1st Assault Brigade Royal Engineers

The 1st Assault Brigade Royal Engineers was a specialised armoured formation of the British Army active in the Second World War.

The unit comprised armoured vehicles modified for specialist roles (also known as Hobart's Funnies), intended to assist with the landing phase of the operation.

The AVREs then turned their attention to the first line of land defences, using their spigot mortars, and with self-propelled guns providing artillery support.

Several exits were open within an hour of the first landings, allowing the Armoured Brigades to start moving inland.

In some sectors, up to 50% of the flail tanks, AVREs and armoured bulldozers had been knocked out, with high casualties among the crews.

The Regiment was the only unit equipped with specialist Sapper tanks and heir to the traditions of past assault and armoured engineers.

These were more modern types, evolved from the original Churchill, but based on the newer Centurion and Chieftain tanks.