D-Day 9 Bde Wksps REME
Scammell Pioneer on Sword Beach

This diorama is based on the war diary of 9 Bde Wksps (REME) of 3 Inf Division, which landed on Sword Beach on the 3rd Wave of D-Day. The backstory is that one of the 9Bde Workshops recovery vehicles. This diorama is inspired by the war diary of the 9 Brigade Workshops (REME) of the 3rd Infantry Division, which landed on Sword Beach during the third wave of D-Day. The backstory involves one of the 9 Brigade Workshops' recovery vehicles being assigned to a Royal Engineers bridging troop, towing a trailer with a bulldozer.

Partway up the beach, it became clear that the trailer would not be able to make it off the sand. The Royal Engineers were tasked with clearing more of the beach and laying matting to create a road. In the meantime, the Scammell Pioneer Recovery vehicle and crew rescued several vehicles that had become stuck in the numerous shell holes at the water's edge while facing constant rifle fire from inland.

As is often the case, this recovery crew was one of the last to leave the beach on D-Day, ultimately completing their initial assignment of delivering the bulldozer to the bridging troop. They did not reunite with their unit for several days as they were continually assigned new tasks while moving inland.


Arte et Marte