THEY WERE THERE ON THE BEACHES OF
NORMANDY
IT'S rare that it can be
established beyond doubt that a vehicle was actually on the Normandy beaches
during the 1944 invasion. There was just too much going on, and records were -
in the main - not kept.
Two vehicles taking part in
this year's War and Peace Show can make that claim however. They are a
Caterpillar tractor for which records do exist, and a Sherman Beach Armoured
Recovery Vehicle (BARV), which had to be there, because they all were.
 The Caterpillar is a D8-8R
owned by Andrew Bettney and Paul Marriott, from Derbyshire, who are big
Caterpillar enthusiasts. They found the vehicle in 2003 at Stonegate, near
Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
"We had no idea it was a
military machine," said Andrew. "Then Paul scraped away at one of the plates
and discovered the green paintwork.
"A friend established that
the serial number, E245206, was an army number, and that the machine was one of
a batch of 60 brought over from the United States in 1941. It had gone into service
with the 79th Armoured Division 819 dozer squadron.
"He later did more research
with the Royal Engineers at Chatham and phoned me to say he had news that would
make the hair on the back of my neck stand up. He had found records to show
that the tractor had landed on the Normandy beaches somewhere in the Gold
sector near Arromanches, and that its number suggested it arrived on D-Day + 4.
"I was thrilled and amazed
that we had acquired such an important vehicle."
Exactly how the tractor was
used on the beaches is uncertain, probably to help lay roadways and to tow
broken down vehicles out of the way. There is a picture in one of the D-Day
books that shows a Caterpillar D-8 towing a heavy trailer, which carries a
70-ton locomotive.
"Once we found out about its
history we decided we should take the Caterpillar back to Normandy for the 60th anniversary of D-Day in 2004," said Andrew. 
"We both felt we should make
the effort, in memory of the lads that died during the invasion."
They enlisted the help of
family and friends and worked tirelessly on the vehicle at Andrew's workshop at
Tideswell, near Buxton. It was tough fitting the work around running two
demanding businesses. Paul operates a drilling company involved in oil
exploration and Andrew runs a welding and steel fabrication firm.
But with great pride they
were able to drive the machine in the Veterans' Parades on Gold Beach, where it
had performed such sterling work 60 years before.
Sporting the white star of
the invasion forces and the Spanish fighting bull emblem of the Royal Engineers
79th Armoured Division, it will once more visit the Normandy beaches
during this year's 65th anniversary celebrations, before returning
to go on display at the War and Peace Show in July.
"She's looking wonderful,"
said Andrew. "She's always a crowd puller."
 Rex Cadman's Sherman BARV is
well known to War and Peace regulars. Rex bought it from Pound's Yard in
Southampton nearly eight years ago.
"I wanted it as soon as I
saw it," said Rex. "It's such an unusual beast. There are only four or five
left, and this is the only one that runs."
The BARV is painted
battleship grey. The Royal Navy won the argument over colours on grounds that
the vehicle had to operate in the sea.
Its job was vital to the
invasion's success. With so many vehicles of all kinds coming off landing craft
into water, it was obvious that many would become stuck.
Unless a deep wading craft
could be deployed to push or pull them out of the way, the invasion would have
seized up in one massive military traffic jam. The BARV with its watertight
welded hull and high superstructure, could operate in nine feet of water.
On occasions the Sherman
BARV was used to push stranded landing craft back out into deeper water.
"This BARV was completely
dead when we got her," said Steve Cobb, who has carried out most of the
restoration work. "The engine had to be completely restored and there was a lot
of welding to do."
Steve has driven the BARV in
the sea at Studland Bay during an event to commemorate Operation Smash.
"You have no visibility,
just a tiny square of glass to peer through," he said. "You are relying
entirely on instructions from the person on top."
When working the BARV had a
crew of four or five, a commander, a bilge operator, a radio operator and a
driver. There was an outside man to attach winch cables, who was equipped with
diving gear for under water work.
The Sherman BARV and the D-8
will be displayed together at the War and Peace Show. But who knows? It may not
be the first time they have met.
- end -
For further information
contact Jacqui Curtis, Marketing Executive on 01622 870804 email
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or Peter Cook
on 01795 536915/07796 172680
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.
Family tickets to the War
and Peace Show can be ordered at a discount from www.thehopfarm.co.uk or www.thewarandpeaceshow.com
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The Soyer Stove, together
with a new nutritional regime set up by its inventor Alexis Soyer, is credited
with saving more lives than Florence Nightingale.
Dame Vera Lynn will be guest
of honour at this year's War and Peace Show, which promises to be one of the
biggest and most exciting ever.
