Outdoor Museum Bailey Bridge

Bailey Bridge, named after architect Donald Bailey, is a temporary bridge built by the Allies where the bridges had been destroyed, or where the existing bridges were neither strong nor wide enough to allow war vehicles to pass. The Bailey bridges were built by the hundreds in Normandy the day after the Landing in June 1944 and in Western Europe until the end of the war. The genius of the Bailey Bridge design lay in the simplicity of its erection. Without any mechanical help, an engineering team (Royal Engineers) could assemble and disassemble a bridge quickly and very easily. The first Bailey bridge in France was built a few hundred meters south of the Pegasus bridge. During the Battle of Normandy, 17 Bailey bridges were built across the Orne and the canal to allow reinforcements to cross. The Bailey Bridge on display in the Pegasus Memorial Park was used on the Dives until 2001. Many War Bailey bridges are still in use around the world. musee.memorial-pegasus.com/en/le-pont-bailey

The real Pegasus Bridge over the Orne has been replaced by a slightly larger copy. The original is now close to the museum, which uses various objects to paint a picture of life during the occupation and invasion. (Michelin)