Landing craft are small and medium seagoing watercraft, such as boats and barges, used to convey a landing force from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. The term excludes landing ships, which are larger. Production of landing craft peaked during World War II, with a significant number of different designs produced in large quantities by the United Kingdom and United States.
HMS Boxer was built as a Landing Ship, Tank at Harland and Wolff. Launched in December 1942 and commissioned the following April, she saw service as part of the Allied invasion of Italy.
Several ships of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Bruiser or HMS Bruizer.
Landing Ship, Tank (LST), or tank landing ship, is the naval designation for ships first developed during World War II (1939–1945) to support amphibious operations by carrying tanks, vehicles, cargo, and landing troops directly onto shore with no docks or piers. This enabled amphibious assaults on almost any beach.
LST 3041 was a Landing Ship, Tank that served in the Royal Navy at the end of World War II, before being converted to a commercial ferry. She was later requisitioned by the Navy during the Suez Crisis, and was scrapped in 1960.
An amphibious warfare ship is an amphibious vehicle warship employed to land and support ground forces, such as marines, on enemy territory during an amphibious assault.
Empire Curlew was a 4,273 GRT ferry that was built in 1945 as LST Mk.3 HMS LST 3042 by Harland & Wolff, Govan, Scotland for the Royal Navy. In 1947, she was renamed HMS Hunter. During the Suez Crisis in 1956, she was transferred to the Ministry of Transport and renamed Empire Curlew. She served until 1962, when she was scrapped.
Empire Cymric was a 4,820 GRT Ferry that was built in 1944 by Harland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast as LST (3) HMS LST 3010 for the Royal Navy. She was transferred to the Koninklijke Marine in 1945, serving as HNLMS LST 3010. In 1947, she was transferred back to the Royal Navy and renamed HMS Attacker. The ship was requisitioned by the Ministry of Transport in 1954 and renamed Empire Cymric. Requisitioned briefly during the Suez Crisis in 1956 as HMS Empire Cymric, she served until 1962, and was scrapped in 1963.
HMS Misoa was a Maracaibo-class LST Mk.I tank landing ship of the British Royal Navy during World War II. A converted Lake Maracaibo oil tanker, she took part in the invasions of North Africa, Sicily, and Normandy.
USS LST-2 was a LST(2) Landing Ship, Tank of World War II.
HMS LST-421 was a United States Navy LST-1-class tank landing ship that was transferred to the Royal Navy during World War II. As with many of her class, the ship was never named. Instead, she was referred to by her hull designation.
HMS Bruiser was built as a Landing Ship, Tank at Harland and Wolff. Launched in October 1942 and commissioned the following March, she saw service as part of the Allied invasion of Italy.
Three ships of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Thruster:
Empire Fulmar was a LST (3) which was built in 1945 by Davie Shipbuilding & Repairing Co Ltd as HMS LST 3524 for the Royal Navy. She was renamed HMS Trumpeter in 1947. She was transferred to the Ministry of Transport in 1956 and renamed Empire Fulmar, serving in the Suez Crisis. She was later laid up in Singapore and was scrapped there in 1969.
Empire Gaelic was a ferry which was built in 1945 for the Royal Navy as the Landing Ship Tank, Mk.3 HMS LST 3507. She was converted into a ferry in 1948 and renamed Empire Gaelic, serving on the Preston – Larne route 1949–60, when she was scrapped.
USS LST-178 was a LST-1-class tank landing ship in the United States Navy during World War II. She was later transferred to the Royal Navy and renamed HMS LST-178. In 1946, she was again handed over to the Egyptian Navy to be renamed ENSAka.
HMS LST-305 was a LST-1-class tank landing ship in the Royal Navy during World War II.
USS LST-382 was a LST-1-class tank landing ship in the United States Navy during World War II. She was later sold to France as La Paillotte (LST-382).
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