LCI (L) -391 HM (Landing Craft Infantry-Large) 1943

The full index of our ship stamp archive
Post Reply
Arturo
Posts: 723
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2012 8:11 pm

LCI (L) -391 HM (Landing Craft Infantry-Large) 1943

Post by Arturo » Wed Mar 11, 2015 9:09 pm

The Landing Craft Infantry (LCI) were several classes of seagoing amphibious assault ships of the Second World War used to land large numbers of infantry directly onto beaches. (The other L means “Large”) They were developed in response to a British request for a vessel capable of carrying and landing substantially more troops than their smaller Landing Craft Assault (LCA). The result was a small steel ship that could land 200 troops, traveling from rear bases on its own bottom at a speed of up to 15 knots.

Some 923 were built starting in 1943, serving in both the Pacific and European theaters, including a number that were converted into heavily armed beach assault support ships. Commonly called "Elsie Items," the LCI(L) supplemented the small LCAs/LCVPs as a way to get many troops ashore before a dock could be captured or built. As such, they were the largest dedicated beachable infantry landing craft (the larger Landing Ship Infantry(LSI) was a transporter for troops and small craft such as the British LCA) in the allied inventory.

She was laid down in November 1943 at George Lawley & Sons Shipbuilding Corp., Neponset, MA. Launched in November 1943. Leased to the United Kingdom, 7 December 1943. Commissioned into the Royal Navy as HM LCI(L)-391.

She was a LCI 351 Class Landing Craft Infantry Large. Displacement; 246 t.(light), 264 t. (landing), 419 t.(loaded). Length; 158' 5½" . Beam; 23' 3" . Draft; Light 3' 1½" mean, Landing, 2' 8" forward, 4' 10" aft, Loaded, 5' 4" forward, 5' 11" aft. Speed; 16 kts (max.), 14 kts maximum continuous. Complement; 4 Officers, 24 Enlisted. Troop Capacity; 6 Officers, 182 Enlisted. Cargo Capacity; 75 tons. Armor; 2" plastic splinter protection on gun turrets, conning tower and pilot house. Endurance; 4,000 miles at 12 kts, loaded, 500 miles at 15 kts; and 110 tons of fuel. Armament; five single 20mm guns, one bow mounted, one each port and starboard forward of wheelhouse, one each port and starboard aft of wheelhouse, on some LCIs two .50 cal machine guns were added. Fuel Capacity; 130 tons, lube oil 200 gal. Propulsion; two sets of 4 GM diesels, 4 per shaft, BHP 1,600, twin variable pitch propellers.

During World War II, HM LCI(L)-391 participated in the Invasion of Normandy, 6 June 1944 as a unit of 266 Flotilla, landing elements of the Royal Ulster Rifles, in Queen area of Sword beach.

At the end of WW-II, Returned to US Naval custody, 4 May 1946. Struck from the Naval Register in 1946. Transferred to the State Department for disposal. Final Disposal, sold 13 February 1948, fate unknown.

Maldive Islands 1995, S.G.?, Scott: 2089f.

Source: Wikipedia and various websites.
Attachments
391.jpg

Post Reply