Mark 8 Landing Craft Tank: Difference between revisions
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| HMAV ''Arakan''<ref group="n">Arakan was the site of much fighting during the Burma Campaign</ref> |
| HMAV ''Arakan''<ref group="n">Arakan was the site of much fighting during the Burma Campaign</ref> |
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| Deployed to Singapore February 1964 from Portsmouth England, handed over to Singapore forces 1970{{citation needed|April 2010}} |
| Deployed to Singapore February 1964 from Portsmouth England, handed over to Singapore forces 1970 sold on to civilian market 6 months later{{citation needed|April 2010}}<ref RASC/RCT Corps history> |
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Revision as of 10:57, 6 April 2010
_-_Village_Bay_1_-_July_1977.jpg) HMAV Abbeville beached in Village Bay, St Kilda, Scotland.
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Mark 8 Landing Craft Tank |
| Operators | list error: <br /> list (help) Royal Navy British Army Malaysian Navy French Navy |
| Completed | 31 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Landing craft tank |
| Displacement | list error: <br /> list (help) 657 tons (light) 895 to 1,017 tons loaded |
| Length | list error: <br /> list (help) 225 feet (69 m) between perpendiculars 231.2 feet (70.5 m) overall |
| Beam | 38 feet (12 m) |
| Draught | list error: <br /> list (help) 3.2 feet (0.98 m) forward 5 feet (1.5 m) aft |
| Propulsion | 4 Paxman 12TPM engines, 1,840 bhp |
| Speed | list error: <br /> list (help) 8 knots (15 km/h) cruising 12.6 knots (23.3 km/h) |
| Range | 4,000 miles (6,400 km) at cruising speed |
| Capacity | 300 tons |
| Complement | 33 to 37 |
| Notes | Taken from:[1][2][3] |
The Mark 8 Landing Craft Tank (also referred to as the LCT (8) or LCT Mark VIII) were landing craft tank ships operated by the British Armed Forces. Based on an American World War II design, thirty-one vessels were constructed for the Royal Navy.
Twelve were transfered to the British Army; these were initally operated by the Royal Army Service Corps, then by the Royal Corps of Transport. Between 1958 and 1966, the other 19 ships in the class were transferred out to foreign navies or civilian companies, converted for other uses, or otherwise disposed of.
During their service life, vessels of the class operated during the Suez Crisis and Indonesian Confrontation, and were involved in the setup and supply of guided weapons bases in the Hebrides as part of Operation Hardrock.
Design and production
![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion with: how did the differ from earlier LCTs, who built them. You can help by adding to it. (February 2010) |
The design of the LCT Mark 8 was derived from the 1943 American LCT Mark 7 (eventually re-categorised Landing Ship Medium).[4] This was the United States' first large landing craft, and had the capacity to transport three to five tanks at a speed of 12 knots (22 km/h). Although not ideal for Britain's needs, designers used the basic concept as a model for the Mark 8, which would be Britain's final LCT. The freeing up of resources at the end of the Second World War allowed for a markedly improved design and specification compared to earlier wartime models.[4]
_-_Benbeculla_2_-_July_1977.jpg)
The Mark 8 had the capacity to carry eight medium tanks or 300 tons of cargo. Each was powered by four Paxman diesel engines, which could propel the vessel at a maximum speed of 12 knots (22 km/h).[3][4]
Service
Royal Navy
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| This section needs expansion with: the addition of information on what activities the LCT carried out during Suez. You can help by adding to it. (February 2010) |
LCT (8)s operated by the Navy were either named after features of castle architecture or remained unnamed during their naval service life.[citation needed]
Nine ships in the class (HM Ships Redoubt, Rampart, Citadel, Parapet, Bastion, Counterguard, Portcullis, Sallyport, and Buttress) served during the 1956 Suez Crisis under Royal Navy control,[5] while a tenth (L4086, later named HMAV Arromanches) operated with a civilian crew.[3]
Army
The Suez Crisis highlighted the Army's need to train landing craft crews to respond to similar emergencies.[6] Beginning in 1957, twelve LCT (8)s were transferred to the Army and stationed at Portsmouth: seven entered Army service between January and March of that year, while the other five followed later.[3] The vessels were given names of Second World War battles, and were crewed by men of 76 Company, Royal Army Service Corps (RASC).[3] The RASC Water Transport Training Unit, based at Fort Victoria on the Isle of Wight began running LCT training courses and supplied the vessels with crews (men on their National Service) until the unit closed in 1962.[6]
