RU BATTLE NUMBER 73 le of Britain International Ltd Church House, Church Street, London E15 20, England ‘Telephone: (020) 8534 8833 Fax: (020) 8555 756; small: [email protected] Web site: inttp://wrwatterthebattle.memail.com Printed in Great Britain by ‘afford Print Colour Ltd. ‘Shaw Wood Way, Doncaster DN2 STB, (© Copyigh {oth of Fobrury, May, August and November a ace torte eS aon {Used States Bistnbutlon sod Sabucptone Beings Bor ice Ganndon Daan ora Subscoers: CONTENTS READERS’ INVESTIGATION ‘With the Company Commander 1 IT HAPPENED HERE Clearing the Rhine " PRESERVATION ‘Jersey Coastal Artillery Gun Recovery 34 PERSONALITY “The Soviet Union’sFighter Ace 41 UNITED KINGDOM US Army Airstrip in Britain, 1942-1945, 44 Front Cover: With the Company Com: ‘andlor The late Charles 8. MacDonal holds forth in. the. Krinkelter Wala where he fought a desperate rearguard InDecamber 1944, (Patrick Hargreaves) Contre Pages: The erumbling brickwork Of the railway bridge across the Rhine at Wesel" destroyed. in. 1945 and fever rebuilt. (Karel Margry) Back Cover: Forty-six years after it first iow ‘isison missions. for the. Ninth ‘Army in Britain, Ken Wakefield pilots hig Piper Cub back to the very sports field from whieh it hist oporaigd In 1844. (Doug Dyson) ‘Acknowledgements: The Editor is indeb ‘ted tothe fate Charles B, MacDonald for fextracts from his 1947 book, Company Commander Photo Credits: [WM — Imperial War Musour: ISSN: 0306-154x. re cLassic $516) compar ACCOUNT COND WAR I HARLES B. MACDONA\ YC ECIALLY ILLUSTRATED EDITION At 11.15 a.m. on the morning of October 3, 1944, Charles B. MacDonald entered Germany. He was twenty-one years old, and a captain in the US. ‘Army. He was in command of Company I, 23rd Infantry, 2nd Division, with orders to occupy positions in the Siegfried Line at a point where the Allied umn of that year had made its deepest penetration of the the line, but this article was never to be published. It was lost when was hit by the massive December. It es was £0 20 0 ic: Company Commander published in 1947 which, through consecutive editions, is still in print After the war, with the US Army's Center of Military Histo Charles World War II. He was also the author of several volumes in the series, whuding The Siegfried Line Campaign and The Last Offensive. In retirement from the Army, Charles embarked upon research for what has i Hitler's last gamble in the Ardennes: The Bartle of the Bulge, published in 1984. During five eh, Charles made five lengthy trips to the Ardennes, during ne he revisited the sites of his own comba experiences, Patrick Hargreaves was with him on some of these ¥ gained a {elling insight into those experiences from a remarkable man. Charles B. MacDonald died in December 1990.WITH THE COMPANY COMMANDER Company 1, 23rd Infantry, took over defen postions on the Stead Line jst {naide the’ German border on Wednesday, ‘Getober 3, 1944 The company command Captain Charles MacDuonsld as takes formar by gies from the company he was torelcve. The route forward to the postions Under observation by. the. Germans MacDonald in Rima insite po Pesto his fir combat essignment at point Shere the Ae ine projected deepest Enemy territory “The defensive ponions which Company 1 was taking over fom the 2th Division were enetres south of Saint-Vith, Be near the vilage of Growhampkenber Charles anxiously waited Yor hs platoons to tae neo ho thy wee cng ihe briefed him om their dispositions The Pata. lon Would be deployed the shape of fant horseshoe, ih Company" inthe entre of the ae. The brehing by the Hcutenant didn't exaety inspire Charles with confide cen thee ice dye No eounter-aiacks or patrols hit thon yet K-Company tothe right got the ving inci Knocked out of them wo ahs ago Swarm of Reautinfanty along witha fae towing haléirack "Caught men ina pillbox’ Stampeded the company. His ‘wn eight platoon started to fall bac, ill he Stopped it Bespite the chilling tale of the lame towing. halftrack, “Charles. desided to stand he fee hich he Sh nee Secupy a pitiooraross the tel tis rea, The farmhouse was under direc enemy servation trom the hls opposite, behind Untold 2 mie aay, OF th platoons the Sedvom the right win’ most exposed They cou no ase thelr heads rom the foxhole ithe day without drawing enemy fie Thus the changeover was taking place at sieht "the interior of the bunker — their new hme — was seem fet square and eight Feet high, "The air, cold damp and stake Smeled of dried sweat Inthe early hours of October 4. "the 28th Divison lieutenant asked Chaties to confiry to hi commander that the changeover had been accomplished fad thatthe 2rd Infantry, 2nd Division, was mow in place By Patrick Hargreaves He seemed overjoyed at the prospect of Aeaving and T wondered someay Pout the tax apps to leave this area And how lon would tat someday be? There was mayer. The letenant was gone. Fas om ‘Above: The farmhouse near Grosskampkenberg (see map overleaf) taken over by Company | on October 4, 1944. It was exposed to enemy positions and Charles ‘MacDonald, the new company commander, decided to vacate iin favour of pillbox situated a fow yards to fs rear. This picture was taken by Patrick Hargeaves, #8 MacDonald beside the overgrown entrance. from the site of the pillbox. Top: Char His 2nd Platoon was positioned in the dip behind knoll on the right In the mice distance, "198 ‘with the 3rd Platoon on thePanorama of the landscape near Grosskampkenber from German positions on the high ground near Kesield. The The, worst fears triggered by, the lew tenant’ briefing were heightened that ‘rst night. A cal came from the 2nd platoon TEchnical Seracamt Rupert L. Middlebrook Said that hoe was some sort of tracked ‘chile out ron and was headed thet ‘ways A call othe supporting atin, then soning wait unl the rounds sccamed ‘verhead, then reassurance for MacDonald Sethe round fll somewhere near the vouree ‘oF the mise. Middlebrook reported that "The tension for that small group in the pillox'CP showed no sign-of diminishing Eling the stsequent cays: There. were further adventures forward. hy the: enemy tracked vehicles. There were exchanges of Smal arms fire, incoming enemy. artilery Fire, and Tong. ing nigh of awaiting the Unknown. With the rng of the ‘phone th the pallor on Sunday, October, Charles was Eoneinced thet i would ea message with frders fo attack the enemy-held Hge 10 thelr fron. They had afterall been tthe Psions for amon week The call urned Ero be routine chur services were to be held in Grosskampkenberg. However, there tas fo praca way in hich Company T Sou send shatters that night hy Bre fom tank