REMAGEN, GERMANY, 7 MARCH 1945
Eighty years ago today, the last bridge standing across the river Rhine was captured in a daring assault by units from the US 9th Armored Division, US First Army.
Tasked with advancing to the western side of the Rhine via Stadt Meckenheim, 27th Armored Infantry Battalion, supported by the A Company, 14th Tank Battalion CCB, with their newly minted and named M26 Pershings, formed the vanguard.
Much to their surprise, on reaching the heights overlooking Remagen, they realised that the railway bridge was still standing. It was 13.00 hours. The question was could they capture it before it was blown?
No Ordinary Bridge
The Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen had been constructed in 1918 as part of the German military’s requirement for a rail link to move large numbers of troops and material, quickly and efficiently, to the Western Front. The Hindenburg Bridge at Cologne was similarly constructed but as a road bridge.
The twin towers at each end were not ornamental, these were designed as three-storey guard towers to defend the bridge approaches. Additionally, cavities in the piers were constructed to house demolition chambers and electrical firing circuits were protected by steel tubes.
The Advance
Supported by four Pershing tanks, infantry from Company A were able to advance as fast as possible through the small town of Remagen, towards the bridge. Always with the constant fear that the German garrison would blow it.
Noticing a train 800 yards away on the other bank, the Pershings engaged with their 90mm rounds immobilising it. Armed with AA guns and MGs, the Germans waited until the Pershings were on the ramp before blowing a giant crater, halting the advance. The time was now 15.12 hours.
Crossing the Bridge
Aware that the bridge was to be blown imminently, the Americans made the decision to cross. Smoke and WP (White Phosphorus) was laid down to provide cover, and infantry and engineers started moving forward.
At this moment the German garrison decided to manually detonate the 60 demolition charges attached to the bridge, but as the smoke and dust settled it was clear that the bridge had survived and was still standing (an insufficient amount and type of explosives were subsequently blamed).
Moving fast, the Americans quickly captured the eastern ramparts and the German garrison. By 16.00 hours the Allies had, much to their surprise, crossed the last major natural obstacle: the Rhine River.
From here, the US First Army capitalised on their success, expanding their bridgehead to divisional size. Although the Germans would succeed in ultimately collapsing the Ludendorff Bridge ten days later, the Americans had already built other pontoon bridges to compensate.
The Bridge at Remagen
If The Bridge at Remagen feels familiar that’s because it was made into a film in the late 1960s, starring George Segal, Ben Gazzara and Robert Vaughan. As usual for a Hollywood production, there are a few historical inaccuracies, embellishments and name changes. However, the bridge and its location arevery realistic, having been filmed in Davle, Czechoslovakia just before the country was invaded by the Warsaw Pact in August 1968.
Although it doesn’t feature any Pershings, there are at least eight Austrian Army M24 Chaffees, M8 Greyhounds, as well as OT-810 filling the role of German half-tracks. The film makers were also permitted to blow up a number of condemned houses in another Czechoslovakian village.
