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Sailing
Barges of the British Isles |
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THAMES LIGHTERS at WAR IN TIME for
D-DAY, 6th JUNE 1944 - Part 1
of 2 With thanks to "Jim"
Jarman for introducing me to these invaluable
"Wallowing Beauties"
by Gordon Smith
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 It
has taken me 10 years to get the title
right. The subjects of this page are not
Thames barges, but Thames lighters or dumb
(non-self-propelled) barges, converted into
naval landing barges - with thanks to John
Wylson.
The original Thames barges are the
lovely sailing vessels still to be seen
around the British East coast, right
- Harwich in 2003. One of them was
left stranded on the Dunkirk beaches in
1940.
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Little appears to be written about
the White Ensign-flying Thames lighters in most of the
World War 2 literature, but one article, found in the
wartime-published "The War Illustrated" will -
literally - give a flavour of their value:
from
Vol 8, No.188, September 1 1944, price Sixpence
CONTENTS
Part 1
1.
Thames lighters taken up
for war
2.
The barges and the
conversions
3.
Types of conversions
4.
Normandy flotillas and
landing barge dispositions
Part 2
5.
Barges
by type & number; the wartime fate of
those lost
6.
Main
sources and abbreviations
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I Was There ! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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They Bake 1,000 Loaves a Day
for Invasion Craft
Admiral Sir
Bertram Ramsay, Allied Naval C.-in-C.,. has
sent a message of congratulation to the men
in the landing ships engaged in the vitally
important work of building up supplies in
Normandy. Here is the story of one of these
little ships - a Landing Barge Kitchen - by a
Naval reporter.
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golden
loaves, still warm from the ovens. The Chief
Cook, Petty Officer R. I. White, of Shepperton,
Surrey, has had immense experience in field
bakeries and kitchens. He took part in the Africa
landing and was later in the Sicily operations.
He appreciates the splendid work of his present
shipmates. |
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We found her, amid a huddle of ships on a
Normandy beach when the tide was out - a queer,
top-heavy looking craft surmounted by a battery
of galley chimneys. At some time in her career
she had been a Thames lighter. But now, equipped
with twin rudders, twin screws and engines which
will drive her through the water at twelve knots,
she is the Sailors' Joy. Officially this strange
craft is one of ten L.B.K.s - Landing Barge
Kitchens - which are providing hot meals for the
men in hundreds of small craft which are helping
to ferry supplies from the ships to the Normandy
beaches.
The, mud
exposed hereabouts at low tide does not always
smell pleasantly, but this afternoon the L.B.K.
is baking bread for six hundred men. Mud or no
mud, this spot smells good to one who knows hard
compo biscuits. The C.O., wearing a white
pullover and flannel trousers, was walking around
his craft. He was critically examining the work
of the crew, who were giving the hull a new coat
of white paint. The C.O. is Midshipman J. S.
Mcintyre, R.N.V.R., of Berwick-on-Tweed. He is
nineteen and very proud of his first command.
"This is definitely an
occasion for painting ship," he said.
"We have a reputation to maintain: already
we have been recommended for our accounts, for
the cleanliness of the ship and the high standard
of the food we serve. Our complement is 25 men,
including thirteen cooks, nine seamen and three
stokers. Until recently we supplied, every |
day
and in all weathers, hot meals for 500 to 700
men. Now we are baking 1,000 lb. of bread a day.
Our last dinner was served to 600 men. On the
menu were roast pork, cabbage and baked potatoes,
followed by fruit and custard. Among the craft we
supply are L.C.M.s, L.C.V.(P.)s and supply and
repair barges." That is a considerable
achievement for thirteen cooks, among them men
who until recently were a miner, a bricklayer,
and a factory hand. The Commanding Officer
invited us on board. We found a ship spotlessly
clean, a floating kitchen in which was installed
the most up-to-date equipment, including
oil-fired ranges, automatic potato peelers and
refrigerators. Pots and pans were polished until
they shone. In a rack on the starboard side were
scores of
HUNGRY LINE UP for a
hot meal at the serving batch of a L.B.K. -
landing barge kitchen - whose achievements in
feeding the crews of small craft busy about the
Normandy beaches are recounted here. Photo, British Official |
"Except
for two leading cooks I do not believe any of
them had been afloat before D-Day " he said.