oF SP in irected atthe pillbox and farm, The ompang's mort squad was Nt as Was a Stim ant-tank gun from the attached AT platoon. The nextday aley tire from & tery large cltre gun some distance hind enemy lines fell ia the. company” area. Tension was notched up even higher that hight when, at 3am, an enemy counter: atack fell on the let flank of the company. and the right of Company L. The defences hela, ind the foree, om the German 91st Infantry. Division, was driven back. They came again the next night "Then, a the end of the ninth day inthe positions, there was a call from Lieutenant Colonel Paul 'V." Tutte, the Sed Battalion ‘sommander. For Charles it was good news wanted ta jump ana kick and seream th joy."Tenrs came to my eyes and 1 thought Wadd ehoke with happiness, My batalion rumers would arrive around rnidnight lead fing the men of Company Bs Company 1 thas to be reived. reason for the attention paid by the cenemy to Company T while oetupyin pillbox postions wis partly Because ths was tone ai the deepest penetrations of enemy {esrtory. In mieSeptember. 1044, the US ih Division, V. Corps under Lieutenant General Leonatd P. Gerow, had attacked near Kesfel-Utteeid, penetiated the Sig fried bine, and taken 4 numberof pilboxes The Germans countersattacked the ip of the enetration it this point, using fame , looking pillbox and farm occupied by Company 1 across the far side ‘Of the valley just above the roadside marker. throwing amour, The Americans regained north, near Aachen. The region here on the {ervitory resulting from this action, but Belgan-German border over which the Sie ‘change in the overall Allied strategy meant ried Line defences meander hus few g000 that this area became defensive in nature ronds, and is rugged county Here: the ‘Attacks continued by Aled units further vanes more of less halted forthe winter : eo ¥ vurrers.o|Nine days after they had entered the frontline, Company | was moved a ri or 30 to the north. The company ‘command post was located near fieck- hhuscheid in the white house on the right, ‘with access vias ladder to the upper ‘Storey rear window. Company 1, 25 Infantry, was 0 the ‘over much more tenable defensive positions ata town called Heckhuscheid on» ndge ‘he penons were taken over from Com pany C. The command post wasn't house bout halt a mie north ofthe town. Access was ladder to second Noor rea indo ‘The from door faced cast aero the valey tovar he Grogan eth ofthe Sg Line and the enemy. A highway pas the house was under enemy observation i the daytime “Through the mid-October days the ‘weather worsened, but Company Thala ess ficult time than whe sitions. "There as som Jind momar fire sme of it concen the farmhouse CP. There was some light enemy patrolling to their font ‘The defensive positions behind Heckhuscheld being inspected by Charles during his visit in 1983. The houses of the village ‘occupied by the tst Platoon can be seen on the ridge in the After a few days in the new positions, Colonel Tut called together the company commands ofthe 3rd Battalion fo te tery {ha the unis were to dig infor the winter ‘Those uit stil occupying plores were fo withdraw from the Slesfied Line dofencs, and these were then tbe blown up. Com any I was to pull back from the expowed Bitop postions Substandl dugout were to this sector ofthe Ali further the time boing Left: The dugouts we iusteated in substantial structures like this one ‘2nd Division history. Aight: Sergeant Hubert bye constructed on the reverse slopes of the hi Teavng outposts on the viges As far as Tront was concerned, it thus appeared that rough the ru ‘Ardennes was to be cuted = ach rffe squad, the machine gun section, cach mortar squad, and ‘each section oft distance. When ordered to withdraw from the exposed hilltop position, the "winter" dugouts Wore constructed in the woods ih ‘the valley on the right. tmachne gun platoon of Company M, 23rd Infant Shad? substantial dugout con Seco from frees, These mee ited ut Ware made ty ureshing potato sacks timber frames: ha Th he men supplemented these with tah, table Covers its ond Ses Jam the fioutes teat Platoon’ aren and Hechhwschied. The low hee dense Teast Yor Bankston of the 23rd Infantry pictured on October 17 in his de luxe foxhole on the reverse slope at Heckhusched.he 3rd Platoon and the company kitchen were located in the wood to the left, with he 2nd Platoon and company CP in the one on the fight. Charles was here from mid Jetaber to mid-December 1344, and it was during this time that he began writing sompany Commander, For the company there asa week of est fomin the dvom ox arena ‘Belgium thee pace In the ne being temporary selived by Company "rom the regiment. On thet tetra, thet® Tile to report other than sporadic ny. selling. Capesin MacDonald wae easingy required t0 send. out paras, ometimes in search of information which, fl could eany be obtained by dalight servation. Long nights of anxious waitin the company CP dugout for the return hese patos Kt Chats fecling that they vere achieving litle more than providing & neat typewriten report t0 go on to the next Faner hesdguartet ieee me waren n au tank of Major or above wanted to inspect the He finaly protested at the visits, and cventully they stopped A shattered German helmet with a bullet hhole just above the rim at the rear and the remains of potato-masher” grenade ound still lying an the surface in the 2nd Platoon ates.BELGIUM ! GERMANY, By carly December there were rumours That was all information available, ex- slight bend there, Montgomery pointed to 8 tha the’ division was to pull-out of the cept that they were nor to pariipte fo the map, Chests hod we place a poor setae sulstantial defensive postions, and go into division's attacks. He dint know if te) the food as. tad Boek and one thee the attack, On the tenth, the aiiva Of theit Were to attack of defend inthe woods.” to platoors Wo the RBht ear oie an wah Feplacements substantiated the tumours. And s0 under overcast skies, darkeniig the Jide Company Kat cbresk The company, with the rest of 2nd Dwvision, withthe onset of dank, Chaniesjumped dows "Soon after te men had pasted the road let move north to the vicinty of Eben’ from the cab of hk two-andeahaleton truck junction. an artis hare bom, Belgium, to launch an attack on the atthe road junction at the edge ofthe wonds. fear Charles hued, mote Roer river dams. Captain MacDonalds mien He wat anvlous to have the company socom lowing shallow craw to ‘New amazed ai the “appearance of their Bleand meveteyond the erossroudeetorert the et Of the leas They feached point Teplacement,fesh front tne States: ‘es apa shelled. Captain Mores B. Monts where the tal tuned sharply to the lef and ‘And horror of horrors, they were wearing gomery. the atialion operations offer, then again We ght Ties MiscDon) neckties! Shades of General Paton! The date Sireced him, without breaking sep, WOuke Uected Me Tat Patcer, commanded by Ist tus five days before December itsh, 1644. the company down the road tothe et ‘They Licutenant Long H. Goffgon, to exsbleh The foci, was near St Vth, Beli, on were carting blake eols themes of ti Toad bck, Lieutensn Bros 2nd the southern alf ofthe First Army front‘The ations, and packs, and wre togodown the Patoon was to te in with Lang’ eh anh relieving unt was the 106th bfontry Division. tal for six hundred yards to the east Ata in the woods beyond. and Paral to the This vision was to go down history ne of the hardest hi American unite of Word war IL1A lage German fre way ‘within days, destined to roll through the sitions so recently vacated by Company Sa infantry, 2nd Divison ” Thelome convoy of tracks poled hal onthe highway ata road uncon on te ee Of the fr fore. 1 cond see ihe high ending tothe left through. the woods toward the eas where my: map showed ft truered the Siegfried. Line ita point ile find half distant. The toad wo the right am Sow along the edge of the woods buck towards Biltingen, The ow artnd the Youd Junction had ‘Been Ghurned ino a yelowish Imistre of snow and ti from recent heayy telling 1 tried to ignore the ensentss hae a hat of scream sll migh descend upon was Saturday, December 16. Company T had been im an assembly area near Elsen born, expecting 10, be commited. at any momen othe tack thatthe other units of on were making on the stronghold schied. Instead, Captain Mac Donald was called to battalion HQ. There way an air of seriousness as Colonel Tutte Pointed to a map. There had been a “Kraut Penetration inthe 9th Division setior neat 4 Stall town called Rocherath. = They were junction atthe edge ofthe woods, with Charles pointing up the road leading to move as soon as possible t6 a forward to the east This was the route taken by Company | on December 16 in'an sttompt te assembly area in the woods cer a road alta surprise Gorman attack, am attack Which the opening gambit junction about a'mile beyond the town’ in Hitler's massive last-alten ofanPosition of the roadblock, looking east. The Ist Platoon Thetrallis top right, Charles is inspecting foxholes occupied by positions were to the left of the old trail (now a tarmac road). Company 's machine guns from the weapons platoon. trail, The 3ed Platoon under Lieutenant Wikon was tobe om Brock’s right again ‘beyond the highway. ia turn fying ia ith Company K. ‘A'platoon of heavy machine guns from ‘Company Mt. the weapons. company of the Sra Battalion, were divided between the Ist land 3rd platoons of Company 1 To protect the flanks. Company T's own Neapons pl {con placed thet light guns ia the shallow ‘ras fo the ll ofthe trl athe bend on Ist Piitoon’s left: she mortar section was posi: tigned along the side ofthe tal the only spot ‘with overhead elearance to fire “The company CP was positioned afew yards to the rear of the dave Behind Ist Platoon and to the lft ofthe tral: 1rd ‘Savage Te company. communi cations sergeant] 19 eg lasing telephone tite to the platoons. Tid not believe thet Colonel Tut woul atack until dawn, and Wwe would need communications durtg the : ight Z = ‘As the sna CP proup hacked away atthe {rozen ground in an etfort to digit trenches, the battalion runners arrived. The colonel ‘wanted to sce Charles, with a map. “The colonel’ foxhole wasn sguceze with The bend in the trall through the woods. The firebreak marks the division between the three men inside, I'was underneath the low, platoons, with the 2nd to the left and the 3rd on the right. ‘overhanging firs, just beyond the fiebreak ‘which separated Companies Tand KA tent attack and relieve the cutoff battalion ... back othe colonel... they were to hold the ‘was thrown over the entrance to mask out Colonel Tuttle had managed to pt otf the postions th ing ths sight The potion ws thi attack until morning. Irwould allow precious At Rej coming apparent battalion of he US 333rd Infantry time to consolidate the. present pentions, — thatthe German attack was ona arge sca Regina, ith Divison, had been Scene. a prepare {oo large Tora battalion sized count ing'a ridge to the east. they had been "Charles crawled back into his ownsodden to be succesful. The mission Became "HOld attacked early that morning a superior lit trench and, one by one, briefed ‘enemy force hal knocked them off position platoon leaders by the light of match. As “They wete partially surrounded but stil was talking to the last of them, a all came iiphting | "somewhere out there to the from the battalion commander they were to {font of the positions. The orders." ."To digin where they were "he was 0 report at the crossroads. Seven had been and twenty wounded 2 tree stump with signal wire still With the tral running right to loft in the background, Charles Sergeant Savage ran out telephone enters the pine forest to search forthe location of his command ‘ist Platoon to the left of the tral, 2nd post which he occupied on the night of Saturday, December 16, foes, ‘round he ‘able to the platoon ‘ind Sed to the right, 6hopeless” A'message was semt for chem to small group of assorted personnel, nade the wooded ride to the front of bd ond rd day. ’ “ Mone! os a ea te a ah ee Dees on oe ‘Over the wite 10'the Ch, the platoon See a pea pers as assembled infantry and tanks had appeared on the ridge 10 Company Ts left font. Six undef artillery fire mere directed 3 them tnd they dispersed "The enemy in front of 2nd and Sed Platoons mesnuiile regrouped in the daw tonattack aus. Agsin and again the¥ pushed forward, tegardles of the growing number oftheir deal and wounded in Company Ts Field ‘of fie. eal fom the Ond Platoon feported the first soldier Killed. AMI the platoons were by now eguing for more Senmartion, Al hatalion yin re mse was tha it wos doing ie beet. It ha froved ts CP meanwhile further to the rear ‘Seven times the enemy asaulted the thin line of fouholes held by Company I. Each time they were repelled. Germans. wer feng ied only ten yards in fro of the company’s riflemen BY halt past three that Sunday afternoon the machine-gunners. protecting. the. cor pnys lft flank were al but out of amen fon Lieutenant Goifigon came over the ‘Phone. He could sce enemy tanks. Five ners were 500 yards away, lumbering Up the trail rom the east. MacDonalds 0 trove closing fast. He had to get thone