Rhine Bridging and Clearance, April-Sept. 1945, Holland-Germany

[s.l., n.d.]: printed by Printing and Stationery Service, British Army of the Rhine , c. 1946. Oblong folio, 37 x 43.5 cm, ff. [iv], 76, [i]. Atlas volume containing numerous b/w maps, photographs, architectural elevations and statistical tables, of which 3 are folding, bound in publisher’s brown cloth, font cover blocked in gilt with the 21st Army Group formation sign and the legend ‘Port Repair Works by Transportation Units of the Royal Engineers: The River Rhine’. Rusting to staples, covers a little bowed. Uniform volumes chronicled port repair works at Ostend, Dieppe, Boulogne and Calais; COPAC suggests various dates, c. 1945-1950. 21st Army Group, commanded by Montgomery, was the principal British and Canadian formation in the Allied invasion of northwestern Europe, which evolved into the BAOR. Most of the Rhine crossings were bombed by the Allies or destroyed by retreating German forces. The first part of this work details the construction of semi-permanent bridges at Arnhem, Xanten, Rees and Spyck. The second part covers the equally urgent task of making the Rhine a navigable waterway for the transport of supplies: large debris from 23 demolished bridges was cleared with the use of depth charges and other high explosives. Book