Belgian Resistance - Bridge Over The Ambleve River

Bridge Over The Ambleve River

German troops were moved by train from stations in Belgium. The resistance network monitored these transport trains to determine the patterns of German troop movement. Herman Bodson was a Belgian chemist before the war broke out in Europe. Bodson was heavily involved with the Comet line and worked with allied Special Forces during the war. He also served as a medic during the Battle of the Bulge. He worked with several resistance units in and around Brussels. Allied commanders passed on targets to the men, who would carry out the sabotage missions. Bodson had received reports that the German Army was constantly sending trains full of German soldiers throughout Belgium. The resistance network quickly identified when and where troop trains would be traveling. The plan was to destroy a vital bridge between the towns of La Gleize and Stoumont. A group of nearly 40 members of the Belgian Resistance assembled at the bridge and quickly began placing explosives on the bridge's center arch. As a German troop train approached the bridge, the explosives were detonated. The train, unable to stop in time, crashed into the river killing all 600 German soldiers aboard. Belgian saboteurs received much of their supplies, including explosives and arms by stealing them from German munitions dumps and during skirmishes with the German Army. One faction of the resistance, known as Group G carried out numerous successful sabotage missions. The Germans were continuously tested by the resistance groups. Throughout the war Group G caused the Germans to expend 20 million man-hours of labor to repair damages done by the underground.