The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Australian engineers are rapidly completing one of the biggest engineering projects in Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam...the construction of a 120-foot steel and concrete bridge over the Song Rai River in the south-east of the Province. Members of 17 Construction Squadron have been working on the bridge, on Route 23 between the provincial towns of Dat Do and Xuyen Moc, since May. At present all traffic must use an old Bailey bridge laid by United States troops after Viet Cong destroyed the original structure some years ago. The old bridge was showing signs of continual use by heavy traffic and is in need of replacement. Captain Bob Summerville of Greenacres, Sydney, NSW, is in charge of the project and commands 45 men on the site including a section of armoured personnel carriers, two mine clearing teams, surveyors and plant operators. The bridge builders work on the site during the day and man night defensive position "Susan" at night. Forming the main structure of the bridge are seven huge 80-foot girders that provide the centre span of the bridge. The engineers build these from single 40-foot spans and two 20-foot lengths, welding the girders on the work site. Two big cranes pick up the 19,000 pound girder and lower it onto two trucks which drive slowly on to the old Bailey Bridge. The cranes again pick up the girder and lower it into position on the concrete abutments. While the main girders are being lowered into position work goes on around the site preparing other girders and painting the huge lengths of metal with rust resistant paint. The project, even in its early stages has not been easy. Before the engineers could begin work on the site they had to fill the surrounding area with 9000 cubic yards of rock to bring the work site above flood level. Eleven piles support the bridge on each side and one of the first driven struck an old pile from the original Vietnamese bridge. The engineers had to use explosives to destroy it before they could continue. Interested spectators are the group of Regional Force soldiers who man the small RF post on the bridge. They provide additional cover and protection as the Australian engineers complete another step in the program to improve roads in Phuoc Tuy Province. Also identified: 5717420 Sapper (Spr) Eddie (Ed) Leeflang of Perth, WA; 2794254 Spr Walter Alexander (Wal) Mills of Maitland, NSW; 1736835 Spr Edwin William (Ed) Christian of Brisbane, Qld; 5717409 Spr Gregory Thomas (Greg) Hosking of Kalgoorlie, WA; 5716213 Lieutenant William George (Bill) Carlton of South Perth, WA; WO2 Don Smith of Auckland, NZ; 37833 Corporal Lindsay Ernest Simpson of Redcliffe, Vic.
Australian Army engineers in South Vietnam are reopening a main road which has been closed for many years. The work includes the rebuilding of two bridges and a number of culverts. Part of the Austral
Not the latest in water transport, but when time is short and means meagre, an improvised raft can carry a Land Rover down a river as well as anything. Taking part in a 14-day exercise, 2 Field Troop,
A military training film produced by Merlin Film for the Ministry of Information illustrating the principles and uses of the Bailey bridge designed by Mr Donald Colman Bailey. Demonstrations are by th
Vietcong engineers cut the Australian Force's main supply route this week when they blew up a bridge four miles south-west of its base at Nui Dat and one mile north of the province capital of Baria. B
A British military training film produced by the Directorate of Army Kinematography, approved December 1945. In March 1945 the American Army crossed the Rhine and constructed a Class 40 Bailey Pontoon
Australian and American engineers worked against the clock in Vietnam this week to re-open the supply line to the Australian Task Force base at Nui Dat. Late last week the Viet Cong blew a 100 foot ga