Shermans. tno action ‘The riflemen ouldn't possibly fight Tiger tanks ist platoon Had only three rounds of bazooka Emmanition Unies the Shermans cou ‘Soph, three rockets were al that ‘wat between Company fand Kingdom Come Bad news over the radio Tne're gone, Cap'n. They pulled back 10 K Compas fen inves ao. ‘Almost immediately the top of a fr tree above the CP was snapped by 88m fire. The tanks were only'75 yas from Ist Plaioon, pumping direc fire into the foxholes with {rmpunits. MacDonald called battalion je don't ger the sanks, we can hold noter five minus. ‘Then © Long. Hold Tome! For Gorse we've gor fo hold! TH mast have scemed hopeless, The sound of battle reached ale Setore thought posible. From the CP he ould sce a gaggle of men walking dowa the ‘raw between him and the Wai, They were Theaded tate rear twas the fet nk of Sr Platoon. He could not stop them T rapidly became apparent thatthe situ tion ws imposible "0 hold". call to Brock to pull back 2nd. Plaoon to the firebreak af the ft ear, and to Se Garda a Sel Platoon. The platoon ‘Sommander was seriously wounded {Charles stands in the former 3rd Platoon positions as seen from the German side Lieutenant Wilson was badly wounded here.‘The firebreak (looking east) whore the attempt was made to hold the line. Charles stands where Pre Richard Cowan set up. his machine gun in en action which subsequently led to the The CP group had barely reached the firebfeak. where) MacDonald hoped they ould ho when the enemy wa pon then ‘gain, PEC Richard Cowan set up Ight ‘chine gun only five feet from the foxhole ‘which Chaes had found. Direct fie from the Tigers in response broke the tre tops ‘overhead. He ducked,” caugh tneven ‘crossfire. Then, om ‘again, he dieovered that the others fallen back “Tie remnants of the litle CP_groy stumbted ck through the firs towards the rad junction atthe edge of the fore. Fire Snapped all asound them. Tt seemed impor Sible ot to be hit. Overwhelming Donalds thoughts was the feeling had filed to carryout the onder, company had not held the positions. He ced upom the Company K sommander, Captain Howard C- Wion, and passed hin {he stark news that there wi fet tank now. Wilson's m falling back under the tank fie ‘Wilson made a decision. They were to all buck nto the villages of Krikel Rocherath Battalion was informed, They slipped and slithered 10 the edge of the woods and the exposed open hillade inthe FRovherath came into view. Wilson d to hold up in the thicket just north of the Foaaljanetion and on the edge of the Wood Charles Macbonald and the few men with him decided 10 say withthe Company K {roup. He had no idea where the rest of bis ‘wn company "were. The Germans were already atthe point where the trail emerged irom the woods, surrounding two knocked ‘out Shermans, These were the tanks which formerly heen at Company I's positions. they had stood against the Tigers in ‘allant, one-sided fightin which the officer in charge was killed. award of the Medal of Honor. Another Medal of Honor went to Sergeant Jose Lopez who, single-handed, held off ropeated attacks on Gompany Ks flank MEDAL OF HONOR, RICHARD ELLER COWAN Rank and organisation: Private First Class, Company M, 23rd Infantry, 2nd Infantry Division Place and Date: Near Krinkelter Wald, Belgium, 17 December 1944. Entered service at: Wichita, Kansas Birth: Lincoln, Nebraska G.0. No: 48,23 June 1945. CITATION He was a heasy machine gunner ina section auached to Company In the vicinity of Krinkelter Wald, Belgom, 7 December 1944 when that company Was atacked by a numerically superior force of German ifanry and tanks The frat six waves of hostile ifaniymen were nepuked with hey casualties, but seventh drive with unks kil or wounded all but three of his section leaving Private Cowan oman his gun, supported by only 15 to 20 riflemen of Company I He maintained his postion, holding off the Germans uni the rest of the shattered force had set up a new line along a firebreak. Then, unaided, Ire moved his machine gun and ammunition to the second positon. At the ‘approach of a Royal Tiger tank, he held. his fire unl about 8O enemy inintrymen supporting the nk appeared ata distance of about 80 yards: His fis birrtilel or watnded about halfof hese nfonynen His podiion was rock by an 88nun sll when the tank opened fr, but he continued fo man Is un, pouring deadly fire ino the Germans when they again advanced. te Wwas barely mised by another shell. Fire rom three machine guns and dnnuemerable smal arms struck all about ho; an enemy rocket shook him bray but did no drive ins rom hs gun, infiltration bythe enemy had by dis time’ made the position mitonale, and the order vis given to withdraw Private Cowan was the fst man to leave, voluntarily covering the withdrawal of his remaining comrades. Hts here actions were enirely responsible for Attowing the remaining men to rere sucessful from the seen of ther le dite standcone. : Rn Le eli erat Left: Charles A Company M machine-punner, PFC Jose M. Lopet of Brownsville, fexas, opencd up vw hs °SI calibre machine ga om he erm tr a they erga te ad junction om the edge ofthe ods. As vith Cowan before bir, hs efforts dew diet fe fom the Tge’ is Ove ihe none ot the hewy gun, Charles could heur Captay Wilson diteeting his men to" reli into Rocherath- MacDonald took his chance to emerge from cover between the Germans nd Lope, and again sithesed and aide sow, Bullets Kicking around him, He could bot sce the town inthe mint an darkness He srugsted on up the open hile Tet lke ‘we wore elles file bugs seurying blindly about move thar some moniter had lifted the log wader which had been hing. Sten nthe mia here was a sal up of Gls dasing in along 9 hedgerow Geo them, face covered in Beard dit ‘ented unt the 2nd Divison th Infantry He was not pleated with his lot. Not only had they heen attacking for fve days, presumably at Wahlercheis but they then’ had’ to turn found and take up Someone else's defense. fis analysis wat cleany that the 23rd Infantry had Been too esnily knocked of position. However he did Know ‘ofthe whereabouts of the hittstion emma, pont. Some Oth Infant officers told Chanés where he could fd is Own battalion CP: in farmhouse beside the highway betveen the Woods snd Rocherath mines the west side of the frebreak in the region of tho battalion CP. Aight: This overgrown foxhole still, contained coll of sig na stone barn was Colonel Tut Nice work Mac MacDonald was stunned. He could not control his emotion at what the colonel as Saving. This was no foe counterattack, it {ured out. The enemy had broken through, find to the south had taken a numberof towns. The 2nd Division quartermaster and Kitchens, and lot of rear echelon troops ha been captured, The rest of the division had ‘wire confirmed the location of Pihecr PY" {0 abandon the attack at Wablerscheid. The ‘td Battalion, of which Charles’ Company 1 was part, had, according to Tutte, Nel in the woods long enough forthe two other 2nd Division regiments, the 9th, and the 38th Tafantry, to withdraw past the vital. eross roads between Krinkele-Rocherath and the ‘woods Trmean you did a good job, Mac. He had not failed feral ‘The thicket just north of the road junction on the edge of the woods near Rocherath, This is where the com ny command to-escape across the fi 3, with some men from Company K, managed ids to the left on the 17th.