10 April 2026Admin1 min read
The Problem
The Dieppe Raid of 1942 demonstrated the catastrophic cost of assaulting a fortified beach with conventional forces. Tanks drowned in the surf, infantry was pinned on the beach by minefields and obstacles, and concrete pillboxes proved impervious to naval gunfire. The lesson was clear: D-Day required entirely new approaches to beach assault.
The Man
Percy Hobart was a maverick tank pioneer who had been forced into retirement and was serving as a corporal in the Home Guard when Churchill personally recalled him. Given command of the 79th Armoured Division, he set about creating the most unusual collection of armoured vehicles ever assembled.
The Funnies
Hobart's modified tanks included: DD (Duplex Drive) amphibious tanks that could "swim" to shore; Crab flail tanks that beat the ground ahead of them with chains to detonate mines; Crocodile flame-thrower tanks that could project flame 120 yards; AVRE tanks carrying a 290mm mortar for demolishing concrete bunkers; and Bobbin tanks that laid a carpet over soft sand for vehicles to cross.
D-Day Results
On the British and Canadian beaches where Hobart's Funnies were used, casualties were dramatically lower than on Omaha Beach, where the Americans had declined their use. On Gold Beach, where DD tanks, Crabs, and AVREs worked in coordinated teams, the beach was cleared in hours. At Omaha, without these innovations, American forces suffered over 2,000 casualties and nearly failed to establish a beachhead.
