Bailey Bridges

[harribobs]

there's a bailey bridge still in full use at the top of the Aradena gorge in crete, it looks like it's just been built

[Gerry Chester]

But for the skill and courage of the Royal Engineers, our Churchills would have seen little action!
From his Memoirs, Field-Marshal Alexander's tribute:
"Here would appear to be an opportunity to pay a tribute to a distinguished British invention. Whatever the valour of the righting troops, without the 'Bailey' to bridge the rivers and ravines of Italy, the campaign would have been abortive from the outset."


Royal Engineers of the 577 Field Company assemble a Bailey Bridge over the Arno in Florence. By using the piers of the Santa Trinita bridge, blown up by the retreating Germans, the REs restored the bridge for heavy traffic in a few days.
Photograph courtesy Imperial War Museum.

[von Poop]

Bumping up for those that may not have read it.
Really good stuff from Sapper and Gerry Chester.
One of those 'war winning' inventions that seems to get forgotten.

Went to photograph a big lump of Bailey bridge that sat in a local field since god knows when last week and it had gone.
Curse these militaria collectors...... and their scammells????

[plant-pilot]

Well the 'Bailey' as such is no longer in service. It was replaced by the Medium Girder Bridge, which in turn has been replaced by ABLE. Something very similar to Bailey is used called the LSB, but it's only used for semi-permanent bridging jobs.

Here's the bridge that PP built:-

[von Poop]

Originally Posted by Plant Pilot

Is that done with your M3 thingy? My 4 year old sprog brought a book back from the library on 'amazing trucks' (or similar) and the M3 gets a full-page cutaway, it's the best info I've seen on it.
How much faster than 'Baileying'?
Would that be the modern solution to the Arnhem crossing then?
Apologies for multiple questions.
(there was a programme on Germany's Leopard that showed similar (same?) amphibious vehicles spanning a river at surprising speed.)

[plant-pilot]

Well I have to agree, it's certainly an 'amazing truck'. As for how much faster than Bailey it is, very is the short answer. To 'slash in' 8 rigs and build a 100m long bridge you'd expect to be trafficking MBTs in under 30 minutes.

That is of course if you want to actually build a bridge. In most cases it's much better to 'splash in' build ferries and get the traffic across before getting out and disappearing. From splashing in to ferrying tanks would be no more than 10 minutes. So with 8 rigs you could have 4 tanks on the way across the river in less than 10 minutes. Bailey is good, but it's not that good.

As for their use in an Arnhem type senario, the M3s would have to approach from the south with 30 Corps as they are too big to be moved by air. However, it would have meant that there was no need to push so far into the town in order to actually take a bridge. They could have headed south, took the high ground of Westbowing and defended that (a much better prospect). This would have meant they might have been able to have caught the Driel ferry in working order and held that part of the Rhine on both sides in order to put in the M3s. Still a risky operation, but possible.

[plant-pilot]

Originally Posted by Von Poop

(there was a programme on Germany's Leopard that showed similar (same?) amphibious vehicles spanning a river at surprising speed.)

Oh yes, I forgot to mention. The film of Leopards driving over the bridge at full speed is indeed of the M3. The M3 is actually a German design and was built by a German engineering firm Called EWK.

The film shows the M3 being tested to see how much damage was done by large vehicles driving across the bridge at speed. The answer was 'lots'. You can do it, but to ensure that the equipment has a realistic life span, it's supposed to be re-usable after all, speeds are kept to a more realistic pace. Impressive as it ws to see them crossing at speed.

Anyone notice I like M3s as much as Jimbo likes his Jugs? The thing is, I have practical experience of the M3 :cool:

[spidge]

Here is two Bailey Bridges of 22 constructed (No photo's - sorry) after the D-Day landings.

Also names the Sappers et al killed and wounded.

11. Gennap (Holland)
4008ft Bailey Pontoon Bridge Class 40 over the River Maas, consisting of:
a) Bridge of six 61ft landing bays on class 40 landing piers, five 42ft rafts, two 41ft 6ins end floating bays, one 32ft raft and one 44-46ft sliding bay.
b) 962ft viaduct of S/S Bailey supported on steel bridging cribs.
c) 2133ft viaduct of 42ft floating bays, pontoons afterwards replaced by steel bridging cribs and Bailey Cribs.
Constructed by 7 Army Troop Engineers comprising of H.Q. 7 Army Troop Engineers, 71/72/73 and 503 Field Companies R.E., 277 Corp Field Park Company R.E. and 149 Pioneer Company P.C.
71 Field Company R.E. constructed — two 61ft landing bays, one 41ft 6ins end floating bay, three 42ft rafts, and also 962ft of viaduct on steel bridging cribs and replaced the pontoons in 1923ft of the second viaduct by cribs.
12. Well (Holland
750ft Bailey Pontoon Class 40 Bridge over River Maas. Consisting of:
Two 10ft ramps, one 80ft D/S approach span, one 110ft T/S landing bay onto type “D” pier, one 70ft D/S sloping bay, two 41ft 6ins end floating bays, one 44-46ft sliding bay, one 70ft landing bay, one 50ft landing bay, and one 50ft approach span.
Constructed by 7 Army Troop Engineers. Consisting of H.Q. 7 Troop Engineers, 7/72/73 and 503 Field Companies R.E. and 277 Corps Field Park Company R.E.
71 Field Company R.E. constructed one 70ft landing bay, one 50ft landing bay and one 50ft approach span. They also cleared mines on both approaches and obstacles on the far bank.

[spidge]

A BAILEY BRIDGE ON HIGHWAY 6, near Mignano, is under construc-
tion by engineers of Company A, 235th Engineer Battalion. Possible bypasses
through the olive trees on either side of the highway had to be cleared of
mines (top).

[von Poop]

Originally Posted by plant-pilot

Well I have to agree, it's certainly an 'amazing truck'. As for how much faster than Bailey it is, very is the short answer. To 'slash in' 8 rigs and build a 100m long bridge you'd expect to be trafficking MBTs in under 30 minutes.

That is of course if you want to actually build a bridge. In most cases it's much better to 'splash in' build ferries and get the traffic across before getting out and disappearing. From splashing in to ferrying tanks would be no more than 10 minutes. So with 8 rigs you could have 4 tanks on the way across the river in less than 10 minutes. Bailey is good, but it's not that good.

As for their use in an Arnhem type senario, the M3s would have to approach from the south with 30 Corps as they are too big to be moved by air. However, it would have meant that there was no need to push so far into the town in order to actually take a bridge. They could have headed south, took the high ground of Westbowing and defended that (a much better prospect). This would have meant they might have been able to have caught the Driel ferry in working order and held that part of the Rhine on both sides in order to put in the M3s. Still a risky operation, but possible.

Good stuff PP!
Setting off quality 'What If' thoughts about modern kit being available at Arnhem....

Anyone notice I like M3s

errrr. Yes. I did detect just a teeny hint of enthusiasm there, certainly enough to make me laugh.

And good stuff Spidge. But far from funny.