![Alte Rheinbruecke Wesel](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/Alte_Rheinbruecke_Wesel.jpg)
The Wesel Railway Bridge was a bridge on the
Haltern–Venlo railway
The Haltern–Venlo railway is now largely disused and dismantled line in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the Netherlands.
It was opened in 1874 by the Cologne-Minden Railway Company (german: Cöln-Mindener Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft, ...
, built as part of the
Hamburg–Venlo railway
The Cologne-Minden Railway Company (German language, German, old spelling: ''Cöln-Mindener Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft'', ''CME'') was along with the Bergisch-Märkische Railway Company and the Rhenish Railway Company one of the railway companies that ...
by the
Cologne-Minden Railway Company
The Cologne-Minden Railway Company (German, old spelling: ''Cöln-Mindener Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft'', ''CME'') was along with the Bergisch-Märkische Railway Company and the Rhenish Railway Company one of the railway companies that in the mid-19th ...
, and opened on 1 March 1874. The long railway bridge at
Wesel
Wesel () is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the capital of the Wesel district.
Geography
Wesel is situated at the confluence of the Lippe River and the Rhine.
Division of the city
Suburbs of Wesel include Lackhausen, Obrighove ...
was the last Rhine bridge remaining in German hands during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
.
World War II
Destruction and capture
From 16 to 19 February 1945 the city of
Wesel, Germany,
was heavily bombed in Allied air raids, and more than 95 percent destroyed.
On 10 March 1945 the
Rhine
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, so ...
and
Lippe
Lippe () is a ''Kreis'' (district) in the east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Herford, Minden-Lübbecke, Höxter, Paderborn, Gütersloh, and district-free Bielefeld, which forms the region Ostwestfalen-Lippe.
The ...
bridges, among others, were blown up by the
Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the '' Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previo ...
in compliance with
Hitler
Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...
's
scorched earth policy that became known as the
Nero Decree
The Nero Decree (german: Nerobefehl) was issued by Adolf Hitler on 19 March 1945, ordering the destruction of German infrastructure to prevent its use by Allied forces as they penetrated deep within Germany. It was officially titled Decree Con ...
.
Operation Plunder
Operation Plunder was a military operation to cross the Rhine on the night of 23 March 1945, launched by the 21st Army Group under Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery. The crossing of the river was at Rees, Wesel, and south of the river Li ...
, tasked with establishing Rhine-crossings at Rees in the north,
Xanten
Xanten (, Low Rhenish: ''Santen'') is a town in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the district of Wesel.
Xanten is known for the Archaeological Park, one of the largest archaeological open air museums in the wo ...
in the center, and Wesel in the south, started on 23 March, with four thousand Allied guns firing for four hours during the opening bombardment. The town of Wesel was subsequently taken quickly during the night with only 36 casualties.
Field-Marshal Montgomery said of the bombing: "The bombing of Wesel was a masterpiece, and was a decisive factor in making possible our entry into the town before midnight."
Bridge reconstruction
A large force under Col.
James B. Cress was organized for the reconstruction of the bridge, which included the 355th Engineer General Services Regiment commanded by Col. Thomas A. Adcock, elements of the 341st and 1317th Engineer General Services Regiments, with support from the 371st Engineer Construction Battalion, 1056th Port Construction and Repair Group, a dump truck company and an engineer maintenance company.
The
371st Engineer Construction Battalion
371st Engineer Construction Battalion or 371st Engineer Battalion was activated as a Special Service Regiment in February 1944, as a unit in the United States Army. Later this unit was redesignated a General Service Regiment. The unit was forme ...
moved by a convoy code named "Boobie Trap" on 29 March 1945, from
Geldern
Geldern ( nl, Gelderen, archaic English: ''Guelder(s)'') is a city in the federal German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is part of the district of Kleve, which is part of the Düsseldorf
administrative region.
Geography
Location
Geldern l ...
to Menzelen, north of
Alpen, Germany
Alpen is a municipality in the district of Wesel, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Geography
Alpen is situated in the Lower Rhine region, located between the Ruhr area and the border with the Netherlands. Adjacent cities are Rheinberg, Xanten.
...
, preparing to move northeast towards Wesel and the Rhine River rail bridge.
![Wesel1-3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Wesel1-3.jpg)
The Ninth and British 2nd were pushing east at a fast pace, so the engineering companies began working 12-hour shifts of 10 days on, 2 off, on the Rhine River Bridge project. The bridge was a high-level type, approximately above high water, and of steel construction to support heavy transport trains.
![Nightwesel](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Nightwesel.jpg)
The river depth, between , and current made falling into the water a dangerous proposition. Airplanes provided protection along with anti-aircraft gun emplacements and lights on the ground. The Germans were unable to pinpoint the location of the bridge construction project.
![Wesel7-3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Wesel7-3.jpg)
On 4 April 1945 the pilings were braced and capped. The towers were completed. Steel spans, ties, and track were lowered into place.
Completion
![Trainwesel](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/Trainwesel.jpg)
On 8 April the Rhine River Bridge at Wesel was completed. It was tested by running a train across it that night, and the bridge passed. The following morning, 50 car supply trains began crossing the bridge, keeping to a speed limit and traveling one at a time to avoid unnecessary vibration. The Wesel Bridge was the first fixed bridge built by any army engineer to span the Rhine since the days of
Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, an ...
, according to military references, and was the first fixed bridge to span the Rhine River with highway bridges included. The "
Victory Bridge Victory Bridge may refer to:
* Victory Bridge (Yerevan), in Yerevan, Armenia
* Victory Bridge (New Jersey), in Middlesex County, New Jersey
* Victory Bridge (Florida), in Sneads, Florida
* Veresk Bridge
The Veresk bridge ( fa, پل ورسک) is a ...
" constructed by the
332nd Engineer G. S. Regiment wasn't completed until a month later, on 8 May 1945. The railroad bridge at Wesel was named the Robert A. Gouldin Bridge in honor of Major Gouldin of the 355th Engineer G.S. Regiment who lost his life during the construction of the bridge.
Between 8 and 10 April 1945, the 3rd platoon improved the western approach to the bridge, to speed the huge volume of heavy railroad traffic using the single track approach. Other units were tasked with clearing minefields for the landing of aircraft and laying of gas pipelines. One detail was erecting a prefabricated water tower and tank for the Railroad at
Büderich Station.
See also
*
List of bridges over the Rhine This is a list of railway bridges over the Rhine.
Railway Crossings
Existing and former railway bridges, with the nearest train stations on the left and right banks:
Vorderrhein
* Switzerland
** A total of five bridges on the line, Andermatt – R ...
References
371st Engineer Construction Battalion WWII– Third Platoon – Company A Hist.- pp. 4–8
Fortified Wesel History
{{coord, 51.6559, 6.5944, type:landmark_region:DE, display=title
1945 in Germany
Railway bridges in Germany
Bridges over the Rhine
Former railway bridges in Germany
Bridges in North Rhine-Westphalia
Wesel