ROYAL NAVY The Royal Navy supported 21 Army Group in a number of ways. On D Day they carried the invasion force across the Channel and then continued to protect the supply convoys. The navy provided fire support when fighting was in range of their guns, and provided air spotting aircraft. For the Rhine Crossing some naval personnel and landing craft assisted in building bridges. Click for Ship Drawings ROYAL NAVY ROYAL NAVY FIRE SUPPORT The Royal Navy has always used its guns in support of land operations. In NW Europe the Royal Navy used its firepower on D Day and in the Normandy Campaign. There were few opportunities later but there were organisations in place to enable naval gunfire to be controlled by Royal Artillery observers, or as part of a fire plan. Destroyers were very useful since they normally had six 4.7” calibre guns which gave each vessel the firepower of a field artillery battery. Cruisers normally had 6” guns which gave the firepower of medium artillery, while heavy cruisers had 8” guns. There were also monitors and battleships with much bigger guns but these were very vulnerable in confined waters. In coastal areas a corps could have a specially trained Royal Navy officer and a specially trained Royal Artillery officer at the headquarters of the Corp Commander Royal Artillery. These officers could liaise with the Royal Navy ships and co ordinate naval gunfire into corps fire plans. Combined Operations Bombardment Unit. These were organised to provide control for naval gunfire in combined operations. Each unit was organised into troops which each provided seven parties which consisted of trained personnel as follows. 1 X Observation Officer Royal Artillery 1 X observation post assistant Royal Artillery 3 X signaller Royal Navy 1 X Liaison Officer Royal Navy who was stationed on the ship providing fire support. The Observation Officer and his assistant manned an observation post as in Royal Artillery field units. The signallers Royal Navy were provided to operate wireless sets on Royal navy or combined operations frequencies, and to use Royal Naval signal procedures to communicate with their ship. Spotter aircraft were used to control naval gunfire but special communications arrangements were required. The Auster Air Observation Post aircraft was not suitable unless they passed information to one of the above organisations. On D Day observation for Naval gunfire was provided by a spotting pool of aircraft including: Four squadrons of Seafires from the Fleet Air Arm. Five squadrons of Spitfires and Mustangs from the RAF Fifteen Spitfires manned by United States Navy Naval gunfire on D Day was controlled from Headquarters Ships. It was possible for ships to use their fire control radar to engage targets. A spotter aircraft circled the target and allowed the radar to range on it. Special communications arrangements needed to be provided. Naval gunfire proved very effective. It could be used before heavy artillery could be landed and it could be used in conditions which made air strikes difficult. It was also immediately available. Once a target had been found the ships guns could be ready in seconds and could keep up a high rate of fire. German prisoners later gave naval gunfire as a major factor in delaying plans to counter attack since it could make any concentration or attack impossible within their range. EASTERN TASK FORCE. D DAY The Eastern Task Force was the Royal Navy element of the invasion forces and