Ranville in Calvados, Normandy, France — Western Europe
Ponts Bailey
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The Bailey Bridge
Photographed by James Hulse, June 2, 2025
1. Ponts Bailey / The Bailey Bridge Marker
Les ponts dits "Bailey" étaient des ponts qui pouvaient être rapidement et facilement assemblés par des équipes du génie. Un pont tel que celui-ci pouvait être monté en 2 ou 3 heures par 40 sapeurs.
Environ trente ponts Bailey ont été installés sur le Canal de Caen, l'Orne et la Dives au cours de la bataille de Normandie. Ils ont été utilisés par la 6eme Division aéroportée lors de la percée vers la Seine en août 1944. Ils permettaient de remplacer les ponts détruits ou de doubler les ponts existants dont la structure ne pouvait assurer le passage des véhicules militaires lourds.
Le premier pont Bailey a été assemblé entre le 7 et 8 juin 1944 sur le Canal de Caen, à hauteur du château de Bénouville.
Appelé "London 1", il s'agit du même type de pont que celui-ci, qui permettait le passage de véhicules de 40 tonnes que n'aurait pu supporter le Pegasus Bridge.
Ces ponts doivent leur nom à l'ingénieur britannique Donald Bailey qui invernta et mit au point la technique de construction de ces ouvrages révolutionnaires qui contribue de façon déterminante à la victoire alliée.
Bailey
this page online
Thirty Bailey Bridges were built across the Caen Canal, River Orne and River Dives during the Battle of Normandy. The 6th Airborne Division also used them during the breakout in August 1944. These bridges replaced those destroyed and were used in conjunction with local bridges, most of these being unable to support the weight of heavy military vehicles.
On 7th/8th June 1944 the first Bailey Bridge, built in Normandy, was installed across the Caen Canal near the Chateau de Benouville. The bridge was identical to this one. It allowed vehicles up to 30 tons to cross, Pegasus Bridge not having been designed for such heavy traffic.
The British Engineer, Donald Bailey designed and perfected this revolutionary type of Bridge which contributed, in no small measure, to the Allied victory.
Topics. This memorial is listed in this topic list: War, World II.
Location. 49° 14.577′ N, 0° 16.259′ W. Memorial is in Ranville, Normandie (Normandy), in Calvados. It is on Avenue of Major Howard. This marker is on the grounds of the Pegasus Bridge Memorial Museum. Touch for map. Memorial is in this post office area: Ranville, Normandie 14860, France. Touch for directions.
Regionally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, Europe, the European Union, Atlantic Europe, the Schengen Area, Western Europe, a coastal Mediterranean country, and the Western World. Historically, it finds itself in what was once a French colony and also the Roman Empire.
Other nearby markers. At least
Photographed by James Hulse, June 2, 2025
2. Map of Bailey Bridges in the region
Photographed by James Hulse, June 2, 2025
3. The Bailey Bridge and Marker
Photographed by James Hulse, June 2, 2025
4. The Bailey Bridge
The marker in the photo is not the marker.
Photographed by Don Morfe, June 27, 2008
5. The Bailey Bridge Marker
Photographed by Don Morfe, June 27, 2008
6. The Bailey Bridge
Photographed by Don Morfe, June 27, 2008
7. Old Pegasus Bridge
Photographed by Don Morfe, June 27, 2008
8. Pegasus Bridge Memorial Museum
Photographed by Don Morfe, June 27, 2008
9. Pegasus Bridge image at the Museum entrance.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 1, 2025. It was originally submitted on January 2, 2016, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 937 times since then and 38 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on July 1, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. submitted on January 2, 2016, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
