1/76 Scammell "Snow White" - France 1940

Here is my 1/76 Scammell T/T "Snow White" as inspired by a photo on this site of it passing through Neubourg, France during the BEF retreat in June 1940. It is thought to be a recovery vehicle of the 1st Armoured Division. As the tank didn't show any markings, I used "artistic" license and marked it up as a 3 Btn RTR Cruiser as depicted on the Armoured Acorn site.
The tractor is a modified Airfix, the trailer is scratch-built and the tank is Milicast. Decals and markings are from Dan Taylor Models, Starmer's Armour and the spares box.
Hope you like it.

Cheers,

Neil

 

Nellie
excellent work
thank you
regards
Clive

 

I second Clive's post.
An excellent model.

Regards
Tom

 

What, you again?

 

Great work, Neil. I wish I worked as fast as you, but I have the whole family here at the moment and there seem to be many things to be done!

Chris

 

Excellent model Neil, well done.

 

I agree-If anyone can ID the unit I'll post the diary up when I've got it. I suspect its one of the following two 1 Armoured Division files:

1 Armoured Division Support Group

1 Armoured Division Workshop

 

My grandfather Henry (Harry) Miller was part of the crew who drove 'snow white' I have stumbled across this forum whilst trying to find pictures of his vehicle! Thanks to everyone for finding and uploading the pictures.
If anyone has any info on their unit etc I would love to read it. I never met my grandfather..

Many thanks

 

Hello bim2104....thank you for posting this interesting information.

There are photos on this forum of "Snow White" in both France and what we believe might be the same vehicle later in North Africa. Did your frandfather crew it in one or the other or both? Would love to hear more about what you do know as it isn't often we hear from descendents of actual crew.
As far as we know, it was attached to the 1st Armoured Division but are still trying to identify the actual unit.

Cheers,

Neil

 

Hi

Thanks for your reply. The only info i have is as follows. His vehicle which he became very attached too during the war was called 'snow white' there was only vehicle by this name. He served in North Africa with the desert rats, he retreated from Dunkirk but took a different route home! As he didn't want to leave his truck behind!
Thats all i know at the moment... I will however speak to mum over the next few days, who can hopefully add some more info.

Many Thanks

 

Thanks for sharing this information with us. It does sound like he served with the vehcile in both France and North Africa.
Should you learn anything further, we would be grateful if you could share it with us.

Cheers,

Neil

 

Hello and welcome to the forum.

It would be of interest to many I feel if you can find out the route taken to get the truck back to the UK.

I couldn't have been easy.

Regards
Tom

 

Named 'Snow White' because there was a crew of seven on board! Therefore Snow White and the 7 dwarfs!

Two transporters were sent to france with the expeditionary force, one remained after the retreat from Dunkirk. Snow White was brought back to England because her crew were not prepared to leave her, they were stranded in a small town in Northern France because all the roads to Dunkirk and Cherbourg etc were blocked, So the crew took her south to a small town on a river (name uknown) which had a port. There was a cargo boat in the dock waiting to take refugees to England.
The crew asked for passage with Snow White, the captain of the cargo ship agreed but stipulated that Snow White and the tank she had loaded on board would have to remain on quayside because there was no way of getting her onboard or she would have to be dismantled and very quickly!
This was done with the Tank being left behind, the crew and transporter 'Snow White' were brought back safely to England.
To dismantle Snow White and load her on a small cargo vessel was a task in its self and would probably have involved assistance from the refugees that were onboard.

After a period of leave, troops were sent to Egypt with the 8th Army, Snow White in good order and with another transporter went with them.
Snow White was part of REME 7th Armoured Division 8th Army. Snow White and its crew were involved in the recovery of allied and german tanks. Tanks that had been disabled often had the remains of their crews still inside which had to be removed by the recovery crew before the tanks could be repaired.

Snow White and the Dwarfs were lost in the desert for a period of three days and were discovered/rescued by a forward recon special forces patrol who escorted them back to their lines.

One private soldier was the main driver of Snow White for the whole of the war, the only one who could keep her going! She was very temperamental.. it is not known by the writer if the original crew kept together throughout the war or indeed even survived.
But the driver did survive and returned home after the war, His name was Harry 'Dusty' Miller who passed away on the 4th August 1970, My Grandfather.

Snow White cam ehome and finisshed her days with a road building company believed to be Tilbury Erat, Towing road laying tar vehicles and tools etc.

The above was written by Hazel Miller widow of Harry Miller.

This is all the info my family has on Snow White. I hope it is of interest...