log Carpet and Porpoise), 1
AVRE (Assault Bridge), 1 AVRE (Bobbin), Captain E.B. Pollard (WIA), 2nd
Lieutenant P.R.R. Phillips, Lieutenant Allen (22nd Dragoons)
Support:
LCT (A) (Serial 545) – 2 D7 Bulldozer
LCT (A) (Serial 547) – 1 AVRE
LCT (CB) (Serial 548) –1 Flail (A, 22nd Dragoons), 1 AVRE
JUNO Beach:
26th Squadron, Major Younger (WIA)
Strength (including detachment 22nd Dragoons) was 11 Officers & 201 OR, except for Major
Younger, no casualties were recorded for D-Day
1 Troop (GREEN Gap, MIKE GREEN Sector):
LCT (Serial 1018) – 2 Flail (B, 22nd Dragoons), 1 AVRE (Bobbin), 1 D7 Bulldozer, 1
ARV (Beach Recovery Section), Lieutenant Barraclough (22nd Dragoons)
LCT (Serial 1019) – 1 Flail (B, 22nd Dragoons), 1 AVRE (Fascine), 1 AVRE (Assault
Bridge), Captain Hewitt
2 Troop (YELLOW Gap, MIKE RED Sector):
LCT (Serial 1019a) – 3 AVRE, 1 ARV (Beach Recovery Section), Lieutenant Sharp
LCT (Serial 1020) – 1 Flail (B, 22nd Dragoons), 1 AVRE (Plough), 1 AVRE (Sledge?), 1
D7 Bulldozer, 1 AVRE (Assault Bridge), Major Younger and Lieutenant Pratt
LCT (Serial 1021) – 1 Flail (B, 22nd Dragoons), 1 AVRE, 1 AVRE (Fascine), 1 AVRE
(Assault Bridge), Captain Hendry
3 Troop (BLUE Gap, NAN GREEN Sector):
LCT (Serial 1022) – 1 Flail (B, 22nd Dragoons), 1 AVRE (Fascine), 1 AVRE (Log
Carpet), 1 AVRE (Assault Bridge), Lieutenant Ash
LCT (Serial 1023) – 1 Flail (B, 22nd Dragoons), 1 AVRE (Bobbin), 1 AVRE, 1 AVRE
(Sledge), 1 D7 Bulldozer, Captain Boase
LCT (Serial 1023a) – 1 Flail (B, 22nd Dragoons), 1 AVRE (Fascine), 2 AVRE, Lieutenant
Shaw (22nd Dragoons)
4 Troop (RED Gap, NAN GREEN Sector):
LCT (Serial 1024) – 1 Flail (B, 22nd Dragoons), 1 AVRE (Fascine), 1 AVRE (Log
Carpet), 1 AVRE (Assault Bridge), Captain Mare
LCT (Serial 1025) – 1 D7 Bulldozer (Porpoise), 1 AVRE (Fascine), 1 AVRE (Assault
Bridge), Lieutenant David
80th Squadron, Major Wiltshire
Strength (including detachment 22nd Dragoons) was 11 Officers & 180 OR, D-Day casualties were
1 Officer & 1 OR KIA, 1 Officer and 6 OR WIA
1 Troop (GREEN Gap, NAN WHITE Sector), D-Day casualties were 1 OR KIA and 1 OR WIA:
LCT (Serial 1408) – 1 Flail (B, 22nd Dragoons), 1 AVRE (Log Carpet), 1 AVRE
(Fascine), 1 AVRE (Assault Bridge), Lieutenant Saunders
LCT (Serial 1409) – 1 Flail (B, 22nd Dragoons), 1 AVRE, 1 AVRE (Fascine), 1 D7
Bulldozer, Lieutenant Oxtoby
LCT (Serial 1409a) – 1 AVRE (Plough), 1 ARV (Beach Recovery Section), 1 D7
Bulldozer, Captain Tracy
2 Troop (YELLOW Gap, NAN WHITE Sector), D-Day casualties were 2 OR WIA:
LCT (Serial 1410) – 2 Flail (B, 22nd Dragoons), 1 AVRE, 1 AVRE (Fascine), Lieutenant
Hammerton (22nd Dragoons)
LCT (Serial 1411) – 1 Flail (B, 22nd Dragoons), 1 AVRE, 1 AVRE (Fascine), 1 AVRE
(Assault Bridge), Captain Grant
LCT (Serial 1412) – 1 Flail (B, 22nd Dragoons), 1 AVRE, 1 AVRE (Fascine), 1 AVRE
(Assault Bridge), Captain Essery
3 Troop (BLUE Gap, NAN RED Sector), D-Day casualties were zero:
LCT (Serial 1413) – 1 Flail (B, 22nd Dragoons), 1 AVRE, 1 AVRE (Bobbin), 1 D7
Bulldozer, Lieutenant Gloyn
LCT (Serial 1413a) – 2 ARV (Beach Recovery Section), 1 Flail (B, 22nd Dragoons), 1 D7
Bulldozer, Major Wiltshire
4 Troop (GREEN Gap, NAN RED Sector), D-Day casualties were 1 Officer KIA and 1 Officer &
