“MULBERRY” HARBOUR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 55, 7 March 1946, Page 4

“MULBERRY” HARBOUR

MODEL TO BE EXHIBITED IN WANGANUI - WARTIME TRIUMPH One of the greatest engineering triumphs of the war—the harbour called "Mulberry”—will be coming to Wanganui in miniature form at some time in the comparatively near future. The model, it is understood, is 100 ft in length and 25ft. in width. The exact date the replica will be here is not known yet. The New Zealand tour is being conducted by the Department, of Internal Affairs and the exhibiting is being arranged through harbour boards in conjunction with the civic authority. On receipt of the information that the harbour would visit Wanganui if desired, the Wanganui Harbour Board conferred with the Wanganui City Council, and arrangements are now in train to find a suitable storage space and exhibiting site for the model. When the Allied forces landed In France an artificial harbour known ao "Mulberry” Harbour was used. It was generally recognised that the conception and execution of this harbour were of prime importance in the success of the operations following D-Day. A miniature of “Mulberry” was later placed on exhibition in London, where it was viewed by many thousands of people. The Interest It created was such that the authorities thought the people of New Zealand should be afforded an opportunity of viewing a replica of a work which played such an Important part in the’ success of the actions which led to the ultimate surrender of Germany. The New Zealand Government therefore arranged for the miniature of Mulberry Harbour to he transported to New Zealand for general exhibition purposes, and it Is expected to reach the Dominion during the cur, rent year.

The Department of Internal Affaire will assume all responsibility for the model, will arrange and be responsible for transport, and will pay any reasonable expenses which may be incurred. The information at present to hand is that "Mulberry” Harbour, when packed ready for shipment, weighs from two tons to two and a-half tone " and measures from 3500 to 4000 cubic feet. When set up it will cover from 1800 to 2500 square feet. The intention is that "Mulberry" Harbour should be placed on exhibition at Auckland. Wellington, Dunedin and Christchurch, and at as many of the other larger ports as time will permit. The story of the original "Mulberry" forms one of the . brightest chapters in the history of World War GENESIS OF “MULBERRY” It was in June, 1943, during the course of the administrative planning for the forthcoming invasion of Europe, that it became clear to the Allied High Command that, if the military operations in Europe were to be undertaken wlih any measure of success the harbour facilities of Northern France would have to be a«- ,

sured. No doubt much of the confidence felt by the German High Command in their defensive plans lay in their reasoned assumption that by wrecking the northern harbours of France they could afford to alow an force to set foot on the Continent with the implication that, denied the necessary port facilities, such a force would inevitably be at the mercy of the Wehrmacht, in full military occupation of Northern France as It had been for four years. Even if every port in Northern France had been left intact by the Germans (a most unlikely proviso—indeed, they did destroy every one of them before evacuating)—the facilities would still have been inadequate for the mighty offensive planned by Supreme Headquarters for the Allied Expeditionary Force. It was decided, therefore, in Jun., 1943, bv the Chief of Combined Operations, that a floating harbour must be constructed and actually towed over tb France! The work of construction was put in hand by Britain’s Ministry of Supply toward the end of September, 1943, and good progress was made throughout the winter month*. The proposal, in essence, was to block off a section of the ocean and so enclose a rectangular stretch of water along the coast, and within this perimeter set up piers. The outer breakwater was made up with concrete caissons and sunken blockships. At strategically placed intervals in this wall entrances were, left for the passage of ships. InsiM was the famous length of pierhead ’ running parallel to the shoreline, along which berthed all ships of medium draught. This pierhead was connected to the land by two lengths of pier roadway. There were also separate pierheads and pier roadways for barges and tank larding craft. The blockships on the outer wall were used not because there were inadequate supplier of concrete caissons but because sufficient tugs were not available to tow the caissons. Sixty odd ships were therefore selected to be used to form part of the wall. Crossing the Channel under their own power, they were sunk in position, giving 24,000 ft. of hrcakwa'cr. In the earlier stages of the landing these hips gave invaluable protection before the caissons arrived.

It was the responsibility of the Admiralty lo provide the breakwater and the blockships, to assemble the great fleet and to tow it to France, and to plan the harbour in accordance with their own lay-out. Upon the shoulders of the War Office fell the task of providing the concrete caissons and piers, to marshal them in the United Kingdom, and to rink the caissons and assemble the sections of piers upon their arrival in French waters. •

The blockships arrived first and were sunk exactly as planned. TheA followed closely behind the assault forces. Directly behind them came the enormous concre’e caissons which, since September. 1943, had been rushed to completion in the muddy estuary of the Thames and at Southampton. Eighty-five ( tugs were used in the great operation, and they ranged in size from small 600-h.p. vessels not generally used for ocean towing up to the b»; J5OO-h.p. United States tugs that had been bv*>Sh* across the Atlantic.

On the way over it was found that the cai. sons, in spite of their unwieldy bulk, towed well, but the lengths of floating pier constituted a ticklish problem. However, they made the jouroey successfully and were mounted in position by the Army. Eight days after D-Day all the floating breakwaters were in position, and 12 days after D-Day more than half the caissons had been sunk in good alignment. - The storm of June 13. which for a time threatened the success of the invasion, will be remembered by many. The prefabricated harbour stood up welt. although the experimental breakwater was destroyed. The storm put back the full working of the hanboui till mid-July. ) It. is a tactical fact that "Mulberry”) 1 made possible the liberation of Wester’. Europe. Without this great British achievement General Eisenhower could never have landed Ine great | mechanised army that drove the Germans back to ultimate surrender.