DID you know York had another bridge over the Ouse?

It was a temporary construction – a Bailey bridge – built to help transport participants of a grand military tattoo held on Knavesmire from one side of the Ouse to another, back in the summer of 1955.

Our picture today shows bandsmen with the Arab Legion using the Bailey bridge to reach the Knavesmire for a rehearsal.

The bridge was just one of many construction jobs carried out ahead of the Northern Command Military Tattoo, which took place from July 22 to August 1 that year.

Replicas of York Minster, Micklegate Bar and the bar walls were built on Knavesmire for the occasion, which took place after an absence of 22 years.

The aim of the tattoo was to raise funds for civil and military charities.

Among the massed bands and pipers taking part were bandsmen from the historic Arab Legion. Wearing their traditional head-dress, these visitors from Transjordan certainly turned heads during their time in York. We have pictures too, shown here, of them out and about, sightseeing in the city centre. Transjordan was the only non-Commonwealth country which fought with Britain throughout the last war.

Other pictures from our archive show an array of British bandsmen rehearsing for the tattoo, which drew crowds in excess of 100,000 to Knavesmire.

But it wasn't just music that entertained the crowds. As our picture shows, the Royal Corps of Signals motorcycle team also performed at the tattoo – and proved what great balance they had!

Men from many different regiments – including the Arab Legion, the Household Cavalry, the Royal Corps of Signals, the Black Watch and the Durham Light Infantry – arrived in York for the tattoo, with rehearsals being held in some cases several weeks beforehand.

Maxine Gordon