"The North Rumaylah Crossing "

by David Rowlands

size 58 x 38 cm

March 2003: The Iraqi Army had tried to demolish this strategically important bridge with explosives, but only succeeded in dropping one of of the spans. On 23rd March, 200 kgs of explosives that failed to detonate were cleared from a pier of the bridge. 9 Parachute Sqn RE started constructing a Medium Girder Over Bridge (MGOB). This was followed by a 38 meter un-tensioned BR Long Span (LS) General Support Bridge (GSB), built across the dropped span by 64 HQ Sqn, 28 Engineer Regiment. This was the first operational deployment of the LS GSB, which is built using the Automated Bridge Launching Equipment (ABLE).

On 31 March (D+12), 23 Amphibious Engineer Sqn provided an M3 ferry crossing at North Rumaylah in support of 16 Air Assault Brigade’s expansion north. This allowed AS90 self-propelled guns and support vehicles of D Battery 3 RHA to cross the Hawr al Hammar Canal. The AS90s were too heavy to cross the General Support Bridge.

The M3 Amphibious Bridge is a Close Support Bridge consisting of units (known as 'Rigs') which can drive on land, have good cross-country ability and can float to form ferries, or link together to form floating bridges.

The first operational deployment of M3 ferry rigs had occurred on the Shatt al Basrah canal at Crossing Point ANNA. It was provided by a troop of 23 Amph Engr Sqn, 28 Engineer Regt, supported by 59 Independent Commando Sqn RE and 131 Indep Cdo Sqn RE (V).

I crossed this bridge in a Land Rover with the OC and CSM of A Company 3 PARA. We stopped on the North bank beside the bridge so that I could have a good look around it. At bottom right I have painted Major David Moreton, OC 23 Amphibious Engineer Squadron; Troop Staff Sergeant Roger Smith; and Squadron Sergeant Major Quinn.

28 Engineer Regiment was commanded by Lt Col C N R Skeat.