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The Churchill AVRE with 'Goat' Explosive Device was the only one of a series of British attempts to use a tank to place an explosive charge in place to enter production during the Second World War. Work on the idea began after the Dieppe raid, and went through three main versions. The 'Carrot' was a simple frame that allowed small charges to be dropped in place. The 'Onion' was a vertical frame held in front of the tank that was meant to be forced up against obstacles. Neither design was a great success and they didn't enter production.
The 'Goat' was produced in an attempt to improve the accuracy possible with the 'Onion'. This time the frame was mounted horizontally on the tank, improving the driver's view. Two prongs on the front of the frame were activated when they touched an obstacle, and forced the frame to pivot into the correct position. It could then be anchored to a wall, helping to make sure the explosions hit the right place.
Tests showed that the 'Goat' was more effective than the 'Onion', and 400 sets of equipment were produced and used on the Churchill AVRE. A smaller version was produced for the Universal Carrier, and an Elevatable version was produced to allow charges to be placed over high walls.