was responsible for the landing beaches used by the British. Task Force Command HMS Scylla 8 X 4.5” guns AA Cruiser Flagship HMS Sirius 10 X 5.25” guns AA Cruiser HMS Rodney 9 X 16” guns Battleship Bombarding Force K (Gold Beach) HMS Argonaut 10 X 5.25” guns AA Cruiser Flagship HMS Orion 8 X 6” guns Cruiser HMS Ajax 8 X 6” guns Cruiser Emerald 7 X 6” guns Cruiser HNMS Flores 3 X 5.9” guns Gunboat Dutch 12 X Destroyer HMS Jervis 6 X 4.7” guns J Class Leader HMS Grenville 4 X 4.7” guns U Class Leader HMS Ulster 4 X 4.7” guns U Class HMS Ulysses 4 X 4.7” guns U Class HMS Undine 4 X 4.7” guns U Class HMS Undaunted 4 X 4.7” guns U Class HMS Ursa 4 X 4.7” guns U Class HMS Urania 4 X 4.7” guns U Class HMS Urchin 4 X 4.7” guns U Class HMS Cattistock 4 X 4” guns Hunt Class HMS Pytchley 4 X 4” guns Hunt Class ORP Krakowiak 6 X 4” guns Hunt Class Polish Bombarding Force E (Juno Beach) HMS Belfast 12 X 6” guns Cruiser Flagship HMS Diadem 8 X 5.25” guns AA Cruiser 11 X Destroyer HMS Faulkner 5 X 4.7” guns F Class Leader HMS Fury 4 X 4.7” guns F Class HMS Kempenfelt 4 X 4.7” guns W Class Leader HMS Venus 4 X 4.7” guns V Class HMS Vigilant 4 X 4.7” guns V Class HMCS Algonquin 4 X 4.7” guns V Class Canadian HMCS Sioux 4 X 4.7” guns V Class Canadian HMS Bleasdale 4 X 4” guns Hunt Class HMS Stevenstone 4 X 4” guns Hunt Class HNMS Glaisdale 4 X 4” guns Hunt Class FFS La Combattante 4 X 4” guns Hunt Class French Bombarding Force D (Sword Beach) HMS Mauritius 12 X 6” guns Cruiser Flagship HMS Warspite 8 X 15” guns Battleship HMS Ramilies 8 X 15” guns Battleship HMS Roberts 2 X 15” guns Monitor HMS Arethusa 6 X 6” guns Cruiser HMS Frobisher 5 X 7.5” guns Cruiser HMS Danae 6 X 6” guns Cruiser ORP Dragon 6 X 6” guns Cruiser Polish 12 X Destroyer HMS Kelvin 6 X 4.7” guns K Class HMS Saumarez 4 X 4.7” guns S Class Leader HMS Scorpion 4 X 4.7” guns S Class HMS Scourge 4 X 4.7” guns S Class HMS Swift 4 X 4.7” guns S Class HMS Serapis 4 X 4.7” guns S Class HMS Virago 4 X 4.7” guns V Class HMS Verulum 4 X 4.7” guns V Class HNMS Stord 4 X 4.7” guns S Class Norwegian HNMS Svenner 4 X 4.7” guns S Class Norwegian HMS Middleton 6 X 4” guns Hunt Class HMS Eglinton 4 X 4” guns Hunt Class Headquarters Ships HMS Bulolo Gold Beach HMS Hilary Juno Beach HMS Largs Sword Beach NAVAL FORCE T. SCHELDT ESTUARY. OCTOBER 1944 HMS Kingsmill 3 X 3” AA Captain Class Frigate. Flagship HMS Warspite 8 X 15” guns Battleship HMS Roberts 2 X 15” guns Monitor HMS Erebus 2 X 15” guns Monitor NAVAL/ARMY AIR LIAISON GROUP War Establishment III/331/1 with an effective date of October 1944. This establishment was issued too late to be used in NW Europe but it did combine and replace two earlier War Establishments, III/5D/2 and III172/1 which would have applied at the time of D Day. Administrative Section General Staff Officer 2nd Grade (Air Liaison Officer) General Staff Officer 3rd Grade (Air Liaison Officer) 2 X clerk RASC Training Section General Staff Officer 2nd Grade (Air Liaison Officer) 2 X General Staff Officer 3rd Grade (Air Liaison Officer) 2 X batman clerk RA clerk RASC for photographic duties 3 X drivers of vehicles 2 X motorcyclist 2 X motorcycle 2 X car 4seat 4 X 2 1 X 3ton 4 X 2 GS Headquarters Ship Section A variable number of Headquarters Ship Sections was trained to serve on Amphibious Force Headquarter Ships. General Staff Officer 2nd Grade (Air Liaison Officer) Carrier Borne Air Liaison Section Type L A variable number of Carrier Borne Air Liaison Sections was