"The weather then was so bad that we lost
both rudders and had to turn back. All but five
of the crew were seasick, for we were rolling
until the decks were awash." The Landing
Barge Kitchen is one of the most popular ships in
the armada off the Normandy coast.
On a calm night when ships come
alongside, more than one hundred and twenty craft
have called for the insulated canister of
steaming meat and vegetables, and safari jars of
soup, coffee or tea. In rough weather the
squadron leaders organize the distribution. of
the food to their own craft. The Kitchen is
always busy, for it must be prepared to supply
hot meals at any time.
"During the gale, when we
were dragging our anchor nearly to the beach, and
we were constantly being shelled by enemy
batteries. the cooking still went on," said
Petty Officer White. "We had many near
misses. One shell dropped five yards away and
peppered the meat safe with shrapnel. We are a
lucky ship. There were no casualties. During all
that time we victualled the Army or anyone who
came onboard. These ships are fitted out to carry
about a week's supply of food for 800 men."
Petty Officer White is particularly proud of one
fact. During the whole of one month -June -
corned beef was issued for only one supper, and
then it was disguised as cottage pie. |
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but first, their starting-point ......
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The crowded Pool of London
docks in the mid-1930's with just some of
the hundreds of Thames lighters that served
the arriving and departing merchantmen (click
photo to enlarge) Source
- "Shipping Wonders of the
World", edited by Clarence
Winchester, mid-1930s |
.... they were unpowered (but)
could be, and were moved with the tide using long
sweeps or oars. The ex-Zulu, now LBV.37 even made
it across to Normandy in this way after engine
failure ... and with a canvas tarpaulin as a sail
Only
one barge heading for Utah was lost in the
rough seas ...... what were "London
river barges (doing) crossing the English
Channel in that weather?"
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1. THAMES BARGES TAKEN UP FOR WAR
Requisitioning - In
April 1942, with America in the war and the Russians in
desperate straits, Winston Churchill was pressed to agree
to a small landing and holding operation in France around
Brest or Cherbourg in late 1942 (operation
"Sledgehammer"), followed by a main landing
(operation "Round-up" in 1943, later
"Overlord" in 1944). That same month, Lord
Louis Mountbatten was appointed Chief of Combined
Operations, and apart from continuing with the raids on
Bruneval (radar station), St Nazaire (potential
"Tirpitz" dry-dock), and Dieppe (reconnaissance
in force), started planning for the European invasions.
With so few purpose-built landing craft available for
what would be a largely-British operation, one of his
first tasks was to requisition 1000 ‘dumb’
(unpowered) Thames lighters. They were to be fitted with
stern ramps, towed to the French coast by minesweepers
and beached using tugs and launches. Many were later engined and armed. "Slegehammer" and
"Round-up" were soon cancelled, but by the time
of the Normandy landings in June 1944, 400 barges were to
take part manned by 3,500 men. Making up only ten percent
of total amphibious vessels, their role was nevertheless
of major importance. Apart from providing fuel, water,
prepared food, repairs and maintenance to the many
hundreds of landing craft serving both the American and
British beaches, their specialised cargo-carrying and
beach-landing characteristics meant they moved immense
quantities of supplies from ship-to-shore.
Trials and Early
Exercises - The first trials of a Thames lighter fitted
with a ramp had been held earlier in October 1941, and
included landing exercises with three trucks. Following
Lord Mountbatten’s appointment and starting in April
1942, 1000 barges were towed by trawlers and tugs in
around 50 convoys to south coast of England ports for
conversion in Operation "Consular". This
movement was completed by September 1942 without loss.
The first exercises were held at Salcombe, Devon in
September 1942 with five converted barges. The first
major supply exercise involving barges (36 in 3
flotillas), 36 coasters and other forces, took place at
Tenby, South Wales in July/August 1943 in Exercise
"Jantzen". As part of the preparation for
sailing across the English Channel for the Normandy
landings, "Jantzen" meant "dumb"
Thames River barges sailing from the south coast of
England
around Land’s End and across the
Bristol Channel under their own power. They subsequently
made even longer coastal voyages.
