Anyone know about bridges?

emmie99chappie · 15-03-2006, 07:30 PM

Hi,

Sorry to bother you all again with lots of questions!

I recently found this photo in amongst some of my grandad's things and wondered if anyone had any information about it they could share with me? All I know is that it's over the Mass and I assume that was 44/45? Does anyone know which divisions would have been about to construct it etc? Is this part of Market Garden, or is that a daft question!?

Waiting for my next trip to Kew to find out more, so it would be great if anyone could fill me in in the mean time!
Kind regards
Chappie

von Poop · 15-03-2006, 08:22 PM

Off the top of my head I seem to remember that the Germans deliberately flooded areas in an attempt to hinder landings (someone correct me if this is utter balls), the picture just looks oddly familiar.

plant-pilot · 15-03-2006, 08:38 PM

Yes, quite a bit of the Dutch 'Polder' was deliberatly flooded by the Germans to prevent not only landings but also to prevent easy movement of invading allied troops. The trouble was that it also stopped much food production and brought widespread starvation among the Dutch civil population of the area.

emmie99chappie · 15-03-2006, 09:37 PM

Right! So this could be one of any number of bridges built by the Allies over the Maas. Was there one bridge over that river, which was of more importance than any other...?
Von Poop, the picture looks like a postcard (with serrated edges) might it be a postcard that you have seen before? It's most definitely my grandads writing on the back of the picture and he was a Royal Engineer so I suppose he might have had a hand in constructing it!?

Thanks for your contributions, hope it jogs some more memories!
Chappie

sapper · 15-03-2006, 10:25 PM

I dont reconise it...It is an "Airview" unusual! I would point out that there were many hundreds of photo's around, a great many taken off of German prisoners!

von Poop · 15-03-2006, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emmie99chappie

might it be a postcard that you have seen before?

I should say mate, it was the flooded scene that seemed familiar rather than that specific picture. Trawled some books and found a few pictures of Dutch flooding but nothing with such an extensive bridge running across it..

von Poop · 17-03-2006, 09:39 PM

Hello again Chappie.
I've been onto my Airborne obsessive mate 'Bod' and he's got this to say:

"British chap? or a septic? I've never seen that pic before but it does fit the description of what was referred to as 'the island' on the road from Nijmegan to Arnhem somewhere near Driel where the Poles were dropped. That could be Arnhem railway bridge top right a couple of miles downstream of the famous road bridge. The pontoon bridge is obviously a engineer built thing sometime after the fighting maybe even when the British advance eventually liberates Arnhem on 14 April 1945. Yep, found it... on that excellent website you included the link to...

(http://www.marketgarden.com/2010/UK/frames.html)
"in April 1945 when Holland was liberated, the Canadians first built a double pontoon bridge (Campbell Bridge) on the spot where the ship bridge had been. At the same time the construction of a bailey bridge was started just east of the destroyed road bridge. It was opened on June 8th 1945. Finally in 1950 the rebuilt road bridge was opened again."
Hope that this is helpful, cheers,

Bod"

Hope this helps somewhat, no real checking just a quick email exchange but he's normally bloody right.
Good luck again.
Adam.

51highland · 18-03-2006, 07:15 AM

"The Island" was an area between the Waal and the Neder Rhine, west of Arnhem. The Germans succeeded in blowing the Dyke on 3rd December 1944 and operation Noah was implemented. Nijmegen bridge was under fire at the time, a lot of British troops were rescued by Canadians using storm boats, "flimsy canvas things" as they were described to me. Other troops waded to safety. I think that it is possibly the Neder Rhine in the picture.

regards 51 highland

emmie99chappie · 19-03-2006, 06:57 PM

Adam,
Many thanks to you and your mate 'Bod', great information and a great link too. I'm gathering more and more info and really appreciate your help with my research. Many thanks again Chappie (p.s. British not Spetic!)

51 Highland, thanks too for your ideas, much appreciated. Chappie

von Poop · 19-03-2006, 07:34 PM

I'll pass your thanks to bod mate.
(BTW you don't know an ex Spr. Bolton do you? he's got a mate called chappie in your part of the world.)

