ENGINEERING FEAT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18949, 21 February 1925, Page 11

ENGINEERING FEAT.

BRIDGE BUILT IN ACTION, A GREAT WAR SERVICENEW ZEALANDER'S ACHIEVEMENT A speech in response to h formal toast does not usually take such a turn as that given to one delivered at the annual conversazione of the New Zealand Society of ('ivil Engineers, in ('hristcburch. Responding to the toast oi " The Navy and manding the Southern Command, naturally enough made mention of performances of the engineering units during the great war. " They compared more than favourably in many respects with those of engineers from any part of the world, ' staled Colonel Young. " One engineer in particular, Captain Holmes, who was responsible for the erection of the famous bridge over the Canal du Nord, earned an undying name for the skill of the New Zealand engineers. I. don't knowwhet her he ever attends your conference. " He is here now, sitting in front of you,'' cried a voice. There was a tremendous burst of applause, and it was difficult to judge, winch of the two was the more embarrassed, the speaker or Mr. N, D. Holmes, of Wellington. When the, tumult and the .shouting died Colonel Young continued his eulogism with additional /.est. "Well, I never had the pleasure of meeting Captain Holmes before this," he said. " but I may state, that so skilful was the design and erection of that bridge that it was the talk of !hc highest officers in the Army." Remarking that Mr. Holmes would probably be too modest to outline the exploit himself, Colonel Young explained that during the second battle of Cambrai the authorities were faced with the problem of building quickly over the Canal du Nord a bridge, strong enough to carry the largest tanks, one of which weighed 54 tons. Captain Holmes was in charge of the New Zealand Engineers Tunnelling Company, which was not » trained bridging unit, but. was characterised by enthusiasm and adaptability. Under Captain Holmes' direction these engineers built, during a battle a bridge of 180 ft. span, the largest single span bridge built under artion. The works were visited by Sir Houglas Haig, and also bv General Rvng. Genera! Home. General Parker, chief engineer of the British Expeditionary Forces, and Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson. "Tt was a. feat that stands unique in the annals of military engineering," ended Colonel Young, amid renewed applause.