‘This is the barn where Charl by a tank from the 12, SS-Panzer e's recont addition. Inside the harm. were six others from Company I. According to Tepors, 3 It of the” company's men got into. Krink. Rochrath,t0 continue the fight there. The new orders were 1 join up with Company L fad gig in on the flank of the th Inn. But fs, as cold and wet as he was, Charles Spread out some hay a the end ofthe barn, thd immedintely fll into sleep of utter exhaustion: Wake up, Cap'n! Wake up! The somofe bcs hae hit gun Tera over she ‘oddarnned pace? Tracer flashed past the barn, The others had gone, Tt was Gark, he didn't know who ws shaking hm, He could se a tank fn Poin-blank into the bar. The hay, his bet faa on fre. Leaving his carbine, He Was up sd running ‘The mish was alive with more noise and flaie tht I thought was possible for men freate. Here. was'a.‘movie war Here was Arpugelon Dut inthe dark, open feds, crisscrossed by acer fe, he came actos to men om {he company. They thought tha everyone had got out excep fortworn the font part of the barn. Folowing the relative cover of 8 hredgerow, they came aeros some men from She in nity. These men had do Where they were but they were digging in ‘Their officer didnt even know the way 10 Rocherth, but he di know tht there was battalion command post ata. farm ‘at Srossroads to" the_horthewest the ‘one through which the rest of the division had pastel cari. It turned ‘out that heade Suarters of the ed Battalion, 230d Inenty. tras also at this farm Colonel Tuttle wast the cela Itwas midnight Sunday, Deven ben The noise of battle could be heat all the rest of that ight. News came in from the fdjoining CP that the company of the 9th ‘tte farm Charles ha fet earer bd been eran company commander hha actually called for supporting artilery fire tobe deste on his owt positon, try {odhodge the stacker Only tree men of the company got out. "McDonald set out at seven o'lock the next morning in anetfort toate other mien Pte ato proved npc) ‘move say even Irom the srea immeditaly found the crosroads. He returned {0 the farm, and. was stuck in the defensive pee meter stound it as the fighting continued there all day. His thoughts again returned 10 {he men ofthe company. He wondered what had" happened to. his. communications sergeant Raymond Savage. last seen atthe Tirebreak inthe woods Sunday night before being ben troy Suacty nto the bung The geage A small group of Company L men were gathered and an Sean the ih Middlebrook, returned it three o'clock for ‘more men, having been tangled in a fietight Before they reached the designated area, ‘There were no more: men available ind, anyway almost immediately. machine un Fire broke out the near vicinity of the frm, ‘The Germans were now closing in down the lndefended Wahlerscheid road. New orders Were cul. They would withdraw again, this time tothe southwest andthe vicinity Of the Sal town of Wirt ‘Charles MacDonald and the small group from Company I spent the night of Monday row what was doing ‘the way in 1980. | was doin know @ couple of Britishers ‘the Malmedy” argal. The mothe nowedgenble. W's funny. Thi ucafes thet ore momentous event of our iv December 18 illeted with the headquarters up of 2nd Battalion, AC IT am. the {ollowine morning the ‘colonel instracted MacDonald to asemble the remaining men in reparation to move fo Ekcnbom inorder tpdigin a second ine of enc, shoul the jrmans manage to breakthrough again ‘They gathered to wait forthe transport that ‘was to te them: T saw the tuck come round a bend in the Amuady sect. Thee were bullet hoes inthe Sate iy minh ad Foun See the driver unt he puied up lonaside ‘here was mo miuaking he slow grin and the ranting, surprised Plo, Capra No one ‘ter promouced te vo sabes of te word ‘apian” gute like that ‘vas Sergeant Raymond Savaze Atte time, Chares MacDonald didnot ow that the events of thore few days in December 1544 were the opening blows in what became famous a0 the Batle of the Bilge what he and his men sinpected a Ine counter atack had turned ot foe the Both the 2nd and the 9th Divisions played érucial part in blunting the strongest thrust the Ist $8 Paz Dwsion, were iii ete seater ae forced Yo turn farther south, “Gn-January 15, 183, Company 1 under the ‘command of Captain" Chatles MacDonald, went into the attack unher South at Weismes, Bela. I Was the lied push to sloe the “Bulge” and reduce the Enemy gain Dering ths attack inthe pine Moods ‘atthe Ondemal eldingen fas MacDonald was wounded. He nos vac died, and wat never to return to Company Hedi however. fight gain wth the rege meat unt the campaign in Europe ended Burthacs another par of his story. aye nee by a it was very eerie ‘till totally area between Belgium and Germany, and there ‘was a Belgian customs official on a bike speaking to me in German, He fown there. That encounter, plus seeing the area where | was Imy company had gotten hell knocked out off just made me feel eerie. didn't {90 all the way. | turned around and went back. Now that we have reached an re retired and have enough money to go back, finally went alot Tesearch for my book and. arck Hargreaves, an Wil ime I felt much better ust having someone with me. ‘amazing experience to go back to your own foxhole. You remember things, ed. but it was once part of your life ‘something that has stuck with us for ail time. ted to by tis tie had came Belgian ‘and he. was thoroughly the mostTraversing six countries, the Rhine is __ By April 1945 the Allies had breached the useless a6 a waterway with demolished road Europe's most important river and the main river in score of places (ace Afer the Battle and ral’ bridges effectively blocking the artery of the waterborne transportation js" No. 16) using flosting tactical Bridges, the Rhine to all rer trafic ‘The clearance job tem of Germany and Holland. The river has Geimans having demolished spans