trained to serve on aircraft carriers. General Staff Officer 2nd Grade (Air Liaison Officer) General Staff Officer 3rd Grade (Air Liaison Officer) serjeant clerk RASC clerk RASC Note: Liaison Officers could be Army or Royal Marines. ROYAL NAVY BEACH COMMANDO Royal Navy Beach Masters were responsible for activity up to the high tide mark. In effect this meant that they controlled naval activity including - calling in landing craft to the beach using radio, signal lamps and loudhailers. - unloading landing craft according to priorities - providing salvage parties to recover damaged landing craft, stores and equipment - providing fire fighting parties which used DUKWs with trailer pumps in them. Shipping remained under the control of the relevant Royal Navy organisation until released to the Beach Master. Each Royal Navy Beach Commando was intended to handle a beach landing for a brigade. They were designated by letters and there were Beach Commandos A to W, with W being an all Canadian unit. Each Beach Commando had the following personnel Principal Beach Master 3 X Beach Master 6 X Assistant Beach Master 3 X Petty Officer 6 X leading seaman 18 X able seaman 39 X ordinary seaman. These were normally organised as a headquarters and three Beach Parties, one for each combat battalion. Each Royal Navy Beach Commando was linked to an army Beach Group, which was responsible for a brigade landing beach above the high tide mark. The Royal Air Force provided a flight for each landing beach. This was responsible for RAF stores, material for airfield construction and for barrage balloons. Flights were attached to Beach Groups and came under the command of the Beach Master. Eventually all Beach Commandos and Beach Groups were joined together to form Beach Sub Areas which each served a division. ROYAL NAVY NAMED VESSELS. D DAY. Battleships Rodney Warspite Queen Elizabeth Class Ramilies Royal Sovereign Class Monitors Roberts Erebus Cruisers Mauritius Colony Class Belfast Glasgow Orion Leander Class Ajax Leander Class Hawkins Birmingham Class Frobisher Birmingham Class Emerald E Class Enterprise E Class Danae D Class Black Prince Bellona Diadem Sirius Destroyers Note: As a rule destroyers were built in flotillas of eight, one of which was a flotilla leader. All ships of the class began with the same letter so it is usually obvious which class a destroyer belongs to. As always there are exceptions and these are noted. Beagle Faulkner Fury Impulsive Isis Jervis Kelvin Onslow Obedient Orwell Opportune Offa Onslaught Saumarez Savage Scorpion Scourge Serepis Svenner Stord Swift Grenville U Class Ulster Ulysses Undaunted Udine Urania Urchine Ursa Venus Verulam Vigilant Virago Kempenfeldt W Class Ashanti Tribal Class Haida Tribal Class Huron Tribal Class Escorts Escorts were of many types. The most numerous were the Hunt Class which were designed as small destroyers for coastal, rather than fleet, work. Carristock Cotswold Cottesmore Atherstone Whaddon Blankney Middleton Blackmore Liddesdale Farndale Melbreak Wenslydale Tanatside Talybont Stevenstone Bleasdale Brissenden Flower Class were small escort corvettes based on whalers. Armeria Azalea Campanula Clarkia Clematis Clover Godetia Lavender Mignonette Narcissus Oxlip Pennywort Petunia Pink Alberni Black Swan and River Classes were larger escort frigates and sloops. Redpole Magpie Hind Stork Chelmer Nith Captain Class were US built escort destroyers. Duff Horham Halstead Holmes Retalick Riou Rowley