Home Forums WWII Churchill Bridgelayer

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  • #118358
    Avatar photodeephorse
    Participant

    Does anyone know the earliest date of deployment of the Churchill Bridgelayer (not the AVRE or ARK) post D-Day?  The Airfix kit instructions indicate it was on Juno Beach in July 1994 (by which I think they mean 1944!), but the photos I’ve seen so far indicate use much later in 1944.  I can’t find any record of their use on D-Day itself or any date around then.  Thanks.

    Play is what makes life bearable - Michael Rosen

    #118389
    Avatar photoJemima Fawr
    Participant

    Good question.  Development of the ‘Churchill Bridge Tank 30-foot No.2’ began in 1942, but production vehicles didn’t appear until February 1944.  Each Brigade was meant to have a Troop of three such vehicles and according to Chamberlain & Ellis they ‘first saw action in Normandy’.  Given that they were already in production, that the Tank Brigades arrived relatively late in the campaign and that only nine vehicles were required for the three Tank Brigades (not including any assigned to 79th Armoured Division), I don’t see any reason why they would not have been deployed to Normandy at the same time as their respective Brigade HQs.

    As to whether they were present on D-Day, I’ve no idea.  Elements of 141 RAC (Crocodile Regiment belonging to 31st Tank Brigade) did land late on D-Day and into D+1 and more than a week ahead of the rest of 31st Tank Brigade, but I’ve no idea if they brought bridgelayers with them.  79th Armoured Division might have had some, but they also had AVREs with SBG bridges and Churchill ARK Mk Is, so additional bridgelayers might have been superfluous.

    The Sherman and Cromwell-equipped Armoured Brigades all had Valentine Bridgelayers.

    My wargames blog: http://www.jemimafawr.co.uk/

    #118417
    Avatar photodeephorse
    Participant

    Thanks R Mark.  Whilst not being able to give me the full answer, you did set me off looking in the appropriate direction.  Wikipedia says that 31st Tank Brigade landed on 19 June, so no D-Day type operations for them.  Looking at Mark Bevis’ British & Commonwealth OOBs for the 31st, he gives the Bde HQ just one Bridge Troop of only one Churchill AVLB.  So I’m not going to rush out and buy a model now!

    And the Airfix instruction sheet gives markings for Brigade HQ,  31st Tank Brigade.

    Play is what makes life bearable - Michael Rosen

    #118424
    Avatar photoJemima Fawr
    Participant

    Yes, the first elements (aside from part of 141 RAC, which was already ashore) started landing on the 19th, but it took a while for the whole brigade to land due to the Great Storm.  They got into action at the end of June in Op EPSOM.  34th Tank Brigade followed sometime in early July (first operation being GREENLINE) and 6th Guards Tank Brigade arrived in late July (first operation being BLUECOAT).

    My wargames blog: http://www.jemimafawr.co.uk/

    #118562
    Avatar photoNTM
    Participant

    Forbes mentions training with the new Churchill bridge’s in late August in his 6th Guards history. This of course may have been the first opportunity to use them so may have arrived earlier but certainly suggests they arrived after the brigade was deployed to Normandy in July. The other two brigades may have received theirs earlier as they seemed to get priority on equipment.

    #118592
    Avatar photodeephorse
    Participant

    Bevis (see above) lists 6 Guards as having 1 Bridge Troop of 3 Churchill AVLB from August 1944.

    34th Tank Bde had 1 Bridge Troop of 2 Churchil AVLB, upped to 3 by December 1944.

    Guards Armoured shows as having 1 Bridge Troop of 1 Valentine AVLB and 0-2 Churchill AVLB between November ‘44 and May ‘45.

     

    I got my answers in the end.  Thanks guys.

    Play is what makes life bearable - Michael Rosen

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