Tank landing craft launched by local typist

[Brian]

With thanks to Richard Clements and family for the following pictures.



LCT1202 after being launched


Florence Clements, the "typist" mentioned above and below





Florence and official party



LCT 872 in Warrenpoint harbour



LCT Crew

Richard tells me the rope that was used in the ceremony to swing the bottle onto the craft is now in his possession at home, a fascinating collection of pictures in my view

[Adie]

Any idea where LCT 872 ended up, Brian?

[StLouisGuy]

Great items Brian. Pass on our thanks to the Clements family.

[Charlotte's Treat]

Hi All,

I did a bit of Googling on tank landing craft and two hours later i was still reading. Basically i haven't found any records on individual craft but found loads of stuff on what they were and what they did and where they did it !! Some amazing stuff out there on how they were designed specifically for the gradient of the beaches where they were intended to land and also that whilst there were the best intentions design wise there were a few dodgy moments where tanks disembarked and sank in the sand before reaching shore. One thing though..The ingenuity was astounding!

Great post and once again thanks to the contributor.

[Brian]

Any idea where LCT 872 ended up, Brian?

Not sure, but I do know it survived the war.

[Padraigin]

These pics still causing plenty of discussion off line too..."sure you should know which war by looking at the boats....did you not know about the ramps...etc..etc..."

[Brian]

I also forgot to mention that Richard told me Florence is still with us living in Comber, and is very sprightly despite being in her early 80's

[patMG07]

Were these craft constructed from steel or had they anything to do with the 'concrete' boats that apparently constructed at one time?

[Brian]

They were steel craft, and constructed separately from the concrete boats. Seemingly over 1000 people worked in the shipyards back in 1943, there is a few links on site already to this BBC article about the concrete boats.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/yo ... 0226.shtml

[patMG07]

I had heard previously about the concrete boats which is itself a fascinating topic ! It's a pity that something long term did not come from the point shipyard, be it concrete or steel craft. I suppose there would be few if any photos taken where they were being built, presumably it would have been classified. I wonder if there is anything in German records to indicate if they regarded the docks in Warrenpoint and what went on there as any sort of significant target. Unfortunatley my German is rather limited so I'll leave that to some of our German scholars to research !

[Brian]

Oh it was a target alright, as all shipyards were, I posted elsewhere a targeting map from the Luftwaffe for Kilkeel/Greencastle and was told there is one for the point, but it has not surfaced anywhere yet. It makes you wonder what could have happend...

On the subject of things being classified, if you look at the newspaper cutting above of the landing craft after launch, you will see the number on it's hull has been censored by the newspaper.

I also did a bit of hunting about on the Rear Admiral shown in the pictures...

Richard Hugh Loraine Bevan : Born 10th July 1885; Midshipman 30th May 1901; Sub-Lieutenant 20th July 1904; Lieutenant 31st December 1906; Lieutenant Commander 31st December 1914; Commander 31st December 1917; Captain 31st August 1923; Rear Admiral 25th August 1935; Retired 26th August 1935; RRL 17th January 1946; Died 10th May 1976.

Mentioned in Despatches 16th August 1915; Commended 14th March 1916; Awarded Distinguished Service Order 14th March 1916; Legion of Honour 5 25th January 1918; Mentioned in Despatches 22nd April 1919; ONile 4 21st June 1919; MVO4 17th August 1923; CB(M) 11th June 1942; KBE(M) 1st January 1946; Legion of Merit 3 16th July 1946.

Also medalled for : Delhi Durbar Medal 1911; Jubilee Medal 1935; Liaket Medal 7th November 1907; O.White Eagle 3; Swedish Red Cross Medal 1946.

Service : Flag Lieutenant to Rear Admiral Wemyss 1914 - 1915 and to him as CinC East Indies 1915 - 1917; HMS Egmont on Staff of CinC Mediterranean 1917 - 1918; HMS Whitby (In Command) 1918 - 1919; HMS Godetia (In Command) January 1919 - April 1919; Naval Intelligence Division January 1940 - February 1940; Naval Attache, Rome, February 1941 - July 1941; Staff of CinC Western Approaches February 1941 - July 1941; HMS Titania for command of NP100 July 1941 - October 1941; SBNO North Russia October 1941 - 1942; Naval Intelligence Division August 1942 - September 1942; HMS Caroline as FOIC Northern Ireland 1942 - 1946.