Stayner Thorborough Torrington Trollope V and W classes were WWI destroyer designs rebuilt as escorts. Algonquin Sioux Vimy Vidette Vivacious Vesper Versatile Volunteer Westcott Wrestler Campbell Scott Class Minesweepers Minesweepers were kept busy and were of several classes. Bangor Class Androssan Bangor Beaumaris Blackpool Blairmore Bootle Boston Bridlington Bridport Caraquet Cowishan Dornoch Dunbar Eastbourne Fort William Fort York Fraserburgh Georgian Gorgon Guysborough Ilfracombe Kenora Llandudno Lyme Regis Malpeque Milltown Parrsborough Poole Qualicum Romney Rye Seaham Shippigan Sidmouth Tadoussac Tenby Wasaga Wedgeport Whitehaven Worthing Hunt Class. Escorts fitted for minesweeping and capable of performing either role. Elgin Kellet Lydd Panbourne Ross Saltash Selkirk Sutton Halcyon Class. Britomart Gleaner Halcyon Harrier Hussar Jason Salamander Seagull Speedwell Catherine Class Catherine Cato Gazelle Grecian Pique Steadfast Algerine Class Cockatrice Fancy Friendship Gozo Hydra Larne Lennox Loyalty Melita Minas Onyx Orestes Pelorus Persian Pickle Pincher Plucky Postilion Rattlesnake Ready Recruit Rifleman Vestal Trawlers. Two Step Hornpipe Bute Sheppey St Kilda Satsa Calm For D Day and the subsequent maintenance of the army in Europe most of the personnel and stores ships ships were: 1. Specially built or ordered ships including Landing Ship Tank (LST). Some 130 employed. Landing Craft Tank (LCT). Landing Ship Dock (LSD). Only one delivered in time. Thirteen US Standard C1-S-AY1 cargo ships converted to Landing Ship Infantry, Large (LSI(L)). Eighty Scandinavian Type coasters, half built in Canada and half in UK. Four US Standard N3-M-A1 fast coasters. Chant type petrol carriers. Small ships capable of carrying either bulk or canned petrol. 2. Ships originally built as Cross Channel ferries, or ferries for the North Sea and Irish routes. About thirty were converted for use as Landing Ship Infantry, Medium (LSI(M)) Landing Ship Infantry, Small (LSI(S)) Landing Ship Infantry, Hoist (LSI(H)) Hospital Carrier In addition Cross Channel train ferries were used to carry vehicles, locomotives and rolling stock. 3. Merchant Ships converted for service as Landing Ship Infantry, Large (LSI(L)). Seven were used, mainly on D Day. Landing Ship Tank MkI. Three shallow draft tankers were modified to carry tanks and other vehicles. Landing Ship Headquarters, Large (LSH(L)). Three ships were employed, one for each beach. Landing Ship Carrier (LSC). One ship converted to carry LCMs. In addition standard ships were used as store ships and Motor Transport ships US Standard EC-S-** cargo ships (Liberty Ships). Eight small naval ships were employed as Landing Ship Headquarters, Small (LSH(S)). These included two River Class frigates, three Hunt Class escort destroyers, two Captain Class escort destroyers and a gunboat originally intended for use in China. D DAY LANDING SHIPS. By Type Headquarters Ships LSH(L), Landing Ship Headquarters Large Bulolo Hilary Largs LSH(S), Landing Ship Headquarters Small Nith River Class Kingsmill Captain Class Albrighton Hunt Class Lawford Captain Class Waveney River Class Locust Insect Class gunboat Goathland Hunt Class Dacres Hunt Class Landing Ships Infantry LSI(L), Landing Ship Infantry, Large Empire Anvil C1 Empire Arquebus C1 Empire Battleaxe C1 Empire Broadsword C1 Empire Crossbow C1 Empire Cutlass C1 Empire Gauntlet C1 Empire Halberd C1 Empire Javelin C1 Empire Lance C1 Empire Mace C1 Empire Rapier C1 