of every was given high priority as it was exon (0 4 total length’ of over 80) miles (1300 bridge inthe path of the Allied armies be able to get coal and other commodities Kutometres) with an average width in Ger. (except the Luvendonf railway bridge at out ofthe Kuhe before the winter freeze-up many of 2010 500 metres, narrowing 0 120 Regen which stood vrimally intact for ten Rowal'Engincers Pore Constuction ints metres atthe fabled Loysle rock Between days after is capture before collapsed). were therefore given the task of searing a Mainz and Koblenz. Within Germany the Although the tactical bridges, were navigable channel as quickly as possible from, Fiver wat navigable for 443 mikes — from speedily replaced ‘with highslevel, semi Koblene to the sea with the assistance of Rheinfelden on the Swiss frontier above permanent bridges, the river way in realty Dutch engineers Holland ane to the border with the Netherlands, ‘During the. Second World War, inland waters in Germany had been called upon Toreliove presse om the railway system and ‘many bull consignments were switched from ruil barge. With the occupation of France find the Law Countries, the German author ites could exert unified contol aver al the rivers and. canals in northwest Europe Supplementing their Carge leet with French, Belgian and Dutch erat. The Rhine inked in ‘wit all the main waterways ofthe occupied counties hecoming sn even more vital fer in the transportation of war materials Forty-it bridges crossed the ver in Ger many in 1935. The 31 road bridges. were monty very lage structures and of conser able variety. The oldest exiting bridge bat purely Tor toad wai, dated fom 188-85 Five- Were constructed in the yeurs imme: diately prion to. 1959, and three: were buat ‘daring the war. The ionpest bridge was the Hermann Goring at ‘Neuwied™ withthe second longest being the Adolf Hitler at Rreield-Uerdingen: ‘Of the raway ridges between the Swiss and Dutch frontier, these varied from single twack structures in the upper course, where Tallway taffic was less infens, tothe great 9 Disseldorf. (Bridge No. 14 in this survey.) It would have Hohenvoliern bridge which carfied four ral become as famous asthe bridge at Remagen had itbeen captured intact for American Way tacks. hesides a tramway and road tankers actually reached the western end before it war blown in thelr faces. It The navigation authorities forthe Rhine laid gompletely blocked the Rhine and its clearance was entrusted te Royal Engineers Port slow that the naigation span of the bridges Construction and Repair troops. Within three months of the German surrender, 2 ‘vas to be 492tt to 62st, according to the navigable channel had. been” cleared ‘through the debris, and work had been ange between the bridge andthe (airway. completed by the end of September 1945,ROAD BRIDGES OVER THE RHINE IN GERMANY AS AT 1945 mm te teph, Wilh ot ‘onstruction estroves Locato Date Beil pk. wht Construct Destroyed Swrassburg-Kehl so 1,070" 27 span bridge, some 700 A. upstream 1945 ai from the old bridge. Wie span east side Strassburg-Kehl 1995.97 ws 2 4am latie girder bridge 1940, 1944 Maxau-Karlsruhe 1935.38 1,000" 26 2apanlatice side ridge. Rodandrail_— 1985 road and rail bridge idges separate supersiructures on common plr east of centre of rer. ever 1935.36 1887 20° 2 main steel atic girder spans; 7 flood 1945 road ont dos spans, Road and ral bridge seperate patil structures, common senial per. Mannheim dwinsnen 18, 1.240 Nand Rapa el ating ride, Road 188 ond and ral bridge rebuilt S13. “yldges have seperate superstructure, Siroad from and are disc! from ral bridge to 283" “South wo common stone ner pes, ‘mall viaduct casos approaches ft each end. Worms 1897-1900 2441 21 Aver spans, steel arch deck type aver 1945, (Emnst Ludwig Bridge) 13 concrete and stone flood spans on ‘approaches. 2 towers at each end of bride. Germein 190 sto" apan ride, 2h ome pane in 185 ‘Cental portion has steel atice girder “pemtrture Mainz-Kastl 188185, widened 1,600" —«-35-—=—S.spam sec arch (doublehing) deck 1945 sits tridae Koblenz Erected as salwoy 1,000" «39—_—Sspan ridges double-hinged stel arches 1945 (Pattendort Bridge) "bridge I8AD-6 Pefeith fie girders. Roadway rebulit for oad Superimposed on these 193835 Neunied 193435 3.265 28 Two spans over river, one over istand in 1945 (Hermann Goring Bridge) between, and one over railway on south thnks Iron and stellate ender bridge Bonn-Beue 1896.98, 2818 23 span iron and steel bridge. One steel 1945 sath through gpon, and te sel ach decked spans Three fond spans on west rank and seven on ean bank Koin-Rodenkirchen 183 2.400 2% 24 Span suspension bridge, parallel lace 1945 ‘autobahn bridge ZEEE sforged corse towers and ‘butments Koin-Devte sists, 1410 36 span iron and nickel steel suspension 1985 (Hindenburg Bridge) widened 1950-40 ndge, 2 stone acces vind Kola 1908-10 1450" 40" 3.adjacent tom and steel structures on 1985 (Hohensoller Bridge) common pets 2 downstream as al oud and sal bridge ‘wth double tack: Upstream frou ‘ge, coring tram tralie The spans, bred Tate dara and te Fos ln Malheim 2729 2.30 3 span ion and nickel ste! suspension 1948, (Hinge Brig) Bridge, Eat bank ect approach, west thank lnriying, wath ior spans. Neus Hamm 2729 256) 62 Three central spans, cantilever cus type 1945, {mating curve of ok suspension bridge {Too reinforce sonnet ver pers Four ‘approach spams cach end Diisseldort-Oberkassl 1396-58 2211 658 —_Twomain through-arch spans on 1948 (Shagerrak Bridge) rebuilt 1925-26 roomy prs te rch with the rol). 3 western 1 eastern approach spans of scl arch eck pe Krefeld: eri 1933.36 290 a0 Steel suspension bride. 194s (Adolf Hitler Bete) Duisburg-Hochfeld, 193436 2.700" rom and ste paral latice bridge. 1948, (Admiral Gra Spee Bridge) Homberg-Rubrort svoe07 21085 38 Irom and tel palel lati bridge, 1945 (Admiral Sehece Beds) Tmasonry abutments and piers ‘Wesel: Biderich iat 1700 —-25-—Aromand ste lattice girder bridge, 195 “Approximate ‘This table and that opposite have been compiled from informs- Admiralty in May 1945. Details have been checked against lon ‘published by the Naval Inteligence Division ‘of the German sources but data conflicts in some cases. 