1st Assault Brigade Royal Engineers

Organization: HQ Regiment, 5th Assault Regiment (AVRE's), 6th Assault Regiment (AAVRE's), 42nd Assault Regiment (AVRE's), 149th Assault Park Squadron (excavators), 87th Assault Dozer Squadron (Angle Dozers).

1st Assault Brigade was established in 1943 and assigned to the 79th Armored Division. Essential in the success of the D-Day landings at Sword, Gold, and Juno Beaches, the 1st Assault Brigade operated Churchill AVRE tanks tasked with clearing mines and obstacles, clearing paths off the beach and destroying enemy strongpoints and fortifications. 2 Squadrons went in with the first wave on each beach providing heavy fire support for the infantry. Under heavy fire and taking significant losses, 1st Assault Brigade achieved most of its goals within hours of hitting the beaches. The AVRE's used were a mixture of Petard, Bobbin, and Bridging versions and were supported by 50 flail Shermans of the 30th AB and the DD Shermans of the 27th AB. 22 of 100 Churchills were destroyed and many others damaged. Despite the losses, reports were positive particularly in the case of the petard mortar.

Following June 6th, 1944, the AVRE's were allotted for small scale operations and constantly on the move from place to place causing undo wear and tear on the tanks and exhausting the crews while losses mounted fighting close quarters in the countryside of Normandy. The final operations in Normandy, Totalize and Tractable, were the final battles for the 1st Assault Brigade in France as the pursuit of the Germans into Belgium and Luxembourg was too fast for the Churchills to keep up.
1st Assault Brigade was used in Operations Blackcock, Infatuate, and Plunder in Holland and Germany in 1945.