Development
of Landing Barges - The very first requisitioned but
unconverted dumb barges (LB - landing barges) were simply
towed. The next stage was the addition of a ramp for
loading and unloading vehicles - LBR or Landing Barge,
Ramped. Adding engines (and later a rudder) to the ramped
barges led to the LBV or Landing Barge Vehicle.
The Main Types -
LBV’s were mainly used to carry vehicles and
supplies from ship-to-shore, especially equipment that
was too big or bulky or heavy for DUKWs. The second major
use of the converted Thames lighters was to provide the
specialist vessels needed to form Supply & Repair
(S&R) flotillas, and included Landing Barges Oiler
(LBO), Water (LBW), Kitchen (LBK) and Emergency Repair
(LBE). The third, but more restricted use was as Landing
Barges Flak (LBF) and Gun (LBG). There was also one
Landing Barge Cable (LBC).
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Landing barges and how
they slotted in between the major and minor
landing craft in size and often function
Drawing
- Copyright
Gordon Smith 2001 |
2. THE BARGES AND THE CONVERSIONS
Barges or lighters were
used in large numbers to load and unload ships in
harbour. With so much of Britain’s shipping diverted
to west coast ports, by 1942 many of the River
Thames’ barges were laying idle. Some 1000 were
therefore commandeered from the total of approximately
3000 owned by the lighterage companies that served
London’s docks. They were all individually named,
and the first two requisitioned were "Starter"
(later LBV.63) and "Nucocus" (LBV.2). Others
included "Heritage" (LBE.47), "Hermit
II" (LBE.49) and "Zulu" (LBV.37). Made of
steel, and carrying loads between 150 and 200 tons, they
were designed to take considerable wear and tear, and
also to sit on the bottom in tidal water while heavily
laden and without being damaged. They were known as
"swim dumb" barges: "swim" because of
the overhanging hull at bow or stern; "dumb",
as they were unpowered, either by sail or engine. Instead
they had to be towed, although they could be, and were
moved with the tide using long sweeps or oars. The
ex-Zulu, now LBV.37 even made it across to Normandy in
this way after engine failure.
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More
Thames lighters in the London docks in the 1930's.
Perhaps some of the men shown here later served
on them in the Royal Navy. The broad beam gives
an idea of just how much space they provided for
the various roles they played (click photo to
enlarge) Source - "Shipping
Wonders of the World", edited by Clarence
Winchester, mid-1930s. These lovely two old
volumes contain a wealth of photographs, maps and
drawings now mainly lost to sight |
Early Royal
Navy-requisitioned barges were fitted with ramps and some
internal concrete reinforcement, but still towed to their
destination. The first conversions used letters AA, BB,
CC, CCR, MBB, MCC followed by numbers. Twin engines were
then fitted but without rudders. Later, wheelhouse boxes
and rudders were installed.
Some of the barges were
converted by London shipyards, but over a thousand by
yards along the south coast of England. In addition to
the Navy’s barges, others were taken up by the
Inland Water Transport Division of the British
Army’s Royal Engineers. Initially fitted with Ford
and Thornycroft car engines, most if not all were
re-engined with US lease-lend Chrysler marine engines.
The barges designed to carry vehicles - both LBV’s
and LBE’s - had the stern "swims" removed
and replaced with a large ramp operated by a hand winch,
and removable watertight bulkheads. To beach, the barges
had to approach the shore stern-first, a difficult and
dangerous operation in anything other than calm weather.
A squadron of barges
supporting a beachhead comprised a number of LBV and LB
(S&R) flotillas - the first type for transport, and
the second for repair and the supply of fuel, water and
food.
3. TYPES OF CONVERSIONS
All Types -
originally 100t, 150t, or 200t carrying capacity, up to
85ft long, 23ft beam, around 4.5ft draught. Fitted with
two Chrysler 130hp marine petrol engines, speed 5.5kts,
single rudder, usually on starboard side below
wheelhouse. Also around 900 gallons water, coal for
cooking and heating.
