2 Bridging Train Royal Engineers

[mickey selcon]

Hi 

 

I am trying to find any information on the above unit. To date I believe that they deployed to France on 20/08/1914, possibly from Dublin and on arrival were attached to II Corps as GHQ Troops. They remained on the Western Front until 1918 but unfortunately, (and it may just be my poor search techniques!!), I haven't been able to find their war diaries or anything else about their actual role or where they went. Is there anyone who can shed any light on what Bridging Trains actually did and what specifically 2 Bridging Train did during the War?

 

Thanks

 

Mike

[alf mcm]

Mike,

  Bridging Train war diaries here, but only start from 1916.

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_q=2 BRIDGING TRAIN WAR DIARIES&_p=1900&_hb=tna&_col=200

 

Regards,

 

Alf McM

[mickey selcon]

Hi Alf

 

Thanks for this, I found these earlier but am trying to trace them from August 1914 onwards.

 

Best regards

 

Mike

[Terry_Reeves]

6 hours ago, mickey selcon said:

Hi Alf

 

Thanks for this, I found these earlier but am trying to trace them from August 1914 onwards.

 

Best regards

 

Mike

Mike they became 2 Pontoon Park in 1916 but were 2 Bridging Train 1914-15  however they have been catalogued  as 2 Pontoon Park for that early period.  TNA Ref here:

 

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_q=2+pontoon+park

 

They  were a very large horsed unit, around 250 horses, and were responsible for the provision of bridging pontoons. They became too unwieldy for conditions on the Western Front and were converted to static Pontoon Parks supplying RE units as needed.They also carried out repairs. The ASC also took over responsibility for some of the Parks which were motorised.

 

TR

Edited 27 February , 2020 by Terry_Reeves

[mickey selcon]

Hi Terry

 

Thank you so much for this, it explains why I couldn't find their War Diaries!

 

Thank you

 

Mike

[brianmorris547]

Mike

I have got WO 95/558/6 which is 2 Pontoon Park from January 1916. The link in Terry's post gives the dates from January to May 1916 but it actually goes up to January 1919. Other ranks are named in 1916 but not numbered. They are usually reinforcements or transfers.

Brian

[Terry_Reeves]

55 minutes ago, brianmorris547 said:

Mike

I have got WO 95/558/6 which is 2 Pontoon Park from January 1916. The link in Terry's post gives the dates from January to May 1916 but it actually goes up to January 1919. Other ranks are named in 1916 but not numbered. They are usually reinforcements or transfers.

Brian

Brian

 

The link in my post is to WO95/558/5  August 1914 -31 Dec 1915 , at which time the unit was designated 2 Bridging Train.

 

TR

[brianmorris547]

Terry

Noted, the link opens up Discovery for 558/5 and 6. I just wanted to draw Mike's attention to the fact that TNA had the dates wrong for 558/6.

Brian

Edited 28 February , 2020 by brianmorris547
typo

[mickey selcon]

Hi all

thank you all for the info it has provided just what I needed. I’d never even heard of Bridging Trans before!! Size wise would they be roughly similar to an ASC Divisional  Supply Train of the early war period?

 Once again thanks for the help 

 

muke

[Terry_Reeves]

Mike 

 

The RE Corps History Vol V p 194  has this to say about Nos I and 2 Bridging trains on the passage to the Marne:  "The two bridging trains had meanwhile been sent  up by by rail from Le mans, and on the 11th,  (September) after detraining at Chaumes, were moving up at a good speed; but they were still two days march behind. They each carried forty-two pontoons, and sixteen trestles, and had about 350 horses."

 

TR

Edited 28 February , 2020 by Terry_Reeves

[lostinspace]

On 27/02/2020 at 05:25, mickey selcon said:

Hi 

 

I am trying to find any information on the above unit. To date I believe that they deployed to France on 20/08/1914, possibly from Dublin and on arrival were attached to II Corps as GHQ Troops. They remained on the Western Front until 1918 but unfortunately, (and it may just be my poor search techniques!!), I haven't been able to find their war diaries or anything else about their actual role or where they went. Is there anyone who can shed any light on what Bridging Trains actually did and what specifically 2 Bridging Train did during the War?

 

Thanks

 

Mike

This site might be of interest to you, it is the partial diary of William J Hayman, a boy soldier in the Royal Engineers (born Jan. 7, 1900). He served with the 2 Bridging Train as a trumpeter so embarked with the unit from Dublin on 18 August, 1914. Here is the link:   :https://www.arrse.co.uk/community/threads/diary-of-william-j-hayman-boy-soldier-1914.211494/  

Apparently, the full diary is located at the R.E. Museum.

 

Dave

[mickey selcon]

Hi Dave

William HAYMAN's diary is a very good read and gives a great insight into what they all went through - very well written to! Thank you for this and thank you to everyone who has replied and given me so much help.

 

Best regards

 

Mike

[Garrie215]

I, too, am interested in the 2 Bridging Train.  My relative was a driver and a Waggoner—in the East Yorks Regiment arriving in France in August 1914.  I’m wondering if the Bridging Train folk stayed with the rest of the regiment, so participated in the 2^nd Ypres battle and Loos or worked with RE personnel from other regiments wherever needed.  He was 2^nd battalion East Yorks and disembarked for Macedonia in November 1915.  Hayman's journal is useful.  Thanks to everyone for all the good leads in this thread