Corinth Canal Bridge

The destruction of the Corinth Canal bridge during World War II remains shrouded in mystery, with conflicting reports about how it was ultimately brought down. This critical event, involving the New Zealand Engineers and Allied forces, has been recounted in various ways, each with its own intriguing perspective.

One account suggests that the explosion was triggered inadvertently by a stray round from a 40mm Bofors anti-aircraft gun. The round is said to have struck the charges, setting off the explosives and blowing out the center of the bridge.

A second version of events credits two British officers, who reportedly believed they detonated the charges by rifle fire. This account paints a picture of desperate improvisation during the chaos of battle, as the officers tried to ensure the bridge was destroyed to impede Axis advances.

Adding further complexity is the testimony of Gunner H. E. Smith, who provided his own version of the incident. Smith’s account differs from the others and offers a firsthand perspective that has fueled debate among historians.
We were hardly across the bridge, travelling south, when the blitz started…. we jumped the transport and I made for a clump of rocks. I was still hugging a bren and some ammo picked up the night before. It was here that I first met the two engineers. One remarked that if Jerry hit the bridge she'd go sky high as it was loaded to the gills with TNT. The longer the raid continued the more they remarked on it not getting hit. They couldn't understand it…. I looked up and saw the Parachutists dropping. We jumped up, and being firmly convinced that the parachutists wouldn't take prisoners we decided to sell out as dear as possible. I made for a mound, followed by the two sappers and it was then we saw the bridge still intact. One sapper said to the other, “They're after that bridge Boss” (It was either Boss or Bossie)…. It was here that the idea came to blow the bridge. There was a hurried huddle to see whether the three of us went or one or two. It was decided on two and I'd cover with the bren as the Huns were well on the ground and making things hot. From where I was I could give complete cover as the bridge was plain ahead. The next second the boys were gone and so long as I could I kept them in my sight, but believe me, trying to keep up with the Huns didn't leave much time.

‘Quite a fair bunch of Huns were coming in from the northern end and soon apparently guessed what was going on and endeavoured to stop them. Just short of the bridge, one of the boys fell. The other made the bridge for sure as he came right in sight. For a moment I thought he'd been hit as he seemed to fall but the next I saw he was coming back. He looked to have cleared the bridge when it seemed to heave and the next moment she was sky high. Considering the sapper's position it doesn't surprise me to hear there's no trace of his or the other sapper's body as by the blast and the rock that came over they must have been blown to pieces.

Given the conflicting information available can anyone shed further light on who was responsible for blowing the bridge.

 

Here’s all the info I could find, some official documents (Admiralty War Diaries), historical documents, and a few newspaper articles

I’m not sure if these will help your research

Source: Fold3.com

 

This is from Golla's The German Fallschirmtruppe 1936-41 p.382. Specific to your question in red.

 

It’s honestly quite disappointing to read this and see no mention of New Zealand involvement in the destruction of the bridge. From what I understand, a New Zealand Field Company of Engineers was operating in the area at the time, yet there’s no acknowledgment of their role—or even a discussion about whether they were responsible.

That’s not to take anything away from the two English officers mentioned—they clearly played an important role—but it feels like a significant omission if New Zealand engineers were also involved, especially given how often they were tasked with demolition work.

War diaries and unit records would be a great help in clearing this up. If anyone has access to those or can point to sources that confirm exactly who carried out the demolition, it would really help build a more complete and accurate picture of what happened.

 

Maybe the official NZ history of the campaign in Greece can assist with your question about what actually happened that day to make the charges go off Kiwi Sapper, though it is far from defintive in the actual reason for the explosion as it goes through several alternatives itself!

https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/...toria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Gree-c19.html

There is also a passage in the official history of the NZ Enginers in the Middle East (also part of of the overall series of the Official NZ WW2 History books) from page 116 onwards about the Corinth canal bridge:

https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/...ctoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Engr-c4.html

6 Field Company RNZE were responsible for wiring the bridge for demolition so there is definitely a Kiwi connection there!

 

Thank very much. I was aware of the last reference. Feel this needs further enquiries

 

Playtime,

This 2026 thread may help: 26 NZ Battalion - blocking position at Solomos, Peloponnese 26 April 1941