Bailey Bridges

While under fire during the Rhine crossings there were some impressive engineering feats. Just now reading On To Victory (Mark Zuehlke) and he references a 1,348 ft Bailey bridge (Melville Bridge) constructed in under a day near Emmerich and a 1,757 ft. span completed in 3 days in the same area.

 

With the huge number of waterways in Canada, we have hundreds in use here Sapper. Still the bridge of choice in rural areas where hundreds of streams are encountered. I believe that wartime parts and components continue to be stored in government facilities.

 

Driving into Irthlingborough earlier today, I thought "that looked like a bailey". It was: a 140' span triple-double. Not sure if it's wartime width, and it looks like the transoms might be welded not clamped from the google photos.

http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM66N9_Bailey_Bridge_Irthlingborough_Northamptonshire_UK&ved=0CCQQFjADahUKEwia7YKhgJrHAhUGlR4KHTqSCAo&usg=AFQjCNFPmpbYcaJRg5vZeKA7uo0dTi29TQ

 

Error message comes up.

However I googled Irthlingborough and looked at the Google Earth satellite view.
Is the bridge in question the one on the old trackbed to the West of Station Rd over the River Nene?
52.322808, -0.598391
There appears to be a patterning in the shadow that suggests Panels in the side walls.


On the same sort of theme there is a Triple / Triple in North Yorkshire sited as a Crash Gate to RAF Leeming crossing the River Swale at
54.295974, -1.507916
I have driven over this one, but back in the mid 90s and cannot remember any detail if welded or not.

 

Fixed the link - posted from a phone, sorry.

 

It is the one I guessed at.

 

This list of names from a Canadian Engineer H Houlette (Indian Joe) serving with 33 Fld Coy Royal Canadian Engineers .
Address and Signature torn off (Wartime Security?)
Looks like the route the Coy took through Europe after D Day
Not sure how many of the places were for bridging but they certainly got around
FFB 1476 FT. 32 HRS. ? footbridge?

 

The bailey bridge is still the first choice in times of need there are 2 bridges on the A591 near Thirlmere in the Lake District built after the winter floods washed out the road

 

Hickman's Bridge

I saw this location last week. Some deserved recognition for an Engineer who was killed while erecting a Bailey bridge under fire.

Sgt. John L. Hickman
Royal Canadian Engineers
6 Field Company

Born: September 6, 1911 Portage la Prairie, Manitoba
Enlistment: April 23, 1940 Esquimalt, British Columbia
Died: 31.10.1944, Age 33
Son of Jesse James and Sarah Elizabeth Hickman of Victoria, British Columbia. Brother of Amelia Hutchings, Southamption, Hants, England. On 30 October 1987, The village of Retranchement unveiled a Remembrance Stone for Canadian Sapper, Sergeant John Lockhart Hickman, killed helping to erect a Bailey bridge during the Canadians' advance.

"After the offensive of the Westerschelde. The Canadians fought an
exhaustive battle in the polders of Zeeuws-Vlaamse and along the
dikes in the direction of the Belgian border and Knokke-Heist. At
the end of october 1944. The Royal Canadian Engineer Regiment, under
the leadership of Sgt. J.L.Hickman, reached the drainage canal at Retranchement under heavy shell fire. They erected a Bailey bridge
on this site on 31 october 1944. Sgt. Hickman was mortally wounded. In tribute to him and his comrades. This bridge was
dedicated in his name on 30 october, 1986. This simple monument was adopted by the children of the local school."




Retranchement is a village in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is located on the Belgian border, about 9 km northwest of Oostburg,

 

ITBP jawans beat Naxal scare, build bridge pending for 9 years in 30-days in Chhattisgarh

 

Blue plaque for Sir Donald Bailey at Thomas Rotherham College, in the building that used to be Rotherham Grammar School.

 

Some pics I took (and thought I'd posted) at the Overloon War Museum:-

 

Hi

Theres a bailey bridge still in use in Walton-on-Trent.



see 41 seconds

Regards,

Graeme

 

Don't they normally advise not to fly drones or other RC aircraft anywhere near Pylons and overhead electrical cables.

 

Not me in the film, blame Youtube !!!

 

Just in case this one hasn't been posted in the thread yet

 

Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Petch, Commanding Officer, leading The North Nova Scotia Highlanders across London Bridge, a Bailey bridge across the Odon River south of Caen, France, 18 July 1944.
Location: South of Caen,Normandy




Photo: Lieut. Ken Bell
Source: Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-131393