HM Landing Craft (L) 1

Not a Flak Ship not a Gun Ship

But BOTH and bristling with Guns

The previous page was: "Royal Marine Female Warrior"

My friend and comrade John Stansfield served on this ship, this is his story.

HM Landing Craft Flak (large) 1. Was quite a unique Flak and Gun ship, designed to protect ships or assault craft. Being the first and the only one of its type she was unique?

L.C.F. (L) 2 was built at the same time and being armed with 4-inch twin long and Short range guns, Bofors automatic anti-aircraft guns and Orlikon extra heavy-duty twin-machine-guns, they were the forerunners of fifty or so L.C.F.s.

L.C.F.(L) 1 was built as a Tank Landing Craft by Teesside Bridge & Engineering Co, of Middlesbrough, in 1941. She was redesigned after her completion. This was undertaken by Palmers Ship Building & Iron Co Ltd, of Hebburn-on-Tyne. Later in 1942, the Company changed its name to Hebburn & Co Ltd.

The armament was modelled on the Hunt Class destroyer, without the torpedo tubes. The Guns were usually manned by Royal Marines. Their role was vital, to the men landing, giving them the confidence of having some chance of survival.

Often the beach defences were strong and heavily defended because they had been constructed over a long period of time, and an assault from the beaches would be the more likely, because of Britain's powerful Naval force.

Royal Marine Female Warrior

The operational role of the LCF (L) 1

Was to protect the assault landing forces by drawing the enemies' fire, with their powerful Orlikons, or by engaging beach defence positions with their 4-inch guns, by direct or indirect bombardments.

Also to protect the men against close range air attacks with their Bofors, or a surface attack from enemy ships prior to and during assault landings. The technical details were as follows: 160-feet approximately in overall length, she had approximately a 31-feet of beam. Incidentally she was the only craft with a conventional bow as opposed to the flat door shaped bow on later craft.

The displacement was 455tons loaded. Draft 3-feet 6-inches for'ard, and 7-feet 6-inches aft, when fully loaded with crew, ammunition, fuel and supplies.

The armament consisted of two dual purpose high-angle and low-angle 4-inch gun turrets for'ard of the bridge. One 20mm twin Orlikon in the bow and two 20mm twin Orlikons aft of the bridge, and two single barrel Bofors aft of the bridge.

The Transmitting Station was above

The bridge with the Gunnery Control Position (director) above it, the Radar console was below decks. The Armour was 20lb DIHT plating with 21/2-inch plastic to the bridge, director and gun decking. The engines were powered by 3 Paxton 500 H.P. Diesels with tripple screws, giving a range of 2,000 nautical-miles at eleven knots.

The crew consisted of 1 Lieutenant of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, 1 Sub-Lieutenant also of the R.N.V.R. a Chief Petty Officer Coxswain, a Petty Officer Ordnance Artificer, a P.O. Electrical Artificer, a P.O. Stoker, 1 Signaller, 1 Wireless Transmitter Operator, 1 Sick Bay Attendant, 2 Seamen, 2 stokers, Lieutenant Royal Marines, who was the Commanding officer of the Royal Marines, also there was a Lieutenant Gunnery Officer RM. 1 RM Sergeant who was the Senior Non-Commissioned Officer, 1 RM Sergeant who was in charge of the Transmitting-Station, Seven Corporals and 68 Royal Marine Gunners.

When first commissioned with L.C.F.(L) 2 both were manned by Royal Naval Gunners, after the Dieppe Raid in 1942, the guncrews were all Royal Marines.

In the run up to D-Day between the end of 1942 an 1944, L.C.F. (L) 1 was employed as escort to Channel and Coastal convoys from Sheerness to Cardiff, Holyhead, Fishguard and to the Clyde, as well as taking part in supporting various assault practice landings at Studland Bay, Slapton Sands also direct and indirect bombardments on Mull of Kintyre, Isle of White etc...

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During the D-Day landings support

On Mike-Red Juno beach was given to the Royal Winnipeg Rifles, 1st Hussars in D-Day tanks, and the Royal Canadian Division. At nightfall a line of ships formed a blockade known as the Trout Line off the mouth of the Seine to protect the Mulberry Harbour and guard against E-Boats, Weasels (Explosive Motor Boats) and Human Torpedoes. For two months Landing Craft Flak (L) 1, was frequently in action bombarding shore positions and being the only ship in the Support Squadron Eastern Flank able to fire star shells, she was in great demand during this time.

The Commanding Officer Royal Marines was promoted to Captain and subsequently left to be appointed Flotilla Gunnery Officer to a Landing Craft Group (Men) flotilla.

On the 17th August 1944, disaster struck at 05:55 hours. Whilst slipping anchor on the Trout Line she was hit in the after magazine by a Human Torpedo which exploded and sank her within minutes with a great loss of lives.

Of the total compliment of 86, the only survivors were Sergeant Tommy Burns D.S.M. and twelve Marines.

on the 17th August 1942, L.C.F. (L) 2 was sunk at Dieppe by 88mm Shells.

The next Link Below will be: "Marines In Pacific"

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