Single Box Girder Bridge

Portable bridge purchased by Canada in 1937 and first built by the 6th at Camp Dundurn in Saskatchewan in 1938. Built by hand the beams were pushed across the gap on rollers and then the bridge was decked. Construction crew was 20 to 30 soldiers. Build time was a few hours. Once a permanent bridge was built alongside, it was dismantled and shipped forward for another build. Used in early World War II for training. Due to its small load capacity, it was obsolete when the Bailey bridge arrived in 1942. However, it was still used until the end of the war as a ramp for floating bridges, as a vehicle deck on rafts and by bridge laying tanks.    

Bridge Guard. Once a military bridge is built a guard is placed on the bridge. This guard can consist of engineers, military police, infantry or a mix of troops. In this case it is a field exercise and the three-member guard has been provided by the unit that built the bridge, the 6th Canadian Field Company.    

Load Class Signs. Located at both ends of the bridge they indicate the maximum vehicle weight in tons that the bridge can carry.    

Temporary Road. Built with a crushed rock base and a gravel wearing surface over soft ground.    

Knife Rests. At the ends of the bridge, they are portable barriers used to close gaps on paths, roads etc.    

Bell Tent. Used by British and Commonwealth forces since the 19th century and by the Canadian army until the 1970s. This one has a rock and gravel pad and a wood floor due to the wet ground. The tent is in the trees and camouflage painted as the German air force was still conducting small scale raids into England in 1943.    

15 Cwt Truck. 4x4 light truck of which the 6th had 15. Built in Canada to British specifications. It has right hand drive. The 49 in the blue square indicates it is a 6 Field vehicle and the maple leaf in the gray square indicates it is part of 3rd Canadian Infantry Division. The door number is its War Department number (equivalent to a license plate number}. The 4 in the yellow circle is the vehicle's bridge load class.    

Motorcycle. The 6th had 13 motorcycles. Used by liaison officers, couriers and reconnaissance parties. One has been provided for the bridge guard.     
Weapons. The guards and driver are armed with bolt action Lee Enfield rifles and the officer a pistol.