CORPS ROUTE NETWORK DEVELOPMENT

Initial analysis has concentrated on the 21st Army Group operating in North West Europe between June 1944 (D-Day) and May 1945.

http://www.arrc.nato.int/journal/aug...crps_route.htm

The 21st Army Group's frontage (two corps wide) resulted in an initial plan for two Class 70 routes and five Class 40 routes.

...it was decided to reduce the main forward routes to one Class 70 and one Class 40. Even so, at the height of operations, in one 24-hour period 4990 vehicles (in alternating traffic flows) crossed the pontoon bridge at VENLO.

In all more than 50% of the total engineer effort at divisional level and above in 21st Army Group was directed to route maintenance.

Between June 1944 and May 1945:

· 1,445 Bailey bridges.
· 125 airfields constructed or repaired
1,260 miles graded road unsurfaced. (Compacted earth)
· 360 miles graded road surfaced. (Compacted earth sealed with bitumen)
· 260 miles repairs to cratered surfaced roads. (Draining, filling and sealing of craters)
· 140 miles repairs to cratered unsurfaced road. (Draining, filling and sealing of craters as required)
1,200 miles of pipeline, including 12 pipelines across the channel.

The provision of electrical pumping apparatus for draining large areas of the NETHERLANDS flooded during the retreat of German forces.

Hutting for winter quarters was required for 200,000 personnel with associated track way and hard standing. This included over 1,000 AA (air defence) camps and sites in the ANTWERP area. From December 1944 Nissan huts were produced (by civilian contractors) at the rate of 5,000 per month in order to provide accommodation along the LoC for 200,000 DPREs and PWs. In all 180 miles of 20 ft span hutting was erected.

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