UK Military Bridging – Italy, Africa, NW Europe and the Far East

Discussion in 'Royal Engineers' started by davidbfpo, May 16, 2022.

  1. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

    Thanks to a pointer from a friend I found this lengthy article, part of a series of three, and this is for Italy: UK Military Bridging - World War II (Italy) - Think Defence

    The others are: Africa & NW Europe: UK Military Bridging - World War II (Africa and Northwest Europe) - Think Defence and the Far East: UK Military Bridging - World War II (The Far East) - Think Defence Plus a variety of non-WW2 themes.

    They date from 2011 and have maps, photos etc and a few links.

    I have only skimmed the Italian article and did scan the forum to see if they had been posted before. Bridging appears in many places, notably on river crossings in NW Europe. Enjoy.:)
     
    Sapper D. likes this.
  2. Roy Martin

    Roy Martin Senior Member

    How interesting. My father was in the REs and spent some time in northern Italy bridge building, I am pretty sure ha was well behind the lines, as, according to my mother, he was billeted long enough in one village to have an affair!

    He joined up in March 1940, as a carpenter and joiner he expected to go in the REs, but the recruiting sargent said they had too many so he was a dispatch rider until 1943, which he hated. He occasionally gained a stripe, or even two, but lost them pretty quickly. He finally got moved in 1943 and by the time he was in northern Italy he had, and kept, three stripes!

    As so many say, I wish I had learnt more when he was alive.
     

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