Empire Spearhead C1 Glenearn Glenroy Lamont Llangibby Castle Merchant Monowai Merchant LSI(M), Landing Ship Infantry Medium. Queen Emma Prince David Prince Henry LSI(S), Landing Ship Infantry Small Amsterdam Prins Albert Prinses Astrid Prince Baudouin Prince Charles Prinses Josephine Charlotte Prince Leopold Princess Margaret LSI(H), Landing Ship Infantry Hoist Biarritz Merchant Brigadier Canterbury Merchant Duke of Argyll Merchant Duke of Wellington Invicta Isle of Guernsey Isle of Thanet Lady of Man Merchant Lairds Isle Maid of Orleans Merchant Mecklenburg Merchant Princes Maud Merchant Royal Ulsterman St. Helier Ulster Monarch Victoria Merchant Other Landing Ships Northway, LSD, Landing Ship Dock 3 X LST1, Landing Ship Tank Mk1. 127 X LST2, Landing Ship Tank Mk2 LSE Adventure, Landing Ship Emergency Repair Most ships were manned by the Royal Navy but those listed as Merchant were manned by the Merchant Navy and controlled by the Ministry of War Transport. Merchant ships had a number of Royal Artillery personnel who were responsible for the ships armament and for training the merchant seamen to man it. Landing ships had Royal Marines from the Landing Craft Flotillas to man the LCA and LCM landing craft, usually three men per craft plus and administrative headquarters. US LANDING SHIPS. Several of the British Landing Ships Infantry were assigned to the American Utah and Omaha beaches. These are indicated above but are repeated here for convenience. Landing Ship Infantry, Large. Empire Anvil. Omaha Beach. Empire Javelin. Omaha Beach. Empire Gauntlet. Utah Beach. Landing Ship Infantry, Small. Prince Charles. Omaha Beach Prince Baudouin. Omaha Beach. Prince Leopold. Omaha Beach. Amsterdam. Omaha Beach. Landing Ship Infantry, Hoist. Princess Maud. Omaha Beach Ben My Chree. Omaha Beach. In addition the US Navy provided the following transports. APA. Attack Transports. Samuel Chase. Omaha Beach. Henrico. Omaha Beach. Charles Carroll. Omaha Beach. Thomas Jefferson. Omaha Beach. Bayfield. Utah Beach (Flagship). Joseph T Dickman. Utah Beach. Barnett. Utah Beach. AP. Transports. Anne Arundel. Omaha Beach. Dorothea L Dix. Omaha Beach. Thurston. Omaha Beach. Susan B Anthony. Follow Up. Orizaba. Follow Up. AKA. Assault Cargo Ship. Achernar. AGC. Amphibious Force Flagship. Ancon.
These drawings are from contemporary sources, mainly ship recognition publications The following drawings show vessels as they were immediately pre war. For war service they had hoists or luffing davits fitted for landing craft. Guns were added, usually the heaviest at the stern and lightest on the superstructure. Directors, searchlights and other equipment was added as available and required for their roles. The solid silhouettes show wartime construction for which no drawings have been found.. Landing Ships Headquarters (Large). Hilary. LSH(L). Headquarters ship for Juno Beach. A Booth Line cargo liner built in 1931. ex Ocean Boarding Vessel. 11,250 tons. 442 foot long. 14 knots. Carried 6 X LCP on lifeboat davits. Armament: 1 X 6”, 1 X 12 pdr, 4 X quad 2pdr, 6 X twin 20mm, 2 X single 20mm. Bulolo. LSH(L). Headquarters ship for Gold Beach. An Australian passenger/cargo ship built for routes to the islands in 1938. ex armed merchant cruiser. 