3 OR WIA:
LCT (Serial 1414) – 2 Flail (B, 22nd Dragoons), 2 AVRE, Lieutenants Hornby (80th
Squadron, KIA) and Burbridge (22nd Dragoons)
LCT (Serial 1415) – 1 Flail (B, 22nd Dragoons), 1 AVRE (Bobbin), 1 AVRE (Fascine), 1
AVRE (Assault Bridge), Captain Bellingham-Smith (WIA)
Attached to XXX Corps:
GOLD Beach:
6th Assault Regiment, R.E. (-), Casualties to the 81st and 82nd Squadrons as of D+ 2 were (Officers & OR)
1 & 2 KIA, 2 & 15 WIA, 0 & 5 MIA, 8 AVRE lost and 2 damaged.
81st Squadron, Major R.E. Thompstone, squadron rallied south of VER SUR MER after losing 4
AVRE, 2 to drowning and 2 blown up
KING GREEN, Major Sutton (OC, C Squadron, Westminster Dragoons)
Gap 1, Captain D.A. King:
LCT (Serial 2412) – 2 Flail (C, Westminster Dragoons), 1 AVRE (Roly Poly), 1 AVRE
(Bobbin), 1 AVRE (Fascine)
Gap 2, Lieutenant J.D. Darby:
LCT (Serial 2413) – 2 Flail (C, Westminster Dragoons), 1 AVRE (Roly Poly), 1 AVRE
(Bobbin), 1 AVRE (Fascine)
Gap 3, Captain T.W. Davis and Lieutenant E.H. Boulter:
LCT (Serial 2414) – 2 Flail (C, Westminster Dragoons), 1 AVRE (Roly Poly), 1 AVRE
(Bobbin), 1 AVRE (Fascine), 1 AVRE (Assault Bridge)
KING RED, Major Thompstone
Gap 4, Lieutenant J.C. Skelly:
LCT (Serial 2423) – 2 Flail (C, Westminster Dragoons), 1 AVRE (Roly Poly), 1 AVRE
(Bobbin), 1 AVRE (Fascine), 1 D4 Bulldozer
Gap 5, Major Thompstone and Captain T.F. Croxall:
LCT (Serial 2424) – 2 Flail (C, Westminster Dragoons), 1 AVRE, 1 AVRE (Roly Poly),
1 AVRE (Bobbin), 1 AVRE (Fascine)
Gap 6, Captain J.M. Birkbeck:
LCT (Serial 2425) – 2 Flail (C, Westminster Dragoons), 1 AVRE (Roly Poly), 1 AVRE
(Bobbin), 1 AVRE (Fascine), 1 D7 Bulldozer
82nd Squadron, Major H.G.A. Elphinstone (KIA, Gap 2), squadron rallied at BUHOT after losing 4 AVRE,
3 to drowning and 1 overturned (82nd Sqn: 1 O & 1 OR KIA, 2 O & 3 OR WIA; B Sqn, W.Dgns: 4
OR WIA)
JIG GREEN West, Major Elphinstone
Gap 1, Captain K.M. Wilford:
LCT (Serial 2025) – 2 Flail (B, Westminster Dragoons), 1 AVRE (Roly Poly), 1 AVRE
(Bobbin), 1 AVRE (Fascine) (lead AVRE drowned, jamming the exit, remaining
vehicles did not unload until 1330)
Gap 2, Major Elphinstone:
LCT (Serial 2027) – 2 Flail (B, Westminster Dragoons), 1 AVRE, 1 AVRE (Roly Poly),
1 AVRE (Bobbin), 1 AVRE (Fascine) (two Flails bogged and one then knocked
out by shellfire, AVRE (Fascine) hit and overturned, AVRE (Roly Poly) mined)
Gap 3 Lieutenants S.V. Grant and N.W. Greene:
LCT (Serial 2026) – 2 Flail (B, Westminster Dragoons), 1 AVRE (Roly Poly), 1 AVRE
(Bobbin), 1 AVRE (Fascine) (one Flail mined, AVRE (Fascine) broke down)
JIG GREEN East, Captain Stannion (OC, B Squadron, Westminster Dragoons)
Gap 4, Captain J.M. Laytham and Lieutenant P. Crofton:
LCT (Serial 2028) – 2 Flail (B, Westminster Dragoons), 1 AVRE (Roly Poly), 1 AVRE
(Bobbin), 2 AVRE (Fascine) (both Flails bogged)
Gap 5, Lieutenant G.R. Ellis:
LCT (Serial 2029) –2 Flail (B, Westminster Dragoons), 1 AVRE (Roly Poly), 1 AVRE
(Bobbin), 1 AVRE (Fascine) (one Flail hit by AT gun and burned out)
Gap 6, Captain P.J.B. Somerset:
LCT (Serial 2030) – 2 Flail (B, Westminster Dragoons), 1 AVRE (Roly Poly), 1 AVRE
(Bobbin), 1 AVRE (Fascine) (one Flail bogged)