In 1957, several of the LCTs took part in Operation Hardrock, the establishment of a guided weapons range in the Hebrides.[7] The vessels made exploratory voyages and subsequently delivered men and equipment to islands like St Kilda, South Ford, and Lochboisdale.[8] In the following years, they made supply runs from their base at Cairnryan to the islands.[9] Landings were dangerous, due to weather and beach conditions, and on one occasion, Abbeville became grounded at Village Bay in St Kilda for three days.[9]
In 1960, three of the LCTs (Ardennes, Agedabia and Arromanches) were transferred to Singapore.[10] Whilst in service there they carried out routine transport and ammunition dumping activities, and were deployed in the Indonesian Confrontation in 1962. Two more LCTs (Antwerp and Arakan) were despatched to the region the following year.[11]
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When the LCTs first entered service with the British Army they were designated as Royal Army Service Corps Vessels (RASCV). In 1965, the RASC were amalgamated with the transportation arm of the Corps of Royal Engineers to form the Royal Corps of Transport.[12] The following year, a Royal Warrant dictated that all RCT vessels were to be titled Her Majesty's Army Vessels (HMAV).[13][n 1]
Other forces
HMS Buttress was sold to the French Navy in July 1965; she was redesignated L 9061.[1] Counterguard was sold to the Royal Malaysian Navy in 1965 and renamed Sri Langkawi.[1] The vessel operated under this name until February 1968, when she was disposed of.[14]
Vessels in class
| Pennant number | Name (if given) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| L4001 | HMS Redoubt | Was involved in the 1956 Suez Crisis.[5] Sold for scrap in 1965.[1] |
| L4002 | HMAV Agheila[n 2] | |
| L4025 | Struck from service in 1960.[1] | |
| L4037 | HMS Rampart HMAV Akyab[n 3] |
As HMS Rampart,[1] L4037 was involved in the Suez Crisis with the Royal Navy.[5] She was tranferred to the Army in 1965 and renamed Akyab.[15] Compared to other vessels in the class, L4037 had a higher forecastle (which allowed larger tanks to board) and elevated bridge to improve visibility.[15] The aft lattice mast was also larger.[1] |
| L4038 | HMS Citadel | Was involved in the Suez Crisis.[5] Converted into a fleet degaussing vessel prior to 1968.[1] Marked for disposal in 1968.[16] |
| L4039 | HMS Parapet | Was involved in the Suez Crisis.[5] Sold into civilian service at Sark in 1966.[1] |
| L4040 | HMS Bastion | Was involved in the Suez Crisis.[5] Sold to Zambia on 15 September 1966.[1] |
| L4041 | HMAV Abbeville | Ran aground at Village Bay in St Kilda for three days in 1957, but subsequently re-floated.[9] |
| L4042 | Struck from service in 1958.[1] | |
| L4043 | HMS Counterguard | Was involved in the Suez Crisis.[5] Sold to Malaysia in 1965 and renamed Sri Langkawi.[1] Sold off for disposal in February 1968.[17] |
| L4044 | HMS Portcullis | Was involved in the Suez Crisis.[5] Converted into a fleet degaussing unit prior to 1968.[1] Marked for disposal in 1968.[16] |
| L4045 | Struck from service in 1958.[1] | |
| L4049 | Struck from service in 1960.[1] | |
| L4050 | Struck from service in 1958.[1] | |
| L4061 | HMAV Audemer[n 4] | Superstructure enlarged to house extra staff when the vessel was converted to a Squadron HQ in 1961.[18] |
| L4062 | HMAV Aachen[n 5] | |
| L4063 | HMS Jawada | Loaned to a civilian company, later disposed of in Bahrain.[1] |
| L4063 | Struck from service in 1960.[1] | |
| L4064 | HMS Sallyport | Was involved in the Suez Crisis.[5] Sold for scrap in 1965.[1] |
| L4073 | HMAV Ardennes | |
| L4074 | HMAV Antwerp | Deployed to Singapore February 1964 from Portsmouth England, handed over to Singapore forces 1970[citation needed] |
| L4085 | HMAV Agedabia[n 6] | |
| L4086 | HMAV Arromanches[n 7] | Distinguishable from other units in the class by a larger lattice mast.[1] Took part in the Suez Crisis with a civilian crew.[3] |
| L4097 | HMAV Andalsnes[n 8] | |
| L4098 | Struck from service in 1960.[1] | |
| L4099 | HMS Buttress | Was involved in the Suez Crisis.[5] During this deployment, Buttress lost her mast while alongside the aircraft carrier HMS Theseus, when it collided with a sponson.[5] Sold to France in July 1965 and renamed L 9061.[1] |
| L4128 | HMAV Arezzodeployed to Bahrein 23 November 1965, subsequent local disposalCite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page).
