Loading Allied Invasion Equipment at Brixham Port Before D-Day

June 19, 2025 - Reading time: 3 minutes

Allied vehicles being loaded for the Normandy invasion, including M1A1 wreckers and Caterpillar tractors at Brixham Port.

Brixham, England. June 1, 1944.
The calm before the storm — at least on the surface. At the British port of Brixham, the docks creak under the weight of steel and determination as Allied forces load thousands of vehicles aboard landing craft bound for Normandy.

In the center of the photo, two M1A1 heavy wreckers on Ward LaFrance 1000 series (6x6) chassis steal the spotlight. These muscular brutes, equipped with Gar Wood US6A cranes and V-shaped bumpers, were the backbone of battlefield recovery — pulling damaged Shermans, flipped trucks, and anything else out of the mess. Open cab, six-ton lift capacity, 145-hp under the hood — these machines meant business.

To the left, the unmistakable outline of a Caterpillar D7 tractor, equipped with a Le Tourneau R-7 rear winch system, waits its turn. On the right, a smaller D4 Cat tractor — compact, but vital for logistics and clearing. Both tractors were essential for constructing temporary roads, pulling loads across beaches, and dragging artillery into position.

This single frame captures the industrial scale and planning behind Operation Overlord: over 20,000 vehicles were loaded into ships like these, ready to cross the Channel and storm Fortress Europe.

📷 Technical photo data:
📸 Photographer: William Nehez
📅 Date: June 1, 1944
📍 Location: Brixham, England