15-03-2006, 08:38 PM	#3 (permalink)
plant-pilot Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 949	Yes, quite a bit of the Dutch 'Polder' was deliberatly flooded by the Germans to prevent not only landings but also to prevent easy movement of invading allied troops. The trouble was that it also stopped much food production and brought widespread starvation among the Dutch civil population of the area. __________________ M3... the ship of the desert 2003

17-03-2006, 09:39 PM	#7 (permalink)
von Poop I Like Tanks. Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Perfidious Albion. Posts: 7,687	Hello again Chappie. I've been onto my Airborne obsessive mate 'Bod' and he's got this to say: "British chap? or a septic? I've never seen that pic before but it does fit the description of what was referred to as 'the island' on the road from Nijmegan to Arnhem somewhere near Driel where the Poles were dropped. That could be Arnhem railway bridge top right a couple of miles downstream of the famous road bridge. The pontoon bridge is obviously a engineer built thing sometime after the fighting maybe even when the British advance eventually liberates Arnhem on 14 April 1945. Yep, found it... on that excellent website you included the link to... (http://www.marketgarden.com/2010/UK/frames.html) "in April 1945 when Holland was liberated, the Canadians first built a double pontoon bridge (Campbell Bridge) on the spot where the ship bridge had been. At the same time the construction of a bailey bridge was started just east of the destroyed road bridge. It was opened on June 8th 1945. Finally in 1950 the rebuilt road bridge was opened again." Hope that this is helpful, cheers, Bod" Hope this helps somewhat, no real checking just a quick email exchange but he's normally bloody right. Good luck again. Adam. Last edited by von Poop; 17-03-2006 at 09:42 PM.

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15-03-2006, 08:22 PM	#2 (permalink)
von Poop I Like Tanks. Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Perfidious Albion. Posts: 7,687	Off the top of my head I seem to remember that the Germans deliberately flooded areas in an attempt to hinder landings (someone correct me if this is utter balls), the picture just looks oddly familiar.

15-03-2006, 09:37 PM	#4 (permalink)
emmie99chappie Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Suffolk Posts: 21	Right! So this could be one of any number of bridges built by the Allies over the Maas. Was there one bridge over that river, which was of more importance than any other...? Von Poop, the picture looks like a postcard (with serrated edges) might it be a postcard that you have seen before? It's most definitely my grandads writing on the back of the picture and he was a Royal Engineer so I suppose he might have had a hand in constructing it!? Thanks for your contributions, hope it jogs some more memories! Chappie

15-03-2006, 10:25 PM	#5 (permalink)
sapper WW2 Veteran Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,438	I dont reconise it...It is an "Airview" unusual! I would point out that there were many hundreds of photo's around, a great many taken off of German prisoners!

18-03-2006, 07:15 AM	#8 (permalink)
51highland Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Ipswich Posts: 713	"The Island" was an area between the Waal and the Neder Rhine, west of Arnhem. The Germans succeeded in blowing the Dyke on 3rd December 1944 and operation Noah was implemented. Nijmegen bridge was under fire at the time, a lot of British troops were rescued by Canadians using storm boats, "flimsy canvas things" as they were described to me. Other troops waded to safety. I think that it is possibly the Neder Rhine in the picture. regards 51 highland

19-03-2006, 06:57 PM	#9 (permalink)
emmie99chappie Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Suffolk Posts: 21	Adam, Many thanks to you and your mate 'Bod', great information and a great link too. I'm gathering more and more info and really appreciate your help with my research. Many thanks again Chappie (p.s. British not Spetic!) 51 Highland, thanks too for your ideas, much appreciated. Chappie

19-03-2006, 07:34 PM	#10 (permalink)
von Poop I Like Tanks. Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Perfidious Albion. Posts: 7,687	I'll pass your thanks to bod mate. (BTW you don't know an ex Spr. Bolton do you? he's got a mate called chappie in your part of the world.)

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