Bailey Bridges

Idler Thank you..
Yes I took part in that bridging with 17th feiled Co RE and Elements of 246 field Co RE, I also took part in the operation that followed in the film clip. Operation Goodwood 2000 bombers and 700 guns. We lost 400 tanks.

Very frightening with huge numbers of moaning minnies. hell of a lot of air bursts..That Scared the living daylights out of me !

 

Recently found this pathe film of bailey bridging - commentary is in Spanish [I think] but it is a good demonstration of how it's done

Heres the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m45CXAaHw80

Noel

 

Hi guys

I am a little surprised that no one has suggested 'One more Bridge to cross' by Col J H Joiner as a reference. It covers British Military Bridging (and rafting) from the middle ages up to publication in 2001 by Pen and Sword. Lots on Baileys, confirming, for instance, the first Bailey built in contact with the enemy (Medjez-el-Bab) and the different colouring for American Bailey because of incompatible screw threads.

It was suggested earlier in this thread that Bailey could not be improved upon. There were two major problems with it, neither of which had much effect in wartime, but which were improved post war. The first was the roadway width which was only 10 ft 9 inches, with about 12 feet between panels. This caused a few problems with some equipment during the war, and more problems thereafter which led to the several wider and extra wide versions produced post war. The other one never really surfaced until after the war when huge bridges were built over major rivers until replacements could be built, and this was rust. Bailey was built of steel and the shape of the parts was such that it was hardly possible to clean rust off and repaint. Thus later post war versions were made in alloy instead.

Finally, does anyone have any pictures of 'Impossible Bridge' built, from the enemy side, over the River Moro in Italy in December 1943. I may have a pic of it well after construction (the caption is not explicit), but I would welcome any other details.
Chris

 

Chrisgrove -
That first Bailey bridge at Medjez was over what was known as St.Peter's Crossing which was a very wide wadi - and the sappers - led by Major Maurice Menage were falling like snowflakes - when a very Plummy English voice was heard to ask - "Why does this African wadi carry an English name ?" -

the traditional voice from the back - in an Irish brogue - answered - " to be sure if you try crossing there to-day - your'e sure the meet St.Peter !"

Major Menage was awarded the M.B.E. for that action and went on the become CRE at Cassino- Senigalia - Venice for 8th Army !

The Moro River was in the shadow of the Sangro cock up !
Cheers

 

Our bridges were mostly assault bridges. Get them across ! The main baileys were built by the follow up Sappers. But one thing I can assure our friends here. Building a Bailey under fire is to say the very least...... mind boggling....

 

Hi guys
The other one never really surfaced until after the war when huge bridges were built over major rivers until replacements could be built, and this was rust. Bailey was built of steel and the shape of the parts was such that it was hardly possible to clean rust off and repaint. Thus later post war versions were made in alloy instead.

Chris

Well they haven't done too bad for being rusty old things there are still some 1944 (and I suspect older ones) still in use.!!!

 

51highland.
There are baileys all over the world. Some of them left over from WW2....Still in daily use

 

There's one on Beckingham Ranges in Lincs/Notts that I used to run CFT's over thats rather nice. I wish I could get a picture of it.

A couple of screen saves from google.

The bridge is on the left and the camp on the right. The middle track is the hand grenade range.


Close up of the bridge with a Land Rover driving over it.

 

The one with me and my K30 is near my house
the secound biggest is now used as provisory bridge during building stone bridge in town 15 km far from my home.

 

First Bailey I built was in 1983 in training while being told we would never see this stuff after training. Spent the next year building Bailey bridges and towers around the south of England.
Joined my first unit in 1984 in Germany and the first bridge I built was a HGB (Heavy Girder Bridge) which was basically a souped up Bailey (the transoms on a Bailey were an 8 man lift with the side panels being 6, the transoms on a HGB were 18 main lift and panels 16, needless to say we never had the manpower we were supposed to have lol) at Schloss Neuhaus.
The last Bailey I built was around 1990 during a MACP Task (Military Aid to the Civil Powers) for flood relief in Holland.
The Bailey was pretty much retired after that with just the HGOB (Heavy Girder Over Bridge) remaining as an example of the design.
Going to Bosnia in 1992/93 we built a Mabey Johnson (new build Bailey but not quite interchangable with the older British Army kit) in Mostar which was later destroyed I believe by one of the waring factions.
It is one fantastic bit of kit which replaced the Inglis Bridge in most cases and when used with the LAFB/HAFB (Light and Heavy Assault Bridges) pontoons was very flexible.

The HGB and Bailey tended to be used more on the lines of communication and rear areas than near the FEBA as we used the quicker to build Fairey Engineering MGB (Medium Girder Birdge) for all but direct fire assault crossings (Thats what the Armoured Farmers are for). Strangely enough the MGB had been withdrawn from service to be replaced by BR90 and Mabey Johnson Equipment when I retired from the forces.


'Amazon' Bridge'
Construction dates: 12/13 May 1944 (Operation Diadem)
Details: 80 ft Class 30 Bailey bridge built over Rapido river under constant fire.
The bridge was built as part of the Allies break-out of the Gustav Line.
Work started at 5.45pm (12 May) and completed at 5.30am (13 May).
The human cost was high; 15 sappers were killed and 57 (including 3 officers) wounded.
Constructed by: 7th, 59th, 225th Field Companies (4th Division)

 

It appears there is some good old banter running in this thread so thought i would put this shot up, as far as i know its on the rhine but methinks one of you gents will have more details
cheers
Les

 

Sapper - I am saluting you now Sir, 1970s German winter and there we were advancing into a hide area I watched with nothing short of awe as the sappers put a bridge across a canal, Jeez it was bloody freezing and as an engineer (aircraft) turned infantryman I new what ice cold steel must have felt like.

 

i don't know if I have already posted this? But on the market garden operation we did the first one om the Escaut canal, at one in the morning......Frightened seven different colours out of me... Horrible.
Sapper

 

Stone me! Am I getting old? Bloody must be ...But 86 is a fair old age to type with one finger!
Cheers Owen

 

Les,

Nice picture of a Bailey Pontoon Bridge. I was very interested in Bailey Bridges in 21 Army Group some ten years ago. I have looked through what material I still have and conclude that:
It is not the Rhine.
It is in France. The adverts for Byrrh and St Raphael used to be found everywhere.
Almost certainly the Seine.
Probably Elbeuf. It does not match any of the other Seine bridges but the topography matches Elbeuf.

However 175 Bailey Bridges were built up to September, not many pontoon though.

Mike.

 

Field Manual 5-277 Bailey Bridge.

View attachment CH1.pdf



For those that know Stanford/West Tofts,Norfolk will remember the Bailey bridge there. On a quiet evening you can hear traffic ratting across it some distance away. I first used it in 1974 and then it was 'only temporary' ARRSE - army rumour service suggests it is till there!

 

Thanks Mike, that makes sense looking at the photo. Heres another i know not where
cheers
Les