Canadian Forces

Churchill Avre

http://www.preservedtanks.com/Locations.aspx?LocationCategoryId=6020

Juno Beach, Courseulles-sur-Mer, Normandy, France.So My memory failed me when I mentioned Arromanches in a previous comment. Name: “1C” painted on rear turret stowage box so referred to as “One Charlie”. Previously carried the name “AVENGER” painted on the side air intakes. This AVRE is on display to the west of Graye-sur-Mer, near Courseulles-sur-Mer. It was recovered from the beach where it had foundered during the invasion landings and been buried under the sand. During the recovery in November 1976 it was revisited by RE veterans including Bill Hawkins, the demolitions NCO in the AVRE, and George Dunn, its driver. Items recovered from it included an intercom hand microphone, a safety razor, a tin of corned beef and an emergency chocolate ration (for more information contact the RE Museum, Brampton Barracks, Chatham). The vehicle was later restored by the French Army workshops in Caen and put on display on a concrete plinth by the beach exit road. It was unveiled as a permanent memorial on 15 October 1977. It is in remarkably good condition considering its history. A plaque in front of it reads as follows: CHAR CHURCHILL A.V.R.E. 26 ASSAULT SQUADRON ROYAL ENGINEERS 7 CANADIAN INFANTRY BRIGADE DEBARQUE PAR CETTE BRECHE LE 6 JUIN 1944 CE CHAR FUT IMMOBILISE A 100M. AU SUD DE CE SITE ET DEMEURA EN TERRE PENDANT 32 ANS. RESTAURE EN 1977, IL COMMEMORE LE SOUVENIRE DES MEMBRES DE SON EQUIPAGE ET DE TOUS CEUX QUI ONT DONNE LEUR VIE POUR LA LIBERTE THIS TANK LANDED ON GRAYE SUR MER BEACH AT H-HOUR ON D-DAY AND WAS STOPPED ON ITS WAY INLAND 100 METRES SOUTH OF THIS SPOT THE MEMBERS OF ITS CREW WERE KILLED OR BADLY WOUNDED IT REMAINS AS A MEMORIAL TO ALL THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES HERE 6 JUIN 1994 On D-Day a Sherman Crab flail tank and an AVRE were drowned in a crater in the dunes near Courseulles. Another AVRE pushed the fascine off the first one and then lowered a Small Box Girder Bridge over the top to allow the advance to continue. The drowned AVRE is believed to be this same one now preserved (source: Sherman Register). Greetz,brummbar