HMC LCI(L)-299

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aukepalmhof
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HMC LCI(L)-299

Post by aukepalmhof » Mon May 02, 2022 8:30 pm

1994 Canada issued a set of stamps for the 50th Anniversary of D-Day, 06 June 1944. One of these stamps shows us the Canadian flagged Landing Craft Infantry (Large) LCI(L)-299, vessel. By the set of stamps is given:
Canada Post Corporation's tribute to the Canadian war effort continues with four stamps to mark the 50th anniversary of D-Day, June 6, 1944 and the subsequent advance up the European coast. The Germans had ejected the British from Northwest France in 1940, and defeated the Canadians at Dieppe in 1942. Nevertheless, it was only a matter of time before a full-scale invasion was mounted. The questions were where when, and at what cost. At the Quebec Conference of August 1943, it was decided that the Normandy beaches of the Baie de la Seine would be the site for a June 5th landing with possible postponement to the 6th of 7th if necessary. It was anticipated that Canadian casualties for D-Day would be approximately two thousand. Five assault divisions were to be lanced from the sea, just after three airborne division were dropped under the cover of darkness. Canada's section was Juno Beach, between the British beaches, Sword and Gold. Over 15,000 Canadians troops, about a fifth of the total invasion force, were to secure the Canadian sector which was about four and a half miles of the 55 mile invasion front. Just after midnight on June 6, 450 troopers of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion crossed above the English Channel. Within hours, 84 were Nazi prisoners, 19 were dead and 10 injured. RAF Bomber Command launched the heaviest blow it had ever struck. The RCAF's No. 6 Group had 230 aircraft dropping 859 tons of explosives, with only one aircraft lost. The US Army Force dropped another 3,000 tons during the 30 minutes before the troops went in. The Royal Canadian Navy assisted with Bangor class minesweepers clearing a path through sea mines, corvettes escorting shipping, destroyers shelling the coast, and infantry landing craft bringing in troops. About 110 Canadian ships and 10,000 sailors participated in "Operation Neptune". At 8:12 a.m. the first Canadian units hit the beaches meeting fierce opposition. But by 10:30 a.m. the following message was sent to General Crerar, Commander of the First Canadian Army: "Beachhead gained. Well on our way to our intermediate objectives." On that single day, Canadian casualties numbered 1,074 including 359 dead. D-Day was a triumph, but Canadians had paid for their success in blood.
https://postagestampguide.com/stamps/16 ... y-in-sight
Built as the LCI(L)-299 one of the class of Landing Craft Infantry (Large)by the New Jersey Shipbuilding, Barber, N.J. for the USA Navy.
1942 Laid down.
1943 launched as the LCI(L) -299. She never saw active service in the U.S. Navy.
Displacement 236 light 264 ton (landing), 419 ton (loaded). Dim. 158.5 x 25.3 x 5.4Ft draught loaded.
25 January 1943 delivered under the terms of the Lend-Lease Act to the United Kingdom and commissioned as HM LCI(L)-299.
Powered by 2 sets of 4 General Motors 6051 series 71 diesels engines, 4 per shaft, single General Motors Main reduction gears, two diesel-driven 30Kw 120V DC. Twin variable pitch propellers, 2,320 shp. Speed maximum 16 knots.
Cargo capacity 75 tons.
Troop capacity 6 officers and 182 enlisted.
Armament: 5 single 20mm guns one bow-mounted, one each port and starboard forward of wheelhouse, one each port
and starboard aft of the wheelhouse.
29 January 1944 temporary custody to Canada, commissioned HMC LCI(L)-299, under command of LT. William B. McGregor RCNVR (Temo.) in command.
She was part of the 262nd flotilla in which she participated in the Normandy invasion on D-Day on 6 June 1944, in which she carried Canadian troops and their bicycles which she landed at Juno Beach.
06 June she sailed from Southampton around 02.00 am, arriving off Juno Beach shortly after 9 am.
Onboard were members of the Highland Light Infantry and the North Nova Scotia Regiment
11.28 am The order was given to go ashore. The explosion of a mine grazed the landing craft and washed away part of the hull. After she was refloated and repaired, she was pushed back into deep water by tractors, where after she sailed back to England on the evening of 8 June.
She was used till 25 June as a supply ship.
01 September 1944 returned to the Royal Navy, recommissioned, and reassigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater.
14 March 1946 returned to the US Naval at Subic Bay, Philippines.
The same year transferred to the French Navy, designated LC-1299 used for spare parts.
17 April 1946 struck from the Naval Register.
Final disposition, scrapped, date unknown.

The stamp was designed after a photo from the Imperial War Museum, and the stamp was designed by Jean-Pierre Armanville and he gives that he used a photograph from the Times Life book, World War II published in 1989.

Source https://www.navsource.org/archives/10/15/150299.htm Watercraft Philately.
Canada 1994 43c sg 1621, Scott 1537.
Attachments
lci (L) 299.jpg
lci (L) 299.jpg (120.97 KiB) Viewed 468 times
1994 LCI 299 D-Day-Beachhead (2).jpg
1994 LCI 299 D-Day-Beachhead (2).jpg (101.63 KiB) Viewed 468 times

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