9,111 tons. 412 foot long. Carried 6 X LCP on lifeboat davits. Armament: 2 X twin 4”, 5 X 40mm, 14 X 20mm. As built Bulolo had a considerable amount of comfortable accommodation, air conditioning, large water tanks and a swimming pool and made an ideal headquarters ship. Largs. LSH(L). French ferry built in 1938. ex Ocean Boarding Vessel 5,850 tons. 375 foot long. 17 knots. Carried 4 X LCP on lifeboat davits. Armament: 1 X 12pdr, 2 X 2pdr, 14 X 20mm Landing Ships Infantry (Large). C1-S-AY1. Empire Arquebus, Empire Crossbow, Empire Spearhead, Empire Lance, Empire Mace, Empire Rapier, Empire Halberd - Gold Beach. Empire Battleaxe, Empire Broadsword, Empire Cutlass – Sword Beach. Empire Anvil, Empire Javelin – Omaha Beach. Empire Gauntlet – Utah Beach. All thirteen ships were identical US Maritime Commission designs from the same yard which made planning simpler than for the miscellaneous ships. Ordered under Lend Lease for service under the Ministry of War Transport they were transferred to the Royal Navy. After D Day some were converted to other roles and some were refitted for service in the Far East. Some continued to make occasional runs to the Continent when large troop movements were required. 11,650 tons. 417 foot long. 14 knots Armament: 1 X 4”, 1 X 12pdr, 12 X 20mm. Glenroy. Gold Beach. Glenearn. Sword Beach. Two of a class of large and fast cargo liners built for the Glen Line in 1938/39. 9,800 tons. 483 foot long 18 knots. Carried 3 X LCM and 24 X LCA. Accommodation for 1,800 troops Lamont. Juno Beach. One of a class of cargo liners built for the Clan Line in 1939. Sister ships were aircraft transports and depot ships. 7,250 tons. 487 foot long. Carried 2 X LCP and 18 X LCA. Accommodation for 900 troops. Armament: 1 X 4”, 1 X 12pdr, 1 X 40mm, 10 X 20mm. Llangibby Castle. Juno Beach. A Merchant Navy LSI from the Union Castle Line. A large cargo liner built in 1929. 11,951 tons. 507 foot long. 15 knots. Carried 14 X LCA. Royal Marine Flotilla 577. Accommodation for 1,500 troops. Llangibby Castle was a hard working LSI which had already been used as a troopship, then as an LSI in the Torch Operation. On Day she carried troops of the 3rd Canadian Division. She then made nearly seventy trips to Omaha and Utah Beaches and to Le Havre, carrying some 100,000 troops to the Continent. She then went to the Far East. Monowai. Juno Beach. Ex Armed Merchant Cruiser Razmak. A large and fast (20 knots) cargo liner built in 1925. 10,852 tons. 519 foot long. 20 knots. Carried 20 X LCA Landing Ship Infantry (Medium). Prince David. Juno Beach. Prince Henry. Juno Beach. Two fast Canadian ferries. Ex Armed Merchant Cruisers. These ships were extensively modified for the role of AMC and had the bridge moved further astern and had only two funnels, although the forward one was larger. 6,890 tons. 385 foot long. 22 knots. Carried 2 X LCM and 6 X LCA. Accommodation for 444 troops. Armament: 2 X 4”, 1 X 40mm, 6 X 20mm. As modified: Queen Emma. Juno Beach. Fast Dutch Cross Channel ferry built in 1939. 4,136 tons. 380 foot long. 23 knots. Carried 2 X LCM and 6 X LCA. Accommodation for 372 troops. Armament: 2 X 12 pdr, 2 X 2pdr, 6 X 20mm. Landing Ship Infantry (Small). Prinses Astrid. Juno Beach. Prince Charles. Omaha Beach. Prinses Josephine Charlotte. Juno Beach. Prince Leopold. Omaha Beach. A class of four fast Belgian Cross Channel ferries built in 1929/30. 2,950 tons. 360 foot long. 24 knots. Carried 8 X LCA. Accommodation for 250 troops. Armament: 2 X 12 pdr, 2 X 2pdr, 6 X 20mm. Prince Baudouin. Omaha Beach. Fast Belgian Cross Channel ferry built in 1933. 