|
Deployed to Singapore February 1964 from Portsmouth England, handed over to Singapore forces 1970 sold on to civilian market 6 months later[citation needed]<ref RASC/RCT Corps history> |
| L4165 | Struck from service in 1958.[1] |
Footnotes
- ^ For example, L4041 – formerly known as RASCV Abbeville – became HMAV Abbeville
- ^ El Agheila was the site of fighting during the North Africa Campaign
- ^ now known as Sittwe, Akyab is the capital of the former Arakan state in Burma
- ^ Pont-Audemer is on the Normandy coast
- ^ Aachen, historically known as Aix-la-Chapelle was taken by the Allies in 1944
- ^ Ajdabiya is a coastal location in Libya
- ^ Arromanches-les-Bains was one of the sites for a Mulberry Harbour
- ^ the Battle of Åndalsnes followed a landing by British forces in the Norwegian Campaign of 1940
Citations
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Blackman (ed.), Jane's Fighting Ships, 1968-69, p. 320
- ^ Carr, Paxman and the Royal Navy
- ^ a b c d e f Habesch, The Army's Navy, p. 142
- ^ a b c Bishop, The Encyclopedia of Weapons of WWII, p. 536
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Paul & Sprint, British Units involved in the Suez crisis
- ^ a b Cantwell, Fort Victoria p. 44
- ^ Habesch, The Army's Navy, p. 143
- ^ Habesch, The Army's Navy, pp. 143-144
- ^ a b c Habesch, The Army's Navy, p. 144
- ^ Habesch, The Army's Navy, p. 147
- ^ Habesch, The Army's Navy, p. 149
- ^ Habesch, The Army's Navy, p. 151
- ^ Habesch, The Army's Navy, p. 154
- ^ Blackman (ed.), Jane's Fighting Ships, 1968-69, p. 187
- ^ a b Habesch, The Army's Navy, p. 153
- ^ a b Warships, Hansard
- ^ Blackman (ed.), Jane's Fighting Ships, 1968-69, p. 187
- ^ Habesch, The Army's Navy, p. 148
References
- Bishop, Christopher (ed.) (2002). The Encyclopedia of Weapons of WWII: The Comprehensive Guide to over 1,500 Weapons Systems, Including Tanks, Small Arms, Warplanes, Artillery, Ships, and Submarines. Metrobooks. p. 536. ISBN 1586637622.
{{cite book}}:|author=has generic name (help) - Blackman, Raymond (ed.) (1968). Jane's Fighting Ships, 1968-69 (71st edition ed.). London: Jane's Publishing Company. p. 320. OCLC 123786869.
{{cite book}}:|author=has generic name (help);|edition=has extra text (help) - Cantwell, Anthony (1985). Fort Victoria: 1852–1969. Isle of Wight County Council Cultural Services. ISBN 0906328322.
- Habesch, David (2001). The Army's Navy: British Military Vessels and their history since Henry VIII. Chatham Publishing. ISBN 1861761570.
- Paul, James (2008). "British Units involved in the Suez crisis". Britain's Small Wars. Retrieved 25 May 2009.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Carr, Richard (2007). "Paxman and the Royal Navy". Paxman History Pages. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
- "Warships". Hansard. 11 March 1977. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
External links
- Chieftains for Germany - A 1967 Pathé Newsreel showing the loading of Chieftain tanks aboard HMAV Andalsnes for delivery to British units stationed in Germany.