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Summary

Swing bridge over the Exeter Canal built in 1936. It was used, together with the road bridge over the river to the north-east, for training British paratroops prior to D-Day in 1944. The adjacent bascule bridge, which now takes the north carriageway, was not built until 1972.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 1413166
• Tide Project: 15/05/2020

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• SWING BRIDGE (Built, Mid 20th Century - 1936 AD to 1936 AD)

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, 3G/TUD/UK22 (Aerial Photograph). SDV345129.

Swing bridge visible.

Horner, B., 2001, Swing Bridge over Exeter Canal near Countess Wear (Correspondence). SDV347388.

The swingbridge at Countess Weir was used to train British paratroops prior to D-Day. This is because of the similarity of layout of two bridges, canal and river, to the set up at the Orne River ("Pegasus Bridge").

Pink, F., 2014, South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey Desk-Based Assessment (Interpretation). SDV357736.

1st Line Defence, 2016, Detailed Unexploded Ordnance Threat Assessment. Exeter Bridge Road, 13.2.3-6, Annex M (Report - Assessment). SDV360967.

Both Countess Wear Bridge and the Countess Wear Swing Bridge were utilised for training in preparation for the allied assault on Pegasus Bridge, as part of the D Day landings.
The two bridges, one over a river, the other over a canal, were a replica of the bridges in Normandy and, therefore, the ideal location for practicing the assault. Training, using live ordnance, took place in May 1944. In the event, the capture of the bridges in France was a complete success with both being taken in just 10 minutes with comparatively few casualties.

Passmore, M., 2019, The Bridges at Countess Wear, Exeter (Leaflet). SDV363121.

The swing and road bridges over the canal and river at Countess Wear were used to train troops in May 1944 prior to D-Day as their layout is similar to bridges over the Caen Canal and the River Orne in Normandy. It was vital to the success of the mission that the Normandy bridges were captured and held to prevent their destruction by enemy forces. The capture of the bridges, code-named Operation Deadstick, was carried out in an airborne assault by the Second Battalion the Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry who were landed close by the bridges in Horsa personnel-carrying gliders. The French river bridge was later renamed Horsa Bridge and the canal bridge, Pegasus Bridge, from the emblem of the airborne forces.
A plaque adjacent to the Exeter swing bridge, commemmorating the event, was unveiled in July 1994.
It should be noted though that the bascule bridge adjacent to the swing bridge played no part, as it was not built until 1972.

Ordnance Survey, 2020, MasterMap 2020 (Cartographic). SDV363413.

Swing Bridge marked.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV345129	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. 3G/TUD/UK22. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper).
SDV347388	Correspondence: Horner, B.. 2001. Swing Bridge over Exeter Canal near Countess Wear. Email to English Heritage. A4 Single Sheet.
SDV357736	Interpretation: Pink, F.. 2014. South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey Desk-Based Assessment. AC Archaeology Report. ACD618/4/3. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV360967	Report - Assessment: 1st Line Defence. 2016. Detailed Unexploded Ordnance Threat Assessment. Exeter Bridge Road. 1st Line Defence. 2975JF00. Digital. 13.2.3-6, Annex M.
SDV363121	Leaflet: Passmore, M.. 2019. The Bridges at Countess Wear, Exeter. Number 54. Digital.
SDV363413	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2020. MasterMap 2020. Ordnance Survey Digital Mapping. Digital. [Mapped feature: #125269 ]

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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