World War 2 In Review No. 68: British ‘Landing Craft Assault’

By Merriam Press

Merriam Press World War 2 In Review Series. This issue covers the British 'Landing Craft Assault' or LCA of World War II. The LCA was a landing craft used extensively in World War II. Its primary purpose was to ferry troops from transport ships to attack enemy-held shores. The craft derived from a prototype designed by John I. Thornycroft Ltd. of Woolston, Hampshire, UK. During the war it was manufactured throughout the United Kingdom in places as various as small boatyards and furniture manufacturers. 89 B&W and color photos and illustrations.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Feb 28, 2020
• ISBN: 9781678147587

Book preview

World War 2 In Review No. 68: British ‘Landing Craft Assault’

World War 2 In Review No. 68: British ‘Landing Craft Assault’

F:\Working Data\Merriam Press Logo CS.jpg

Hoosick Falls, New York

2020

First eBook Edition

Copyright © 2020 by Merriam Press

Additional material copyright of named contributors.

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

The views expressed are solely those of the authors.

ISBN 978-1-67814-758-7

This work was designed, produced, and published in the United States of America by the Merriam Press, 489 South Street, Hoosick Falls NY 12090.

Notice

The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to five years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

Mission Statement

World War 2 In Review presents articles and pictorials on topics covering many aspects of World War II, with coverage from the 1930s through the end of the war. In addition to new articles and pictorials on topics not previously covered, future volumes may include additional material on the subjects covered in this volume. The volumes in this series will comprise a single source for innumerable articles and tens of thousands of images of interest to anyone interested in the history and study of World War 2. While no doubt some of these images and other materials could be found online, countless hours could be spent searching thousands of web sites to find at least some of this material.

The Images

These photos are seventy-plus years old, were taken under less than ideal conditions, and some were taken by individuals who were neither professional photographers nor using professional equipment. Thus, the quality of the original image may be less than perfect. While Merriam Press tries to obtain the best quality images possible, the quality of the images in this publication will no doubt vary greatly.

World War 2 In Review utilizes the editor’s collection of tens of thousands of photographs and other illustrative material acquired since 1968. Hundreds of sources over the years have been searched for material on every subject.

Photographs Needed

Merriam Press welcomes any contributions of photographs from the 1930s through the end of World War II for future volumes in this series. Because of the low price of this publication, no payment can be made for their use, but whenever possible, credit will be given.

How to Use This Publication

To get the best viewing experience on a computer, the use of the Adobe Digital program is highly recommended. This free program is available from Adobe.

To view the images properly, adjust the program’s viewing window’s right side edge accordingly. If the viewing window is too wide, images may overlap, and moving the right side edge will fix this.

•

Welcome to No. 68 of the World War 2 In Review Series

with 89 images

British Landing Craft Assault (LCA)

F:\Working Data\WW2 In Review\WR Published\WR - 068 - British LCA\WR069-LE1-Large_files\image002.jpg

British Navy Landing Craft LCA-1377. Carries American troops to a ship, in a British port during preparations for the Normandy invasion, circa May-June 1944. Note British sailors in the boat’s conning station. Letters PB on the boat’s side indicate that it is assigned to HMS Prince Baudouin.

*

Landing Craft Assault (LCA) was a landing craft used extensively in World War II. Its primary purpose was to ferry troops from transport ships to attack enemy-held shores. The craft derived from a prototype designed by John I. Thornycroft Ltd. of Woolston, Hampshire, UK. During the war it was manufactured throughout the United Kingdom in places as various as small boatyards and furniture manufacturers.

Typically constructed of hardwood planking and selectively clad with armor plate, this shallow-draft, barge-like boat with a crew of four could ferry an infantry platoon of 31, with space to spare for five additional specialist troops, to shore at 7 knots (13 km/h). Men generally entered the boat by walking over a gangplank from the boat deck of a troop transport as the LCA hung from its davits. When loaded, the LCA was lowered into the water. Soldiers exited by the boat’s bow ramp.

The LCA was the most common British and Commonwealth landing craft of World War II, and the humblest vessel admitted to the books of the Royal Navy on D-Day. Prior to July 1942, these craft were referred to as Assault Landing Craft (ALC), but Landing Craft; Assault (LCA) was used thereafter to conform with the joint US-UK nomenclature system.

The Landing Craft Assault’s design’s sturdy hull, load capacity, low silhouette, shallow draft, little bow wave, and silenced engines were all assets that benefited the occupants. The extent of its light armor, proof against rifle bullets and shell splinters with similar ballistic power recommended the LCA. Also, many a Tommy and GI looked favorably upon the luxury of seating in the well for the soldier passengers. Throughout the war in the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and the Indian Ocean, the LCA was the most likely sea assault transport of British Commandos, United States Army Rangers, and other Special Forces.

Origins

For centuries the Royal Navy had been landing soldiers on hostile shores, prominent examples being Quebec 1759, Peking 1900, during the Dardanelles campaign 1915-16 and the Zeebrugge Raid 1918. During the inter-war period, however, a combination of recent experience and economic stringency contributed to the delay in producing a modern infantry assault landing craft.

The costly failure of the Gallipoli campaign during World War I coupled with the emerging potential of airpower satisfied many in naval and military circles that the age of amphibious operations had come to a close. Still, throughout the 1920s and 1930s, animated discussion in Staff Colleges in Britain and the Indian Army Staff College, Quetta surrounded the strategic potential of the Dardanelles campaign compared with the strategic stalemate of the Western Front. The economic