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Old 19-07-12, 01:31
MicS MicS is offline
(Michel Sabarly)
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: France
Posts: 102
Default More on ELBEUF bridge(s) (#2/2)

"'Sherman' tank crossing pontoon bridge over the Seine River near Elbeuf, France, 28 August, 1944." (NAC PA-113660):
Source: "No Price Too High: Canadians and the Second World War" by J. T. Copp & Richard Nielsen, page 180.
Edit: the Sherman tank has been identified as the mount of Major AGV Smith, CO of No.1 Squadron, Governor General's Foot Guard. See http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads...-2#post-635619
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Now on 2 Sep 44 (by this time nice signs had been made!):
"Children wave as a Sherman tank and vehicles of 152nd Brigade, 51st Highland Division, cross a pontoon bridge over the Seine at Elbeuf, 2 September 1944." (IWM BU 1515):
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THE BRITISH ARMY IN NORTH-WEST EUROPE 1944-45. © IWM (BU 1515) IWM Non Commercial Licence

Another similar IWM photo:
"Children wave as lorries of 51st (Highland) Division cross the Seine on a pontoon bridge at Elbeuf, 2 September 1944." (IWM BU 1516):
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THE BRITISH ARMY IN NORTH-WEST EUROPE 1944-45. © IWM (BU 1516) IWM Non Commercial Licence


And finally, I just only found the following photo on this ww2talk thread:
http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads...ocation.36929/
Edit: again, some of the photos, including this one, have disappeared from the linked thread following ww2talk's changeover to a new software...

The name of the bridge (GRAY, also visible on one of the photos above) and location are both spelled out in the captions, and there's even a photo of the other bridge at Elbeuf (ROSCOE)!
(Photos courtesy Malcolm Snelgrove, who initiated the above ww2talk thread) (possibly IWM BU 1514 or 1517):
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Malcolm made a brilliant book for his father about his grandfather's service in 89 and later 90 Fd Coy RE:
http://www.photobox.co.uk/creation/744338101

From this book, here's an extract from the War Diary of 89 Fd Coy RE:

"August 26th 1944
Coy moved to Le Hottelerie along with 90 Field Coy on route for construction of bridges over Seine at Elbeuf.

August 27th 1944
Coy moved to La Haye Malherbe, construction on bridges over Seine at Elbeuf commenced by 8th GHQ Troops.
1st bridge completed on 28th August at 02:00 "Gray" Bridge named after A.A. Gray
[Maj Andrew Aitken GRAY P/154298, OC 89 Fd Coy RE].
2nd Bridge "Roscoe" completed 30th August 13:00."


From the same source, a drawing showing the locations of the ELBEUF bridges (BRIDGE I is GRAY br, BRIDGE III is ROSCOE br - note that sketch top is roughly SW):
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Incidentally, I also just found this other ww2talk thread where Les asked the same question and was given the correct location by Mike-Trux over a year ago. Well done Mike!
http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads...-8#post-381027
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