Live ammunition and explosives were used without exception. This was to acclimatise trainee troops to battle conditions. There were few casualties, perhaps less than ten. The most notable was the capsizing of three landing craft off Woolacombe. Drifting northwards towards rocks, they turned to face the beach and became broadside onto the waves and inevitably capsized with loss of life. This was a problem that happened many times during the actual D-Day landings.
The number of casualties off Woolacombe is debated even now. General Alan Pixton recalls nine dead tankmen pulled from their tanks when the tide receded. Local witnesses recall many bodies laid on the footpath outside the Red Barn Cafe.
Considering the vast number of troops involved in live-fire exercises, and the realism of battle added by instructors, it is a tribute to the safety rules imposed by the Assault Training Center that the casualty rate for troops under training was not much higher.
Invariably casualties were the result of some unforeseen circumstances or complete accidents. As Lieutenant Ierardi reported that in the week prior to his arrival on 26th October 1943 . . . “ A most unfortunate accident occurred. While troops were being trained to advance under machine gun fire, one of the guns either went out of control or lost the correct range, firing into a group of men, killing five and wounding fourteen. On Saturdays Hedgehog, another couple were hurt. An inexperienced 57mm gun crew went completely haywire and fired a shot into one of the houses of the little village of Croyde from the training area. In every week there are several casualties, but this is the price which must be paid for this most valuable training”.
He continued . . . “ The training undertaken at the Assault Training Center is taken most seriously and at times is definitely hazardous. Training with live ammunition presents a real problem. The problems (exercises) must be intense enough to acquaint the participating troops with actual battle conditions and indicate to them proper methods of self-defense but on the other hand, they must not be so intense as to frighten the individual soldier and injure his fighting spirit. The Center makes every effort to achieve this goal and I believe that they achieve their aim. However occasional violent accidents are unavoidable”.