[thebrewcorner]

Brian have been in touch with a Paul De La Motte-Harrison who is the contact for the LCT Association of the Royal Navy...He is coming back to me with anything he can find on the two LCT's in the Photo's. I have asked him to gather any info connected with these 'units'.

[patMG07]

Brian have been in touch with a Paul De La Motte-Harrison who is the contact for the LCT Association of the Royal Navy...He is coming back to me with anything he can find on the two LCT's in the Photo's. I have asked him to gather any info connected with these 'units'.

Hopefully we will hear more !

[StLouisGuy]

Well done Brew! I look forward to seeing what he comes up with. Maybe he will be in generous mood and give you info on more than just those two LCTs.

[Brian]

Brian have been in touch with a Paul De La Motte-Harrison who is the contact for the LCT Association of the Royal Navy...He is coming back to me with anything he can find on the two LCT's in the Photo's. I have asked him to gather any info connected with these 'units'.

Yes, I also have some people looking to see what else we can gather up, When I originally did some research about the landing craft (after seeing a picture of one in Sean Daly's) all I could find about them and the people who built them were a couple of lines of text on a few websites, and certainly no pictures, the concrete boats had a mention of course, but very little on these things or indeed the shipyard. Harland and Wolfe has plenty written about it, so why not our own little version?

[thebrewcorner]

Update from the LCT Association
If anyone can help with the dates of the newspaper clippings...please

Dear John,

I cannot find any references to these two craft (not 'vehicles'!) within my records, but I am copying this correspondence to our Archivist, Tony Chapman, in case he has anything to offer.
From the photos, it would appear that both these LCTs were 'strengthened' Mark 4s. These craft had a raised catwalk and were designed and built for extended ocean passage for the Far East war and, I believe were unlikely to have been at Normandy. Do you have the date of the newspaper cuttings?
We do have (Membership List of May 2007) a member who is listed as having served in LCT 1202. If you are interested in trying to contact him I will let you know the procedure, but we do not pass member details (addresses etc) to non-members without the authority of the former.
Meanwhile, I will keep an eye open for any other references to these two LCTs.
Regards,

PaulM-H

[dukestreet]

This is great stuff, when you start digging, you don't know what you will find.

[Brian]

I'll get in touch with Richard and see if he can help with the actual dates

[thebrewcorner]

Latest Update

were still on the case

2 emails but nothing concrete yet

"Hello Paul and John
You are correct Paul, neither craft saw service in Normandy and as far as I can see were not even available at that time, they are certainly not listed by the RN at that time.....neither as this is written have I found mention of them assigned Far East, in truth I have no certain knowledge of where they were engaged, if at all....maybe our 1202 veteran can shed some light..?
Sorry I can't be of more help
Tony


Tony Chapman
Official Archivist/Historian
LST and Landing Craft Association (Royal Navy)

John,

To try and contact our member, Shipmate G.Noble, who served in LCT 1202, proceed as follows:-

1. Write a letter to him explaining your interest.
2. Enclose that letter, with a reply-paid and addressed envelope, in an outer cover.
3. Mark the outside of that cover with the name, 'S/M G.Noble', and stamp it.
4. Enclose all the above in an envelope addressed to me:-
5. When I receive your communication I will complete the address and forward your letter to S/M Noble.

Sorry that it is all so involved, and I am sure that you will appreciate that I cannot guarantee a response!!

Regards,

PaulM-H

[Florence]

I remember the day as though it were yesterday. it was in the month of march and after the lanch we were taken by car to the Great Northern Hotel in Rostrever (sadly no more) where we had lunch and i was presented with a bouquet of flowers and also a silver necklace and a bracelet.
A trurely memorable day
Florence Fowler nee Clements.

