ERIC EVAN ABELL
SERVICE NO. 6016672
Army: Lance Serjeant
Dorsetshire Regiment
1st Battalion
DIED: 06 June 1944
AGE: 25
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
1st Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment landed on Jig Red sector of Gold Beach around H-Hour on D-Day. They came ashore slightly off their intended landing position.
B and D Companies suffered many casualties on the beach due to German defensive fire but they were able to get off the beach and reached their objective of Les Rocquettes.
C Company advanced on Le Buhot, passing through Asnelles in cooperation with A Company of 1st Battalion, Hampshire Regiment but they met considerable opposition both there and when they then advanced to Le Buhot.
The battalion's final objective of the day was a German gun battery south-west of Puits d'Herode which A Company took after strong opposition.
By late afternoon B Company was ordered to take over Ryes from 2nd Battalion, Devonshire Regiment and the battalion spent the night there. The exact circumstances of his death are not known.
MEMORIAL LOCATION: Column 3
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In Pictures: D-DAY 80 at the Memorial
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D-Day 80 - 'Teams Live' Assembly for Secondary Schools
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