In the autumn of 1944, the Canadians liberated the municipalities south of the Leopold Canal during the Battle of the Leopold Canal.
On 6 October, the soldiers of the 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division began the construction of a bridge over the Leopold Canal between Maldegem and Sint-Laureins. A few days later, the Canadians crossed the canal during the first phase of the "Switchback Operation".
This bridge was initially a kapok bridge built by the Canadian troops. The Bailey Bridge has only been there since the early 1950s. It was placed there by the Belgian engineers and served during and after WWII under the name Langeweg Bridge, also in St-Laureins on the connecting road between St-Laureins and St-Margriete. Due to wear and tear, it was replaced there by a concrete bridge and the original Bailey Bridge was placed in its current location by the Engineers after the wooden floor was repaired. The bridge is still a beautiful reminder of the fierce battles that took place in September and October 1944, delivered by the Canadians to liberate the Scheldt pocket and thus be able to use the port of Antwerp. Today it is called the Lievebrug or Oosthoekbrug.
Source Traces of War