Bailey Bridges

[spidge]

Originally Posted by Von Poop

or the Madding Crowd

[emmie99chappie]

Originally Posted by 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.

In reply to Spidge, I have a picture of the bailey bridge at Gennap as my Grandad was in 503 field company, I have previously posted it so sorry to bore you again but after research we are pretty certain this is it.

Chappie

[bonanza]

Hello Sapper
Do you have a photo of the Bridge at Weert you mentioned?

[Owen]

Lovely shot from Canadian Archives of a bailey bridge.
Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society
The Sherman tanks of the 4th Canadian Armoured Division crossing the Twenthe Canal near Almelo, Netherlands, 4 April 1945.
Photo courtesy of National Archives of Canada PA-113690.

[sapper]

No, No photo's. I notice that 503 fld Coy RE was mentioned.Third Div Fld Co were 17..... 246 (Mine) and 253/
Sapper

[speedingslug]

Originally Posted by Kiwiwriter

Due to the welding and heavy lifting hazards.

I did build one of these about 6 or so years ago but hadn't realized the ones used in the war were welded together in places, this must of been a hard task as the light is very bright.

[sapper]

There is no welding on a Bailey. They come ready to go. Everything fits.
from Sword onwards, we built many bridges. Both light assault, and Baileys.
Every one we built was completed under direct enemy fire. We never did manage to build one in peaceful conditions. Only once were we driven to ground by the weight of the enemy fire, eventually it died down a bit and we completed the task.
By heck! all those years ago..hardly seems possible.
Sapper

[speedingslug]

Cheers Sapper as a welder I did find it a bit strange welding especially at night. I can't even begin to image what it must of been like to bulid one in war time.

[40th Alabama]

These begin at the Rhine and I think move East.

*The 1st picture is somewhere along the Rhine River
*The 5th pictue has a notation, "cutting a road through the dike on the near shore of the Rhine". Looks very narrow there though.
*Pictures 2, 3, and 4 look like the same bridge as picture 5 to me.

Time Frame: On 31 Mar 1945 the 187th Engineering Combat Battalion ferried the 79th Infantry Division across the Rhine. I think this was a 2-day operation. That would put the bridging operation in April 45. On 7 April 45 they were bridging the Rhine Hearn Canal. In June 45 they were bridging the Lippe River South of Haltern, Germany. I would suspect all of these bridges are mid 1st quarter to 3rd quarter of 1945.

[Owen]

Pity we don't know the exact locations, would be nice to do some "Then & Now" shots.