D-Day 80 The Last Veterans: Peter Lovett

Peter Lovett, Age 99, Beach Unit

Interviewed 4 March 2024

Landing on Juno Beach in Normandy on D-Day, Mr Lovett from Swanage was a member of the Beach Units, crews whose job was to keep soldiers and vehicles moving once they had landed. 

He had undergone rigorous training in Studland Bay and knew that a beach assault was imminent - but didn't know the location.

"We had learnt everything from minelaying to mine lifting and abseiling down the cliffs at Bournemouth," he said.

"We were told we were training for assault landings and going in with assault troops and as it happened I went in with the second wave. 

"One day we got on the lorries and my company got into these landing ships. The crossing was rough. We were down below, they wouldn't allow us on deck.

"We didn't know there were also Canadian troops on board, and eventually we came up on top and we had to crouch along the side and then we saw about a mile ahead was the beach and you could hear shellfire and things.

"I was very lucky.

"We came in at high tide and we were unopposed there. So the first thing was going up to our waist in water so we were soaking wet.

"Then up to the sand dunes which we were told were mined but we didn't find many mines in the dunes at that stage."

Before starting work Mr Lovett and his colleagues were told to clear a nearby residential area of enemy soldiers.

"There were dead bodies in the water," Peter added.

"We had to push the dead bodies away and there were bodies on the beach. I remember two pillboxes were still firing at troops coming in.

"I once thought being in a pillbox was a good idea, but I saw the result of a tank firing at a pillbox. You didn't stand much chance."

Beach groups were the only troops allowed to remain on the beach. They were vital in organising men and securing beach positions in the early stages of the landings.

Mr Lovett said: "We had learned to lay matting. You are on the beach to guide vehicles off to their exits. Not everybody landed on the correct beach.

"Also we were there to clear mines with the engineers who were really doing it. We could hear machine guns in the distance but we never had gunfire there.

"There were prisoners who were being brought down as well. It was a long day. You were wet through to start with and it took two days to dry out."

Those manning the beaches were often required around the clock.

"I remember at one time the beach being packed with vehicles and we couldn't get them off," he said.

"We used to live off rations we had to scrounge off landing craft, including the American ones. As soon as the last vehicle drove off the ramp went up and they reversed out.

"They didn't hang about. And you used to have to rush on, ask them for ration packs and run off before they pulled out."

The Beach Groups were disbanded in July. Mr Lovett became a paratrooper and saw more action in Normandy.

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