Landing Craft Tank (A) 2428

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally Posted by Ali Mayor

It's a bit of a long shot but I am hoping to trace records of some Canadian soldiers who would have been involved in the capsize and sinking of a Landing Craft Tank on the morning of 6 June 1944 ...

... also carried Canadian troops. I have been trying to find out some contact details for Canadian regiments involved see if there are any accounts/records of what happened ...

According to the loading tables for LCT(A) 2428 (LTIN 1008) she also had on board -

14 members from "18 Cdn Fd Coy"

Hi Alison;

Unfortunately No. 18 Field Company, Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers no longer exists, but their War Diary may hold information regarding the 14 members you say were onboard LCT(A) 2428.

Have you tried The National Archives, Kew? They hold a copy of the War Diary for No. 18 Field Company, R.C.E. The reference for their War Diaries for the period of January to December 1944 is WO 179/3128.

Here in Canada, Library and Archives Canada have the War Diary for No. 18 Field Company, R.C.E. on microfile and for the period in question, the reference is:

Reference: RG24 , National Defence , Series C-3 , Volume 14745 , Reel T-18395-18396
Serial : 717 , Access code: 90
File Title: No. 18 Field Company, Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers
Outside Dates: 1942/07-1944/09
Finding Aid number: 24-60

Some additional information on LCT(A) 2428:

Landing Craft Tank - LCT-428 / LCT-2428 / LCT(A)-2428

LCT-428 was started life as a ship of the United States Navy and was Lend-Lease to the United Kingdom:

- Landing Craft Tank (Mark 5)

- Laid down, date unknown, at New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J.

- Launched, date unknown

- Delivered and transferred to the United Kingdom, under the Lend-Lease program for Mediterranean Theater service, redesignated LCT-2428

- Armor plating added in early 1944, redesignated LCT(A)-2428

- During the invasion of Normandy LCT(A)-2428 was assigned as 'Leader' of the 105th LCT(A) Flotilla of Assault Group J1 Support Squadron, assigned to Juno Beach in support of the 7th Infantry of the 3rd Canadian Division at Courseulles

- Struck from the Naval Register, 13 November 1944

- Final Disposition, recored as breaking down on passage the evening of 5 June 1944, at some point thereafter she was taken in tow by the tug Jaunty but she capsized and was it appears fired upon by the Royal Navy until she sank

Specifications:

Displacement 286 short tons
Length 114' 2" (ovl.)
Beam 32' 8"
Draft 3'
Speed 10 kts.
Range 700 nautical miles at 7 kts.
Complement 13
Cargo Capacity 150 short tons
Armament 1 single 20mm AA gun mount, 2 .50 cal. machine guns
Armor 2 1/2" wheelhouse, 2" gun shield
Propulsion 3 Grey Marine Diesels, 3 propellers, Shaft horsepower 675 per shaft

Hope this helps.

Cheers