3,219 tons. 370 foot long. 23 knots. Carried 8 X LCA. Accommodation for 196 troops. Armament: 2 X 12 pdr, 2 X 2pdr, 6 X 20mm. Prins Albert. Juno Beach. Fast Belgian Cross Channel ferry built 1937. Only minor differences to Prince Baudouin. 2,938 tons. 370 foot long. 23 knots. Carried 8 X LCA. Accommodation for 250 troops. Armament: 2 X 12pdr, 2 X 2pdr, 6 X 20mm Amsterdam. Omaha Beach. Merchant Navy LSI. LNER Cross Channel ferry built in 1930. 4,220 tons. 351 foot long. 21 knots. Princess Margaret. Juno Beach. Merchant Navy LSI. LMS Cross Channel ferry built in 1931. 2,552 tons. 314 foot long. 20 knots. Continues below...
Landing Ship Infantry, Hoist. LSI (H) Brigadier. Juno Beach. Southern Railway Cross Channel ferry built in 1928. 2,294 tons. 306 foot long. 24 knots. Carried 6 X LCA. Accommodation for 180 troops. Armament: 1 X 12pdr, 4 X 20mm. Duke of Wellington. Juno Beach. Duke of Argyll. Juno Beach. Merchant Navy LSI. Duke of Rothesay. Juno Beach. Merchant Navy LSI. Three LMSR ferries built in 1928. All were fitted out as LSI in 1942. 3,743 tons. 358 foot long. 21 knots. Carried 10 X LCA. Accommodation for 250 troops Armament: 1 X 12pdr, 8 X 40mm Invicta. Juno Beach. Requisitioned while building in 1939. 4,178 tons. 347 foot long. 22 knots Carried 6 X LCA. Accommodation for 250 troops. Armament: 1 X 12pdr, 4 X 20mm. Isle of Guernsey. Juno Beach. 2,132 tons. 306 foot long. 19 knots Isle of Thanet. Juno Beach. A Southern Railway Cross Channel ferry. Ex FAA target ship converted to LSI in 1943. 2,700 tons. 337 foot long. 23 knots Lairds Isle. Juno Beach. An old ferry built in 1911. Varied wartime career including Armed Boarding Vessel and Target Ship. 1,929 tons. 323 foot long. 22 knots. Royal Ulsterman 3,250 tons. 340 foot long. 16 knots. Carried 6 X LCA. Accommodation for 830 troops. Armament: 1 X 12 pdr, 5 X 20mm. St. Helier. Juno Beach. 1,952 tons. 292 foot long. 18 knots. Carried 6 X LCA. Accommodation for 180 troops. Armament: 6 X 20mm. Ulster Monarch. Juno Beach. 3,790 tons 359 foot long. 21 knots. Carried 6 X LCA. Accommodation for 580 troops. Armament: 1 X 12 pdr, 2 X 2pdr, 4 X 20mm Biarritz. Juno Beach. Merchant Navy LSI. Maid of Orleans. Juno Brach. Merchant Navy LSI Two older Southern Railway Cross Channel ferries built 1915/18. 2,400 tons. 341 foot long. Canterbury. Juno Beach. Southern Railway Cross Channel ferry built in 1929. Merchant Navy LSI. 2,900 tons. 330 foot long. 21 knots Lady of Mann. Juno Beach. Ben-My-Chree. Omaha Beach. Two similar Isle of Man ferries built in 1927/1930. Merchant Navy LSI. 3,100 tons. 372 foot long. 23 knots Mecklenburg. Juno Beach. Built 1922. Merchant Navy LSI. 2,900 tons. 350 foot long. 22 knots Princes Maud. Omaha Beach. LMS Cross Channel Ferry built in 1934. Merchant Navy LSI. 2,900 tons. 330 foot long. 20 knots. Victoria. Juno Beach. Isle of Man ferry built in 1907. Merchant Navy LSI. 1,700 tons. 311 foot long. 20 knots. Landing Ship Tank Mk1. Misoa. Bachaquero. Two shallow draught tankers built in 1937 and converted to carry tanks. 4,800 tons. 382 foot long. 12 knots. Carried 2 X LCM. Could carry 18 X 30ton tanks or 33 X 3ton lorry. Armament: 4 X 2pdr, 6 X 20mm. Tasajera. Shallow draught tanker built in 1938 and converted to carry tanks. 3,952 tons. 362 foot long. 10 knots. Carried 2 X LCM. Could carry 18 X 30ton tanks or 33 X 3ton lorry. Armament: 4 X 2pdr, 6 X 20mm SHIPS EMPLOYED IN BUILD UP and MAINTENANCE Daffodil. Princess Iris. Two LNER train ferries built in 1917. Converted to carry and launch LCM but converted back to train ferry and used to carry locomotives and rolling stock to French and Belgian ports. RN operated. 