'Crossing the Artlenburg bridge', May 1945

Photograph by Major Wilfred Herbert James Sale, MC, 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters), World War Two, North West Europe, 1945.

A motorcycle despatch rider crosses a pontoon bridge over the River Elbe in Germany.

In the last weeks of the World War Two (1939-1945) 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) were in action in Lower Saxony. Opposition was relatively light and casualties were low. The Sharpshooters war diary records that 'B' Squadron crossed the River Elbe at Artlenburg on 2 May 1945. The same day, north of Artlenburg, German forces at Geesthact surrendered ammunition dumps containing explosive warheads for V2 rockets to 'B' Squadron and elements of the East Lancashire Regiment.

From an album containing 198 photographs compiled by Major W H J Sale, MC, 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters).