Landing Ships Tanks (LST), North Africa, 1943

Photograph by Major Wilfred Herbert James Sale, MC, 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters), World War Two (1939-1945), 1943.

Landing Craft Tank 113 with Landing Ships Tanks 364 and 417, North Africa, 1943.

Built in the Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard in Baltimore, LST 364 and LST 417 were LST-1 Class tank landing ships, launched in October and November 1942 respectively. LST 364 was transferred to the Royal Navy in December 1942 and LST 417 followed in January 1943.

LST 364 was part of the armada gathered for Operation HUSKY, the invasion of Sicily in July 1943. The landing ship went on to take part in the amphibious landings at Salerno in September 1943. In 1944 LST 364 participated in both the Anzio Landings in Italy and Operation OVERLORD, the amphibious assault on the beaches of Normandy in France.

LST 417 is shown here prior to participating in Operation HUSKY in 1943. 417 survived the war and was returned to the US Navy in May 1946 and subsequently scrapped. The Mark 2 Class Landing Craft Tank 113 was built by William Hamilton and Company in Glasgow, Scotland, and launched on the 3 July 1941. LCT 113 also survived World War Two and Nautilus Shipbrokers had a landing craft numbered 'NA-LCT 113' amongst its vessels listed online in 2022.

The photograph shows the difference in size between Landing Ships and Landing Craft Tanks. The former disgorged their cargo of vehicles through large bow doors whereas the latter had a ramp at the bow for lowering on to beaches.

From an album containing 241 photographs compiled by Major W H J Sale, MC, 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters), 1943-1944.