2,700 tons 364 foot long. 12 knots. Armament: 2 X 2pdr, 4 X 20mm Scandinavian Type Coasters. About eighty of these coasters were built with a common hull design but some variations in superstructure, funnels and masts. Half were built in the UK and were operated by the Ministry of War Transport, although small numbers were used by the Royal Navy and the RASC. Half were built in Canada. Most were used for the transport of cargo across the Channel, first to the beaches, then to Mulberry B and eventually to the Channel ports. British built ships were prefixed ‘Empire’, including Empire Gareth, Empire Warner and Empire Osborne. Canadian built ships were suffixed ‘Park’, including Wentworth Park, Mulgrave Park, Hamilton Park and Victoria Park. The Scandinavians were based on the Baltic coasters which were traditionally designed to trade where there were few deep water harbours and they could be beached for unloading, or they could use their own winches and derricks to unload into lighters. These were useful attributes in Normandy. 2,800 tons. 328 foot long. N3-M-A1 Fast Coaster. A class of four US Standard built coasters ordered for use in Normandy. The British units were for express services across the Channel. The US Army deployed N3 units as Port Repair Vessels. 2,483 tons. 291 foot long. Two large holds each 56 foot long and one smaller hold 28 foot long Chant Type Petrol Carrier. A small petrol carrier designed to carry either canned petrol or bulk petrol for the Normandy landings. They could be beached for unloading. 480 tons. 148 foot long. 8 knots. Liberty (EC2-S-C1) A large class of US standard built cargo ships. Originally a British design by J J Thompson of Sunderland it was modified for mass production in US yards and 2,751 were used. They served as store ships and MT ships, and when Antwerp opened as a port they sailed direct from the US. 7176 tons. 441 foot long. 12.5 knots. British Standard Types Not as famous or as numerous as US Standard types these were built in considerable numbers for the Ministry of War Transport and the Royal Navy. Contemporary accounts seldom distinguish between Liberty ships and their British counterparts. Shown are: Standard Type A Standard Type B Standard Type C US NAVY LANDING SHIPS. Ancon. AGC A Panama Railroad cargo/passenger liner built in 1939. 6,812 tons 494 foot long. 18knots. Armament: 2 X 5”, 8 X 40mm. Bayfield. APA. Utah Beach. Henrico. APA. Omaha Beach. Two identical C3-S-A2 ships. 7,845 tons 492 foot long 18 knots. Armament: 2 X 5”, 8 X 40mm Dorothea L Dix. AP. Omaha Beach. Anne Arundel. AP. Omaha Beach. C3 Cargo types. When converted almost identical to C3-S-A2 types. Thomas Jefferson. APA. Omaha Beach. Charles Carroll. APA. Omaha Beach. Samuel Chase. APA. Omaha Beach. Three similar C3 types built as cargo/passenger liners and thus with more accommodation amidships. 8,420 tons. 490 foot long. 17 knots Armament: 1 X 5”, 4 X 3”, 4 X 40mm. Thurston. AP. Omaha Beach. C2-F type. Achernar. AKA. Follow Up. C2-S-B1 Cargo type. 7,300 tons 459 foot long 15 knots. Armament: 2 X 5”, 8 X 40mm. Joseph T Dickman. APA. Utah Beach. A WWI standard President 535 troopship. 14,000 tons. 535 foot long. 18 knots. Barnett. APA. Utah Beach. Susan B. Anthony. AP. Follow Up. Two Grace Line cargo/passenger ships Built1928 and 1930. 8,100 tons. 466 foot long. 16 knots. Note: For excellent photographs of all US ships see Photo Archive Main Index.