On D-Day the actual availability of AVRE were SWORD Beach 34, JUNO Beach 47, and GOLD Beach 40, for a total of 121. This may be compared to the distribution as given in the Engineer Outline Plan (WO 205/1170) of SWORD Beach 30, JUNO Beach 28, and GOLD Beach 44, for a total of 102. In other words 19 more AVRE were actually landed than were originally planned. Furthermore, the original engineer plan called for arrival of the “residue” of 5th and 6th Assault Regiments by D+27 with an additional 104 AVRE and the arrival of the reserve 42nd Assault Regiment with 104 more on D+30 “or later.”

Uh, hope that helps.

[Noel Burgess]

Interesting list of Landing Craft & loads, a couple of points though
1. I understood that "log carpets" were not developed untill some time after the Normandy landings
2. Also believe that "Rolly Polly" was not an AVRE attachment - it was a roll of matting that seems to have been man-handled off the craft.

Would be interested to know where your information came from

[RichTO90]

Originally posted by Noel Burgess
Interesting list of Landing Craft & loads, a couple of points though
1. I understood that "log carpets" were not developed untill some time after the Normandy landings
2. Also believe that "Rolly Polly" was not an AVRE attachment - it was a roll of matting that seems to have been man-handled off the craft.

Would be interested to know where your information came from

1. may be "understood" by many people - including myself until my last trip to the PRO. Unfortunately it is obviously incorrect since it is controverted by the orginal action reports of the units involved, of which my list is a condensation.

2. may also be what most "believe" but again I am only repeating what is contained in the original documentation.

For reference the documents are:

WO171/1797 Operations of 81 and 82 Assault Squadron RE
WO171/1800 War Diary No. 5 Assault Regiment June-december 1944
WO205/1120 Report of Brig. Watkinson on Work of Assault RE in the Invasion
WO205/1159 79 Armoured Division Final Report
WO205/1160 1st Assault Brigade RE
WO205/1170 Chief Engineer 21 Army Group RE Report on the Battle of Normandy

Hope that helped.