LCT 737 LANDING CRAFT (TANK)

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aukepalmhof
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Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 1:28 am

LCT 737 LANDING CRAFT (TANK)

Post by aukepalmhof » Tue Aug 21, 2012 8:52 pm

Two Landing Craft Tank has carried the designation LCT-737 one built in the USA the other in the U.K.
The USA vessel did not take part in the D-Day landings so she must be the British built landing ship.
She was ordered in 1942 by Green & Silley Weir in Blackwall U.K. for the Royal Navy. As a Mark 4 type landing craft.
Displacement 586 ton., dim. 57.07 x 11.81 x 1.12m. (draught forward)
Powered by two Paxman diesel engines 920 bhp, twin shafts, speed 8 knots.
Range 1,100 mile.
Armament 2 – 20mm Oerlikon AA guns.
Crew 12.

The Mark 4 was slightly shorter and lighter than the Mk.3, but had a much wider beam of 38 ft 9 in (11.81 m), and was intended for cross channel operations as opposed to seagoing use. Better accommodation for tank crews was also made possible by the increased beam. It had a displacement of 586 tons and was powered by two 460 hp Paxman diesels. With a capacity of 350 tons, it could carry nine M4 Sherman or six Churchill tanks. Eight hundred and sixty-five Mk.4s were built, the largest LCT production in British yards
She sailed from the South coast of the U.K. and took part in the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944.
Later took she part in the liberation of Walcheren in the Netherlands.
She sailed 31 October 1944 from Oostende, Belgium loaded with tanks and landed her tanks near Westkappele on the beach on 1 November 1944.
One of the tanks carried that day on board the LCT-737 the Bramble 5 is now a war monument on the dike at Westkappele.

The fate of the LCT-737 is unknown by me.

Tanzania 1994 200s sg2009, scott1274f The top left stamp shows the British vessel SHERWOOD.

Source: The D-Day Ships by John de S. Winser. Wikipedia and various other web-sites.

The Sheet shows the following ships:
The top left stamp shows the British vessel SHERWOOD.
The middle left stamp the destroyer USS THOPMSON
The middle right stamp HMS WARSPITE.
The bottom left stamp a landing craft where partly a No on is given as 26 or 76.
The bottom right stamp depict HMS LCT 737.
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DClements
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Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2017 6:02 am

Re: LCT 737 LANDING CRAFT (TANK)

Post by DClements » Tue Mar 28, 2017 9:43 am

I've just come across this stamp and the comments about LCT 737. My father was in command of LCT 737 from January 1944 until the end of the war.

It was a British vessel, which was one of the first to land on Gold Beach on D Day. However, interestingly, the photograph on which the stamp is based, was not taken on D Day. It was actually taken on 1st November 1944 during the invasion of Walcheren Island on the Scheldt estuary, which allowed the Allies access to the port of Antwerp.

After the war, 737, met the same fate as most other landing craft in that it was scrapped.

David Clements

john sefton
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Re: LCT 737 LANDING CRAFT (TANK)

Post by john sefton » Tue Mar 28, 2017 7:41 pm

Thanks for your contribution David, most interesting.

12deciples
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Joined: Sat Jun 08, 2019 10:31 am

Re: LCT 737 LANDING CRAFT (TANK)

Post by 12deciples » Sun Jun 09, 2019 11:43 am

DClements wrote:I've just come across this stamp and the comments about LCT 737. My father was in command of LCT 737 from January 1944 until the end of the war.

It was a British vessel, which was one of the first to land on Gold Beach on D Day. However, interestingly, the photograph on which the stamp is based, was not taken on D Day. It was actually taken on 1st November 1944 during the invasion of Walcheren Island on the Scheldt estuary, which allowed the Allies access to the port of Antwerp.

After the war, 737, met the same fate as most other landing craft in that it was scrapped.

David Clements
DClements wrote:I've just come across this stamp and the comments about LCT 737. My father was in command of LCT 737 from January 1944 until the end of the war.

It was a British vessel, which was one of the first to land on Gold Beach on D Day. However, interestingly, the photograph on which the stamp is based, was not taken on D Day. It was actually taken on 1st November 1944 during the invasion of Walcheren Island on the Scheldt estuary, which allowed the Allies access to the port of Antwerp.

After the war, 737, met the same fate as most other landing craft in that it was scrapped.

David Clements

12deciples
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Jun 08, 2019 10:31 am

Re: LCT 737 LANDING CRAFT (TANK)

Post by 12deciples » Sun Jun 09, 2019 12:13 pm

My father.
Petty Officer Mechanic Frederick George Curtis Was On Lct 737 On The I SLAND Of Walcheren , And Was Wounded In Action And Was AWARDED The DSM For Bringing 737 Out ,To Safety I Do Not Know A Lot About His War Years , But Would Be Grateful For Any INFORMATION On LCT 737.
ALAN CURTIS

DClements
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2017 6:02 am

Re: LCT 737 LANDING CRAFT (TANK)

Post by DClements » Sun Jun 09, 2019 10:15 pm

Hi Alan
I was aware that a couple of the crew received awards from my discussions with my father. I'm not sure if your father was in 737 prior to Walchren but if you want more information let me know.
Dave Clements (djwclements654@gmail.com)

12deciples
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Jun 08, 2019 10:31 am

Re: LCT 737 LANDING CRAFT (TANK)

Post by 12deciples » Mon Jun 10, 2019 2:28 pm

DClements wrote:Hi Alan
I was aware that a couple of the crew received awards from my discussions with my father. I'm not sure if your father was in 737 prior to Walchren but if you want more information let me know.
Dave Clements (djwclements654@gmail.com)
Hello Dave,
My father was in lct 737 from 1/ 2/ 44 to the 31/ 10 /44 . so would have been with your father for a long time. If you have any photos of 737 and any of its crew please could you email them to me if possible, iwould be grateful as it will fill in a few gaps for me. my email is, alancurtis2015@hotmail.com.
thank you.
Alan Curtis.

Pugracer2
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Joined: Wed Jul 31, 2019 9:07 pm

Re: LCT 737 LANDING CRAFT (TANK)

Post by Pugracer2 » Wed Jul 31, 2019 10:35 pm

My father landed from LCT737 at Walcheren.
He was the commander of the first crab ashore, Sgt Ferguson.
His is the tank depicted on the iconic photo on the stamp and he is standing in the turret.
Alex

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