WE WILL DO IT – SAY NORTH DOWN ARMY RESERVE ENGINEERS

Bangor’s Army Reservists have given themselves a challenge – to get to grips with a huge bridge capable of taking main battle tanks across huge gaps. And it is no mean feat given the complex teamwork needed to pull the 12 spans together – each of them weighing around 200kgs. 

But the soldiers of 591 Field Squadron Royal Engineers at Balloo in Bangor are not only up for it but have already clocked up record breaking times in erecting a 5 span bridge in horrendous winter weather at Magilligan on the north coast. 

When the Army needs to get somewhere fast it is down to engineers to clear the obstacles – and for the Army Reserve “Sappers” at Bangor that means being ready to build or demolish at superfast pace in difficult conditions. 
 
Knowing they could be asked to volunteer for deployments anywhere round the world or even bring their skills to bear at home for aid tasks it means they regularly train to be ready for the challenges. Despite having heavy plant to hand and sophisticated equipment to call forward, the challenges often call for ingenuity and close teamwork. 
 
Like the weekend task faced at Magilligan on the north coast when a Sergeant was sent to RECCE  (reconnaissance) a huge gap which might potentially need to be crossed by tanks.  
 
“Given the size of the crossing the first choice was to be a 12 Bay bridge which can cross a huge gulley or river. It’s capable of taking up to 70 tonne tracked vehicles such as the main battle tank. Coming on pallets its capable of being deployed at short notice by land, sea or even air.
 
“In daylight and in good conditions it can be put together by experienced engineers in an hour and a half. Even at night it shouldn’t take much more than two hours.” He said. “It would give us not only excellent training but would be larger than actually required for the gap, he added. 
 
All was in place and the Bangor Reservists set off for the task. But just into the build and the weather closed in and the fifteen “sappers” faced extreme conditions with hail in their faces and mud developing underfoot.
 
“We quickly assessed the situation, reconfigured the task and opted for a five bay bridge which was unfamiliar to many of the Troop and so would be a great learning opportunity,” explained the RECCE Sergeant. 
 
Defiantly facing up to the weather the Bangor based team proved they could “cross the divide” and in record time had manhandled the heavy structure into position allowing potential for military resupply.
 
But – they are not to be beaten on the 12 Bay. “We have it in mind and can guarantee that it won’t be too many weekends away when we will have it installed somewhere challenging,” said the RECCE Sergeant.