D-Day: Commonwealth Sectors

43. Courseulles-sur-Mar

Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandie

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Liberating this village was the task of the 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade with the support of 26 Assault Squadron and their four armoured bulldozers. Landing between 8am and 8.30 the sappers soon removed the few mines littering the beach, their first major obstacle was a large water filled hole, only discovered when the lead tank became totally submerged as it drove into it. The now abandoned tank was used as a support and a bridge laid across its turret so that the armoured dozers could cross, and christened "Pont AVRE". This was the only armoured vehicle lost at Courselles on D-Day and more than proved its worth. It remained buried beneath the sands for a further 32 years until members of the Royal Engineers retrieved and restored it in 1973