2“The blown bridges had all been of heavy stcel and conrete constuction and the Swit owing current of four to five knots prey ded" the we ot divers without sreens OF telferdams, Because ofthe obstructions, Sos imposible to move ‘heavy, floating, iting pear tothe sesso was dosed tot) 13 one teondrwae des bY wi tavaland RAF pater deptheharges wt Entuing charges for those" sections. above Sater’ Tests caried out at Spick and Wesel Jroved this method toe satsactory Treas decided fo clear a navigable channel és\inotes wide and four metres deep at Mean Low ‘Water and prea Tovls were {ctermined for each bridge Steeiwork above tern nto al pss wing pase Trplosve,gur-cotton and oxj-aceglene Okkes “inkse proses were allowed to fall Suto the ver bee. What then remained Underwater was tacked by depth-chares {oped no the Jt of embers eel Atay blasting & gap through the debris The postion of submerged obstacles was dete Mined by probing and by the wse of echo Sounders ‘After s resonable channel ad fem clear, thie was swept using a motor Roar ited with an adjustable Irame whieh Souldbe lowered to any requied depth Any pieces of sielwork encountcred Were again lasted with dope charges ie Royal Engineers feport o the opera tion stated that thee fough and Toad tetnods produced admirable results and it Was Gowwted if a navigable channel could fave been seared by any other mens the time availble. Considerable eatring of the fer bed was caused and mach steelwork no {foubt found its lst resting place in These froters Ar the channel wae made it enabled {outing cranes to: move about and. begin sous Searance. The: la sage of the Speraton mas to mark the channel dared Siti oy Port Construction units of the Royal Engineers were given the task of clearing the in'bea, which included the vital stretch through the ‘te war's end, by whieh time fo be given to fist clearing © (Germany wos fiver from Koblenz to the North. Industal Ruhr. n view of the amount of destruction ‘ridge had baen demolished, priority jae chanel The gvter dren of te gr poe Seirince two parte: trem Koblenz to Cologne under Lieutenant Colonel J. A. Sting, 7 i (the Rubr area) to Lieutenant-Colonel L. 5. G. Homewood, (The "Arnhem, Zaltoommel and ‘every singh ‘S5:metre-wide navi fand Nouss to Wes Butch section, which compriaed ridges at Nimege ‘Moordijk, was’ assigned to Lloutenant-Colonel D. H. May and Dutch engin [RAIL BRIDGES OVER THE RHINE IN GERMANY AS AT 1945 socation Pate Total No. °F Construction a Built length f_ tracks © Huningen-WeilNod 190505 ng Twoparale Huningen-WeilSid 1877 bridges steel spans ‘Neuenterg Sid 1507.08 1 Twoparallel ‘Neuenburg Nord 18167 1 bridge tee spans Breisach 1816-77 1 Steelspans ‘Strassburg-Kehl 18st 2 Steelspans Roppenhei 1895, 2 Steel spans Manau-Karleruhe 1538 2 Steel spans Germershein 1875-78 2 Steet spans Speyer 1938 {Steel spans Mannheim-Ludwigshafen 1932 2. Steelspans Worms 1898-1900, 2 Steel spans Mainz Sad 191012 2 Steel spans Mainz Nord 1904 2 Steel spans Rildesheim-Bingen 1913-15 2 Steel spans Koblenz-Horchheim 1876-79 2 Steel arch Urmite-Engers 191618 2 Steel bowsring Remagen (Ludendorff) 1916-18 2 Steelarches Koln (South Bridge) 1908-10 2 Steelarehes Koln (Hohewzollera) 1907-10 4 Steel arenes Daseldort News. ion 2 Steel arehes Direeldorf Neuss 1881, 1912 2 Steel arches Duisburg Hochfeld 1925-27 2 Steel spans Hochhalen i101 2 Steelspans Wesel Menzclen ims 2 Steel spans Tad rs) Destroyed 1939 1039 1939 1939 1939 1939, 1944 1939) 1945 1945 1945 oss, 1935 1935, 1945 1945 1985 1945 1945, 1985, 1945 1945 1985 135, 1985 1985, 1945 ROAD enioce =e sejepared superimposed drawings (looking from the southern 1. KOBLENZ-HORCHHEIM. The Royal Engine rik on the loft) to ilustrate the profile of each wrecked bridge. RAILWAY BRIDGE ide with thewestern Ths was hinged arch typeof bridge bul in IRI wan onertack supported On ih arches With tree ser pict Iwas 9 Coyolesck bridge 0 metres long th Sh overall with of 9.4 metres inding foomay of 13 metres. The total weight of {he stezivork wa DH tone, The be had teen debemtety.demoshed by" Blowing toh ares in mapa Clearance work began on June 23, 1945 using depi-charges and, itera mons Sor TS ne we Wes ehamnelto be cleared for barge tac yrange The fal navigable channel as ‘any ready by August 50 ch The railway bridge at Horchheim has today lost its castle-tke towers, but the repsir work to the blown arches, possibly ‘caused’ by earlier bombing, can stil be detected. A post-war ‘oad bridge now runs clove to its southern side. 2. KOBLENZ-PFAFFENDORF jin the western bank approach viaduct. The on July 4 and the 150-ton crane was moved to ROAD BRIDGE Euatageway, wae 1D metres wide with two the ste after it was no longer required at ire Plafendent road bridge was originally metre footpaths Horehheim. A channel for barges was cleared built om 186204 and Has later recon All tee span had been blown blocking by August i, the final depth and width being Rructed during the yeurs 103335. It wis'a theriver completely. Clearance work started obtained by September 1 two-pinned arch type of bridge (weight of SeeP'S"9p tons) with an ‘overtack sup" The Pfaffendorf bridge, demolished on March 7, 1945, had been replaced by a semi orisd'on thse arches with (wo river pie permanent Bailey constructed by French engineers some 20 metres upstream by July Mine abutments were masonry With fal abutments was begun In 1350. “ich 846. Anew concrete bridge spanning the oi3. URMITZ-ENGERS RAILWAY BRIDGE The Kronprinz: Wilh string, lattice arch Im Bricke, a bow. two 1attice-girder total length of S18 “trates supplies idge' during. the First World. Wat and in appearance to the bridge at Remagen. The double wack was supported on the boitom chord ofthe latice furs by te-ods trom the min arch ith {hee river piers and two sbtments with an duct on the east hank Of four ‘AS deri reconnaissance confirmed that so bridges remained intact over the Rhine in the US Third Agmy sector on March 7, the dih Aemored. Division halted. just under over of the reverse slope ofthe last high fsround short ofthe river at Urmita, Because the actual bridge was not visible but the suspicions ‘of the Americans, were aroused when they saw that Germans Were I) reveating. towards the bridge are Reports from civilians were contradictory, some saying the bridge had been destroyed find others that i had not. Combat Con ‘mand A made ready for an attack before ‘slight om the ti but then General Bradley bordered the Thitd Army to turn southward fseross the Moselle. Unaware that the bridge ‘was no longer in American objective, Get ‘man Pionierkommand Blew ft shortly after Aaybreak using a cuting charge a third ofthe ‘say along the main span and the three lace Spans wefe also dropped Royal Engineers Por Construction Units of 21 Army Group began clearance work on Slane 25 and a ctnnel was opened iy'September | Tn [osT, work began to build a new box der bridge which wis opened in 1984, Fisly sh single and later with «double track railway. However the twit-iowers at ch end were retained Bearing marked Similarity co these downstcam at Remagen trate German pioneers blew the railway bridge spanning the river between Urmitz, on the left or weston agers to th With its twin stone towers at either end and lattice arch, the bridge hed a marked similarity to the rail bridge at Remagen 30 kilometres downstream. We frst visited ‘the bridge back in the mid-1970s — hence our old LandRover on the approach road ‘which erosses the track on the western bank, Whereas most of the post-war bridges over the Rhine have employs more traditional matorials. It is also of considerable bbeen constructed. in ‘concrete, the Urmitz-Engers bridge historical interest as it came so close to being captured. 