Site History
The Mark V landing craft tank (LCT) 2428 was originally delivered to the UK from the USA under the lend-lease program. In early 1944 the vessel was fitted with armour plating and was re-designated as LCT(A) 2428. For the allied invasion of Normandy, vessels such as LCT(A) 2428 were intended to carry two tanks to provide firepower support, both from the vessel and through landing on the beach. A third tank was carried on board that was fitted with a bulldozer blade in order to destroy any anti-tank devices on the beach. LCT(A) 2428 was the 'leader' of the 105th Flotilla of Assault Group J1Support Squadron, assigned to Juno beach to support the 7th Infantry of the 3rd Canadian Division at Courseulles.
Plan of a Mark V Landing Craft Tank of the same type as LCT(A) 2428, source: English Heritage.
The tanks carried by LCT(A) 2428 were Centaur CS IV tanks. Such tanks were used exclusively by the Royal Marines Armoured Support Group and were built at the Horwich Locomotive Works, Greater Manchester. The Caterpillar bulldozers were used by the British Army 79th Armoured Division and the Royal Engineers. With such heavy equipment on board, in addition to its armour plating, the landing craft would have been heavily loaded. The lack of freeboard (distance between the surface of the sea and the topside of the vessel) for the channel crossing has been noted by other LCT(A) commanders.
On the evening of the 5th June 1944, while on passage to Normandy, LCT(A) 2428 experienced engine trouble. Although taken under tow by the rescue tug HMS Jaunty, the landing craft capsized and lost its cargo. Following capsize, HMS Jaunty fired upon the upturned hull until it sank. This removed a potential navigational hazard for other vessels in the invasion fleet. None of the crew of LCT(A) 2428 were lost. The manner of loss of LCT(A) 2428 created two sites on the seabed. The first site, at the point of capsize, consists of the vehicles and other equipment that was being carried on board at the time. The second site comprises the upturned hull of the landing craft.
In 2008, Southsea Sub-Aqua Club (SSAC) began to investigate the unusual dive site that consisted of the remains of two tanks, two armoured bulldozers, a jeep and other military equipment. This was the cargo of LCT(A) 2428, still preserved on the seafloor over sixty years after the capsize. Further investigation by SSAC located the hull of LCT(A) 2428, around 6km to the east of the vehicle site. SSAC undertook further investigation of the vehicle site under the guidance of the Nautical Archaeology Society (NAS) 'Adopt-a-Wreck' scheme.