Antwerpen14-18_Antwerp builds bridges ENG

The pontoon bridge 1914
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Six bridges, as part of a broader military plan
Antwerp was designated Nationaal Réduit in 1859, the
last line of defence where King, government and military
leadership were able to withdraw in case of a siege.
Pending support from the allies, Antwerp was basically
easy to defend and supply. The forts would be able to
provide the fortified city with a lifeline, consisting of troops
and food, as well as to ensure that the city would be able
to withstand a possible attack via the Netherlands and the
River Scheldt.
In 1914, the last fixed bridge on the Scheldt was located
at Temse. In Antwerp ferries leave from the Suikerrui. But
none of it was sufficient to carry the size and weight of a
quick evacuation of the city.
Therefore, four bridges were built over the Scheldt:
between Steen Castle and St Anna on the Left Bank,
between Hoboken and Burcht, between Hemiksem and
Basel, and in Rupelmonde. Two more bridges across the
river Rupel were added: at the Tolhuis and the Hellegat. All
the material had already been purchased before the war
and was stored in the Vlaams Hoofd: the metal deck, the
wooden floors and the ramps between the bridge and
quay.
The bridge at the Steen is ready in a week
The construction of the bridge starts on 2 August 1914,
two days before the German invasion. The first task is to
transport all the material from the Vlaams Hoofd redoubt
to the location of the bridge, about 400 meters away. The
pontoon engineers work long hours, from six o’clock in
the morning until six o’clock in the evening. The only
break they have involves a second meal. The work often
continues well into the evening and night. “Sometimes
work lasted more than 15, 20, even 24 [hours], regardless
of the weather conditions”, testifies Commander Pierard
The bridge floats on 25 riverboats. The ships are anchored
so that they stay put and so that they do not drift apart,
carried by the tide or current. To compensate for the
movement of the tide, the bows of the ships are positioned
alternately upstream and downstream. Beams are mounted
on the ships and on them, the bridge deck and railings.
The ramps between bridge and quay move with the tide.
The bridge has to be able to open up for inland navigation
on the River Scheldt. Near the Vlaams Hoofd two ‘portières’
or passages are made, each with a width of 42 meters.
They are mounted each on two boats. To allow riverboats
to pass through, the ‘doors’ are temporarily moved
aside.
Thursday 13 August 1914
A bridge made of ships at Antwerp
“Opposite St. Anneken a bridge crosses the
River Scheldt. The bridge is intended to
ensure the passage of troops and the transport
of materials, ammunition and heavy
artillery. The bridge is built on a series of
merchant ships. Some of these have been
donated voluntarily; others have been requisitioned
by the military authorities.”
Tuesday 13 October 1914.
“People withdrew from hell in great haste.
The part of the armed forces that defended
the city were able to cross the bridge just in
the nick of time (which, as we know, was
set on fire moments later). Many Belgian
soldiers were captured; others escaped by
quickly changing into civilian outfits and
continued on their way dressed like that.”