This rather utilitarian WW2 era bridge was erected in under two hours on 7th September 1947. It provides an important link for walkers and cyclists from the Thames Path at Medley onto the Southern end of Port Meadow.
This is no ordinary bridge format though, and is actually quite famous!
Origins of the Bailey Bridge
The Bailey Bridge is a modular military bridge designed for rapid construction to temporarily bridge gaps where bridges had been destroyed. It was a highly innovative design by its inventor, Donald Bailey, and made a huge and under-stated contribution towards ending WW2. It was put together with few parts, a bit like Meccano, very quickly and army engineers loved it! Supreme Allied Commander Dwight Eisenhower is reputed to have put it in his top 3 engineering and technological developments of WW2. Field Marshal Montgomery in a letter considered it “made an immense contribution towards final victory in World War 2”(Harpur 1991: A Bridge to Victory crediting the Bailey Archive).
Although initially kept a secret, after D Day in June 1944 the press were briefed and then Donald Bailey and his bridge became famous almost overnight. Headlines, from various newspapers and journals at the time, such as “Wonder bridge secret is out”, “One of the greatest inventions of the War shown for the first time”, “Triumph of the Bailey Bridge”, “Marvel of the War” raised its public profile.
When it was realised in late 1940 that the army did not have a suitable bridge to be able to take new heavy tanks on the offensive in due course, there was panic in military circles. Fortunately, Mr Bailey, a civilian engineer working for the military’s Experimental Bridging Establishment was the right man in the right place at the right time. It took only a year from his design concept, it being tested, put into production to being in use – an incredibly rapid timescale for this type of equipment. The design was flawless from the start, and is so good that modern versions are still produced today for military and civilian use, often for disaster relief.
Constructing the bridge at Port Meadow
Port Meadow’s Bailey Bridge is 100 ft long, built using ten 10ft long sections. It was erected to replace a wooden pedestrian bridge washed away by the terrible floods of March 1947, and as reported by the Oxford Mail and Oxford Times, was an event watched by several thousand people, including the Mayor and lots of children. Two of those children attended a talk in the Town Hall on the bridge on 7th September 2022 – a memorable reunion as they had been best friends at the time and had not seen each other for decades! The Oxford Mail reported on it at the time it was erected, with the only known photograph of it showing it being “launched” across the 90 ft gap from the Meadow on special rollers, the front lightweight skeletal part raised at an angle to allow for the bridges natural sag – which explains the fact it bounces a little as you go across today – catching rollers on the far bank.
50 Royal Engineers constructed and launched the bridge into place in only an hour and three quarters! Anecdotally, an eyewitness recently recalled that at one point “the bridge got stuck and wouldn’t move on its rollers, until a burly Sergeant stepped forward and pushed with all his might and the bridge slowly edged into position”. The engineers, and in particular the Sergeant, apparently received 3 cheers at the end!
The bridge today
The Bailey Bridge today. Photograph taken in 2020 by Peter Smith.
Today the bridge is looking rather neglected, however, Oxfordshire County Council has confirmed it intends to fully refurbish it to ensure its survival. The work has been scoped but it is not yet known when it will be funded and undertaken. In 2022 the bridge was added to the Oxford Heritage Asset Register, recognising its historical importance both nationally and locally to the Oxford landscape.
Next time you walk across this bridge, perhaps take a moment to appreciate the simplicity of its design, and imagine it being pushed out on its rollers over the water from the Meadow side. It has given us more than 75 years of great service – not bad for a bridge designed to be temporary!
This blog was written and researched by MOX volunteer Peter Smith. Peter recently retired, and has a keen interest in local history, in particular to do with Port Meadow. He has given talks on the Bailey bridge and the meadow’s aviation story. He led a community group during 2015-2018 to successfully fund and erect a new stone memorial to 17 young airmen, who were killed associated with the meadows’ WW1 pilot training aerodrome.
Further reading
A Bridge to Victory, Brian Harpur, 1991
One More River to Cross, JH Joiner, 2001
The Bailey Story – a tribute to Sir Donald Bailey, JH Joiner, 1987
Military Engineering vol. III pt. II Bailey Bridge and vol. III pt. III Bailey Bridge, 1944
The Bailey Bridge in Canadian Service, John Sliz, 2012
Bridging the Club Route – Guards Armoured Division’s Engineers during Operation Market Garden, John Sliz, 2016
Bailey Bridge, Wikipedia
UK Military Bridge – Equipment (The Bailey Bridge), Think Defence
Any Questions?
01865 252334museum@oxford.gov.ukIf you have any questions, would like to support the Museum or perhaps become a volunteer blogger, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
