ERIC EVAN ABELL
Army - Lance Serjeant
Dorsetshire Regiment
1st Battalion
DIED
06 June 1944
06 June 1944
AGE
25
25
SERVICE NO.
6016672
6016672
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