[the gap]

I remember the day as though it were yesterday. it was in the month of march and after the lanch we were taken by car to the Great Northern Hotel in Rostrever (sadly no more) where we had lunch and i was presented with a bouquet of flowers and also a silver necklace and a bracelet.
A trurely memorable day
Florence Fowler nee Clements.

thank you for sharing your memories of that day with us it is nice to get these little bits of information . No doubt great reading for future generations to come. and a little bouquet from us.

[Liz]

Lovely to hear from the person herself. Another bit of local history revisited.

[StLouisGuy]

Wonderful of you, Florence, to share those memories with us and current Point generation. Now, if you get in a talkative mood, by all means feel welcome to share any more memories with us. I am sure there are many of us who would be delighted to hear them. Please!

[thebrewcorner]

Florence
Just to let you know that you are the topic of conversation in my daughter's p4 class in Carrick P.S. Burren
as they are discussing the war years in Warrenpoint and the surrounding area...I gave her your photograph
so it was nice to be able to let her read your remarks from a person who lived 'such a long time age' her words not mine

regards

John

[Brian]

Was emailed this today, it was featured in a Newry 2012 calendar of pictures belonging to Michael O'Hare from Newry.

[silveryfox]

All

Landing Craft Tank (LCT) vessels built by the Warrenpoint Shipping Company were:

LCT867 Ordered: 18 Jul 1942 Commissioned: 20-Jul-44
LCT868 Ordered: 18 Jul 1942 Commissioned: Oct-44
LCT871 Ordered: 18 Jul 1942 Commissioned: Jun-45
LCT872 Ordered: 18 Jul 1942 Commissioned: 21 Aug 1945 

LCT1195 Ordered: 1943
LCT1196 Ordered: 1943
LCT1197 Ordered: 1943
LCT1198 Ordered: 1943
LCT1199 Ordered: 1943
LCT1200 Ordered: 1943
LCT1201 Ordered: 1943
LCT1203 Ordered: 1943
LCT1204 Ordered: 1943
LCT1205 Ordered: 1943
LCT1206 Ordered: 1943
LCT1207 Ordered: 1943 Cancelled?
LCT1208 Ordered: 1943 Cancelled?
LCT1209 Ordered: 1943 Cancelled?
LCT1210 Ordered: 1943 Cancelled?
LCT4148 Ordered: 1944
LCT4149 Ordered: 1944
LCT4150 Ordered: 1944
LCT4151 Ordered: 1944
LCT4152 Ordered: 1944
LCT4153 Ordered: 1944
LCT4154 Ordered: 1944
LCT4155 Ordered: 1944

LCT867 was broached on Gold Beach during D-Day (see article including photograph at http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j& ... 6_PoiZkCrA)

LCT4148 was photographed at Hopper's Pier Landing Craft Base in Scotland in 1948 (see http://cas.awm.gov.au/photograph/306547)

LCT1205 was launched in 1942 by Kathleen Brown nee Baker, wife of the Newry Telegraph's then publisher (and also an MP), see https://steelbakers.com/public/b20.htm#P20 - note the conflict between the launch and order years.

LCT1195 was near Surabaya at some stage (see http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=W_yf ... 95&f=false)

LCT1198 became the L 185 Kythera and still serves in the Hellenic Navy.

LCT1199 was headed for Dar-es-Salaam at some stage (see http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=aGwT ... CEcQ6AEwBA)

All of the following have seen continuous service with the Italian Navy since WW2 (to be confirmed as the numbering is correct however these are referred to as Mark3 LCTs in the source and they were Mark 4s):

LCT1201 - retired 2003
LCT1202 - retired 31 Mar 1999
LCT1203 - decommissioned 1 Mar 1998, transferred to Albania in 1999
LCT1204 - decommissioned 2004 and donated to Tunisia
LCT1205 - retired 30 Sep 1998

Regards
Jim

[Brian]

Thanks Jim, although I would have said that looks more like a 5 in that picture making it LCT857 not LCT867