Trestle bridge “Elbe-brücke” across the “Elbe-Weser Canal” at Hohenwarthe, Germany, May 13-20, 1945

Constructed by:

1146th Combat Group:  17th Armored Engineer Battalion, Company  “C” assisted in building and maintenance  of the bridge with 252nd Engineer Combat Battalion Company “A”. 

Date:

The original bridge was build as a  Reichsautobahn and opend 10th of january 1937.
It was blown up by the Germans who were on retreat on 13th April 1945. 

Start building at 13th may, open fo traffic on 20 may 1945.

Build in time:

Seven days.
Start at 13th may, open fo traffic on 20 may 1945.

Place:

Elbe- Weser Canal at Hohenwarthe, Germany.
Bridge site at Y694094^(*1); (252nd Combat Engineer Battalion- Company A- After Action report)

Length:

335 Feet

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Information about the Weser-Elbe Canal brigde:

In very early May the battalion moved to the vicinity of Magdeburg and met the Russians and built an autobahnbridge over the Weser-Elbe Canal, opening the route to Berlin

(source: The 252nd Engineer Combat Battalion by Dave Kaufman)

(Possibly a platoon of C Company, 17th Armored Engineer Battalion, with PFC Struble was attached to the 252nd Combat Engineer Battalion, or as a part of the 1146th Combat Group. PFC Struble made the pictures from the early start of the bridge untill it was finished. )

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Information:

In very early May the battalion moved to the vicinity of Magdeburg ,met the Russians and built on an autouahnbridge over the
Weser-Elbe Canal, opening the route to Berlin.

(Source: ASMIC Webiste)

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Information: 252nd Combat Engineer Battalion- Company A- After Action report

SECRET
Basic: Ltr, IN, 252 End,. C Bn, APO 339, U. S. Army, sub, After Action Report for Month of may 1945/ dtd 1 June 1945.

PART II SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS

1. Battalion Staff performed normal duties.
2. The line companies of this organization performed engineer duties as indicated below:

a. Company “A”:

(1) During the period from 1 May to 12 May 1745, inclusive, the company maintained guards on Engineer Depot #20 and also Ninth Army water Point. The company also hauled and loaded lumber on railroad cars to be used by U. S. Army and picked up empty gas.cans and returned them to Class III Depots.

(2) From 13 may to 22 May 1945, inclusive, Company “A”, cleared the east bank of the Weser-Elbe Canal for proposed bridge site at Y694094^(*1) assembled equipment to be used to prepare approaches and constructed east half of the bridge across the Weser-Elbe Canal.

(3) From 23 May .to 31 May 1915, inclusive, returned equipment used on Weser-Elbe Canal bridge and conducted reconnaissance for engineer material in assigned company area.

(Source: Ike Skelton Combined Arms Research Library)

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Photos of Trestle bridge may 1945

Pictures shot by 17th Engineer Private First Class William Ernest “Erny” Struble Weser-Elbe Canal Bridge May 1945

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Current location Trestle brige:

Footnote:

^(*1) Corrected grid using the “Nord de Guerre Zone” in the “Modified British System” is rY694094, in google maps: 52°13’07.7″N 11°40’46.6″E)

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Research: Martijn Brandjes & Arjen Kok 2020