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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Ypres Iron Bridge


cliff brown

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Does anyone know the exact location of the Ypres Canal Iron Bridge? I have a reference to a man of 9th Norfolks being wounded there in May 1918.

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In my opinion the Ypres Iron Bridge was a bridge over the Ypres Comines Canal. I will look further to try and locate the exact position. It is a fact that the canal was never used due to problems with the impossibility of making the ground stable. Somewere in the 1910's, surely before the war, an iron bridge collapsed as his underground started to move. It wouldn't surprise me if this was the bridge in question. I will research it and let you know.

Best wishes,

jacky

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Hi Cliff,

IRON BRIDGE was, as Jacky wrote, indeed on the Ypres - Comines Canal. It was 2 km south of the Ypres Lille Gate, very close to the road running south of Ypres to St. Eloi (and then further on either to Armentières or to Lille).

The place is only some 350 m southwest of the famous Bedford House Cem.

I found it on my map Ypres 28 N.W. 4 / 26 C. (Dated 13.7.18)

Besides, even before I found it, there was no doubt that it was on the Ypres - Comines Canal. I had checked all the soldiers of 9/Norfolk Rgt. who were KIA in May 1918. There were 15. Seven of them were buried at Voormezele Enclosure N°3 Cemetery ; five were buried at Belgian Battery Corner Cemetery. Both cemeteries are only 1.3 km west of the Ypres - Comines Canal. The former approx. 3 km south of Ypres, the latter only 1.5 km southwest from Ypres.

Hope this helps.

Aurel Sercu

Boezinge - Ypres

www.diggers.be

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  • 4 weeks later...

Better late than never. I have just seen that the Iron Bridge is also marked as such on trench map 28NW4 - Ypres - corrected to 27 March 1918, in the position described by Aurel. It is at this time used for what appears to be two light rail lines, and a pathway.

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