miscellaneous
French pontooniers building a pontoon bridge
FRENCH PONTOON
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| A French pontoon |
The pontoon bridges were an indispensable strategical assets of all
Napoleonic armies, allowing to get the military forces across water
obstacles, outflanking the enemy by crossing rivers in non expected
places. In the case of the French pontonniers, their organization
must be credited to General Jean-Baptiste Eblé.
Pontoons were rectangular-shaped flat copper-bottomed boats that would
be positioned together, anchored, and then have planks laid across its
length.
The materials for the temporary spans were carried by the pontonniers'
wagon train right down from the pontoons themselves to the clamps,
spikes and anchors needed to secure them. There were also mobile
wagon-mounted forges used to make items that were out of stock. Whereas
the pontonniers
were men of the Artillery branch, the pontoon bridge trains were
manned by French Auxiliary Service
Troops.
HäT will release a
French Napoleonic Pontoon Bridge, Reference 8108. I have painted
a proof sprue, kindly sent to me by HäT staff.
| UNIT | COLOR SCHEME | NOTES | PICTURES |
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French Pontoon Hät 8108 |
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Osprey MAA-96 New Vanguard 66 |
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Links of interest:
Artillery Equipments of the Napoleonic Wars, (Men-At-Arms Series,
96), Terence Wise and Richard Hook, Osprey-Publishing 1979.
Napoleon's Guns 1792-1815 (1) Field Artillery, (New Vanguard, 66),
René Chartrand and Ray Hutchins, Osprey-Publishing, 2003.