5YANN, My 4. NEUWIED “HERMANN GORING’ Originally opened in 1935 and named after the Reichsmarschall, by 1951 the Neuwied ROAD BRIDGE road ‘bridge had been reconstructed similar’ to. its original’ appearance. /e) The Hermann Goring Brucke, a through- Right: Fortuitously, our fre visit in 1975 coincided with the commencement of work type, continaous, Warten girder bridge ai on the construction of 2 Mik Ill Hermann Goring bridge alongside the ol Reuwied was constructed in 9338. Thad a total length of 995 metres and was sipported In the summer of 1945, American forces 1951, the Hermann Goring Bridge was re 0 thrce piers, two of which were built on constructed a semi-permanent bridge on the opened (although, not. with thet name) ‘Weissenthurmer Werth Island. It had been site which was destroyed by ice on February having been rebuilt to it orginal syle It destroyed by Allied bombing on January 16, 24, 1947. An emergency bridge Was con. 1974 plans were made for new silane 1948 and elearance work began on June 25, structed by raising parts of the original bridge'to replace the existing one ony By the Uridge inthe autumn’ of 1987, On Apal'3, autumn of [78 ‘5, LUDENDORFF RAILWAY BRIDGE, REMAGEN Consrution of the bridge was begun in log and it was designed with a central arch S15f wide, resting on twa stone pers jored to the river banks by two latiee box srder Sections each 278i long, the overall length being 1 0661, When completed in 1918, the bridge catered for twin railway tracks and foorpaths The Ludendorf bridge was captured inact fon March 7 by the US-3%h Armored Infantry Battalion and for’ tem days. the ‘Americans pushed men and mat to establish a bridgehead on the eastern bank. On Mateh 12 the bridge was closed for rs to the half-hearted German attempt atts demolition and, on March 17, without ‘Warning. it collapsed into the Rhine ‘Clearance work was begun by the Royal Engineers on June 23, 1815 and an inal channel was cleared by August 1, being ‘widened and deepened by August 31 Weakened by an abortive attempt at demolition, the Ludendortt bridge at Remagen ‘was never rebuilt after collapsed in March 1945, Here the US Navy ferry'a Jeop upriver through the chanel cleated by the Royal Engineers.6. BONN-BEUEL ROAD BRIDGE ‘The road bridge at Bona-Beusl had been consid om 88 an wat Wo Pinned, bowstring arch with. span of 188 Inettes with two ‘overtrack arches at either End each of Sd metres. On the west bank there Wasa smaller, steel Inte arch 33 In 1939 tho roofs to the four towers were jel road bridge for the instalation ‘of -s wide while the approach on the taster bank was over seven masonry arches Flak positions were installed on the twin towerateither end. On March aun of the US Fist Army approached ihe bridge, the Germans fired the demolition charge at So pm The Royal Engineers found that the main and tefthand approach spans had been blown and, although ne ah remained Intact, navigation was ao posible so cane fo thes the rc York began om June 25 t0 open up a Ssunete ga with depth cares which was ompicted by the end of Aust removed on Bonn- March 8, 1945, the replacement was inaugurated exactly four «Destroyed on years later, it subsequently being named the Kennedy Bridge, T i | 7. KOLN-RODENKIRCHEN BRIDGE ‘The autobahn bridge south of Cologne h been constructed from 1941-43 ant had total length of S80 metres. It was a ssp Sion bridge in the clas style with two pies in'the river. Is total width, Including the ele tricks and foot metres. Although the two were still intact, the debris, from the roadway formed total obstruction to nav gation. Work began on Tuly 9 axing cutting harges on the suspension gables to clear se by the western bank. Although smal chanel had cen made y the Beginning of August the required width ang depth were not obtained wll September 5. ‘The autobahn bridge at Cologne had been ‘destroyed during an American air raid on January 14, 1905, When work was put in hand forts reconstruction in 1982, the same firm which had supplied the ‘taolwork for the original bridge, August Klonne of Dortmund, was given the new steel contract, The original bridge had ost 13°3 million Reichemarks (approx: {mately £600,000) ‘andthe replacement ‘172 million Deutsche Marks (£1 sm).When in December 1944 the Wehrmacht launched Its su Ardennes offensive, the destruction of the brid Fhine to try to stem the flow of men and mater ort forthe gaylght bombers af Shy tis of the tet Al 8, KOLN-SOD RAILWAY BRIDGE a in bridge was hit on January 16 vision — but the first to be brought 1984 during the combined ‘ane’ Aight: The bridge after Its RAPUSRRE Operation Hur permanent reconstruction and restoration to the original plane fn 1950, This bridge had been constructed in 1908 10 tothe bowing Thain span was 165 metres long with the Wo fide spans cach Of 101 metres. The west bank do. masonry arches i duet whe that on the fonstructed with three atic ‘vertack and ane masonry arch TO motes wide, carried two railway tracks. Bomibed in January 1045, 1wo 9 heen demolished ad the third had dropped ‘off ts abutment when one of the masonry ance work, which bepa arches was it Cl ‘on July 7, was completed by August 31 [As much as the bridges across the Rhine had been vital to the ‘German war machine, so was th ‘essential to the occupying forces. In April/May 1845, the US ‘Army bullta wooden timber-piled bridge at Cologne which was, in Use from dune 1945 fo Saptomber 146, Inthe meantime, eal labour, constructed a speody replacemont equall Left: At the same time the Sadbricke was repaired, under the Supervision of the Royal Engineers, by the lifting of the two large spans from the river bed and the addition of a new steel amir section Ie was reopened to ralltratic on May 1846 and ‘South Bridge by Lieutenant-General G. thomas, the ing C-in-C of BAOR. Although only provided communication between the goods marshalling v the east and west sides of Colog