249th (Airborne) Field Company RE on D-Day and Battle of Normandy

Well that is interesting. I wonder if it was elevated to allow the passage of vessels. Also you would think it would have been photographed or shown on a post card.

Regards ...

 

Hi,

Danny, it's clear, your map is clearer than mine. Where did you buy it ?

On a Heimdal map, I found another strange "line" on the north...

Regards,

Xavier

 

This bridge at MR 114762 is identified as Bridge No.3 on the BIGOT Map France 1-25,000, GSGS 4347, 40-16NW - Ouistreham [Defences] of 20 May 1944:


The fact that it has no Load Classification probably means that it is indeed just a footbridge.

Michel

 

Xavier,

Here's a view to the north of the foot and pontoon bridges. Just realized this is the location where the old river course crossed before emptying into the sea.



Same view that Danny already posted in better quality.




Regards ...

 

Great job and beautiful pictures.

To finish with my "strange" line on the north...

Two points and one fictional line...an old ferry ??

 

Xavier,

Perhaps an old ferry crossing before the footbridge was built? I noticed on this page, "Le Pont Tournant de Ranville", at the bottom:

"Le pont devint fixe en 1910 avec la construction du barrage en aval de Caen et démoli en 1971, le nouveau pont fut ouvert à la circulation en 1972."

The construction of the dam would have stopped the passage of larger ships on that stretch of the Orne. Still no luck finding a photo of the footbridge.

Regards ...

 

I found a picture who was taken in 1941. It's difficult to see if the footbridge was here at this moment.

Wn07 Ouistreham, Pointe du Siège, K.V.U.Gr Riva-Bella, K.V.Gr Caen

Kew NA 1941 PRU 20.11.41 F/14.0

May be with a better definition...

Regards,

Xavier

 

Hi,
Xavier your “strange line” in #125 is the symbol for “Boom and Nets”.

The photo of the map I posted in #114 was one of a set of maps that were for sale for the 50th (?) anniversary of the landings. No longer for sale though.

The Battlefield Historian has some of these maps for sale.

I will send you a pm.

Attached are few other photos of the area. Unfortunately no close-ups of the bridge. This area is not one that many people seem to visit.


Photo linked to in #127. The original photo is not very good.


Model that use to be on display in the Merville Battery Museum.


Another aerial photo. Pre D Day


Looking towards the site of the bridge. Taken 2005.

Link to a site about the bridges in Caen Les ponts à Caen

Regards

 

Thank you a lot Danny for the map.
It's difficult for me to understand exactly what is "Boom and Nets". Could you explain me more ?

On the picture of Cee dated 5th July 1944, I think the "footbridge" was blown.


Regards,

Xavier

 

A Boom is a floating barrier ("barrage flottant"), usually made of a heavy chain supported by pontoons, aimed at preventing surface access to a port or a waterway.

Nets ("filets" ou plus souvent "filets anti-torpilles") are just that, i.e. submerged nets hung from floats or pontoons for the same purpose of blocking a waterway but also targeting potential underwater attacks (from submarine, torpedos or frogmen).

Thus, "Booms and nets" is what has been identified as (or presumed to be) a barrage intended to prevent passage on and/or under the water.

Michel

 

Xavier,

That aerial sample from the Laurier Collection was blown up 200%, so not the best quality. Here's another from July 12th with what looks like a boom across the river just above the barge.



All the bridges have been removed by 1947 as seen in an aerial posted by M Kenny in another thread.



Regards ...

 

Great find Cee.
On the Laurier Collection photo, the footbridge seems not blown, its shallow is continuous.
The second photo could confirm that the "footbridge" was a german construction...may be to supply the WN11 Ouistreham-Le Maresquire.
Regards,
Xavier

 

Xavier

The pontoon bridge across the Caen Canal was named York 1 and the other across the Orne was York 2. There are photos of the first, but have yet to find any for York 2.

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205206073



Regards ...

 

Here's a puzzler. On the Back to Normandy site there are photos that claim to be the York 2 Bridge. I've lightened the dark photo to bring out the details. The building in the background fronted by hedges could be the clue. I think they are both York 1 shot from each side of the canal?



Regards ...

 

Hi Cee,
The number and the composition of "floats" are different between the two bridges (see the photo dated 12th July).
5 for York 1
4 for York 2
I know a specialist of pontoon bridge, may be he could help us.
Regards,
Xavier

 

Xavier,

So possibly:

York 1 - 4 2 2 2 4
York 2 - 4 2 2 4( or 3)

Check this bridge out, also from "Back to Normandy". Maybe this is the house I'm looking for on the west side of the Canal near York 1? It's difficult to see the pontoon configuration due to poor quality.

Back to Normandy - Pontoon Bridge Near House

I can see Xavier's head spinning just about now ...

 

Xavier,

Member MSGrover1 (Malcolm) posted an excellent map showing all the bridges north of Caen in post 28 of this thread. Post 22 has some info on the Tower and Tay Bridges.

Photo 89 or 90 RE July 1945 Germany

You can see Tower 2 built just north of York 2 in this August 9th aerial.



Regards ...

 

Hi,

I'm almost certain the pontoon bridge near the house is York 1. The photos were taken from the east canal bank. The house with the tall stand of trees behind can be seen on the March 44 aerial and still exists today across from the marina.



So to sum up so far we have four photos of York 1, two from each side of the canal.



The fifth photo going by pontoon configuration is possibly York 2 or Tower 2 on the Orne River. There is something very irregular in appearance extending out into the river to the right of the bridge that is hard to make out.



Added:

One possibility for photo 5 requires a bit of imagination. It could be a photo of the Tower 2 Bridge taken from the east bank of the Orne. The row of coniferous trees in the background line the side of the diagonal road. The small building towards the centre of picture is just visible on the March 44 aerial and less so on the July 12th one. The irregular feature extending across the river to the right is possibly the boom (July 12th).

Regards ...

 

Hi,

According to information provided by member MSGrover1 (Malcolm) these are the Field Coys involved in in the building of the York and Tower 2 bridges

York 1, 11766, 357' Normal BPB, Built by 234 & 19 FD Coys (1 Corps Tps) 16hrs
York 2, 115762, 336 Normal BPB, Built by 234 & 71 FD Coys (1 Corps) 25hrs
Tower 2, 115763, 336 Normal BPB, Built by 234 & 240 FD Coys (1Corps Tps) 17hrs

In a thread on the 234 Field Coy RE member Andrew80 provided a link to "The Circus", a diary written by Lt. H.H. Campbell. The pages need to be rotated in a PDF viewer/editor. There are a few bits that might be of interest.

http://www.tinyland.org/andy/the_circus_234 _field_company.pdf

The IWM has two videos on the construction of York 1, one of which is viewable.

IWM - ACTIVITIES NORTH OF CAEN, JUNE - EARLY JULY 1944 (PART 8 & 10) [Allocated Title]

But otherwise still no views of the "footbridge" or solid information on when it was built and by whom.

Regards ...

 

Hi all,

Congratulation for your discoveries. You found a lot about an unknown "footbridge".

There are still outstanding questions* :
What was the interest for the allied to capture this footbridge ?
Did the allied capture it ?
Did the 45 RM use it ? Another unit ?

For remember :
"0825 - Br at 114762 reported intact. 1 Corps infm." (extract from Headquarters, 6th Airborne Division).
"If 114762 was captured the 45 RM Commando will cross here" (extract from Brigade Headquarters, 5th Parachute Brigade).

Regards,

Xavier P.

PS : *Ça ne me semble pas très anglais cette tournure de phrase, sorry for that.