Numbering:
LB’s, LBR’s,
LBV’s, both Mark 1 & 2, were collectively
numbered from 1-500
LBE's, LBF's, LBG's,
LBK's, LBO's and LBW's, each numbered from 1-up
DEFENCE
& TRANSPORTATION BARGES:
Landing
Barge Flak, LBF
- two flotillas (25th, 26th
LBF) of 8 and 7 barges respectively, each barge had
an officer in command. Conversions designed to
provide beach defence, particularly the Mulberry
Harbour at Gold Beach, 2-40mm Bofors/2-20mm
Oerlikons, 1+up to 10 crew, 1+ up to 20 army gunners,
totalling up to 32 men.
Landing
Barge Gun, LBG
- armed with two Army 25-pounders, they are referred
to in LC, but do not appear to have entered service,
or at least reached Normandy.
Landing
Barge Vehicle, LBV - 19 flotillas (1st-16th,
18th-20th LBV) each of 12
barges. To transport a wide range of vehicles,
weapons, stores and ammunition from ships and
coasters to the beachhead. Examples include 2-6pdr
guns/3 lorries or 2-3t/2-30cwt/1-15cwt lorries;
fitted with ramp. Armed with twin Lewis guns. Crew of
5 including PO or L/S coxswain. LBV’s were
medium or large, 150t or 200t carrying capacity.
According to the glossary in BS.39, Mark 1’s
were dumb i.e. no engines and towed, or Mark 2 with
two, usually, Chrysler engines. However, WB suggests
that most of the so-called "dumb" Mark
1’s were actually powered by the time of
Normandy.
LANDING
BARGE (SUPPLY AND REPAIR) FLOTILLAS, LB (S&R) - 10 flotillas (30th-39th)
each of around 6 LBE’s, 10 LBO’s, 2 LBW’s,
1 LBK:
Landing
Barge Emergency, or Emergency Repair, of Engineering,
LBE - to
provide maintenance and repair facilities for landing
craft, including salvage. Equipped with stern ramp
and carried workshop lorry (generator, lathe, drills,
forge, anvil etc) which could be landed when needed
or crawler crane for landing when possible. The LBE
also carried its own generator, benches, welding
& cutting equipment, forge & anvil, pumps,
spare batteries etc and displayed a REPAIRS sign.
Carrying capacity - 150t or 200t ; main armament,
20mm Oerlikon; 1+9 deck/engine-room/maintenance crew,
plus flotilla specialists up to total of 25. Each
barge had officer in command.
Landing
Barge Oil, LBO -
to supply diesel or petrol to coastal forces, landing
craft, landing barges; refuelled from fuel tankers
lying offshore. Equipped with cylindrical 40t/9,000
gallon capacity tank, two 5inch hand pumps, and
displayed a DIESEL, PETROL, 73 OCT (‘Pool’
petrol), 87 OCT or 100 OCT sign; not ramped. Carrying
capacity - 150t or 200t; armed with twin Lewis guns;
crew of 5 including PO or L/S coxswain. Unpopular
posting as considered a floating bomb and no smoking
had to be observed at all times (officially).
Landing
Barge Water, LBW - to supply water to coastal forces,
landing craft, landing barges; refuelled from water
tankers lying offshore. Equipped with cylindrical
40t/9,000 gallon capacity tank, two 5inch hand pumps,
and displayed a WATER sign; not ramped. Carrying
capacity - 150t or 200t ; armed with twin Lewis guns;
crew of 5 including PO or L/S coxswain
Landing
Barge Kitchen, LBK - to provide prepared food, mainly for
small landing craft. Large superstructure, equipped
as galley to supply fresh bread and food equal to
1,600 hot and 800 cold meals daily; carried
provisions to feed 900 men for one week. Not ramped,
displayed a FOOD sign, 1+22 crew. Sometimes armed
with a stripped Lewis gun. Each barge had an officer
in command - like most of the others, a sub
lieutenant or midshipman RNVR. They have also been
referred to as "Bakeries", probably because
of the smell of baking bread wafting across the
water.
plus
Landing Barge Cable, LBC - to work with cable-laying ships providing
cable communications between UK and France; only 1
commissioned, no ramp, 1+5 crew plus additional
cable-laying crew. Equipped with diesel generator,
carried telephone cable in hold, no armament.
4. NORMANDY FLOTILLAS AND LANDING BARGE DISPOSITIONS
(all information
from WB; variations with BS.39 are noted)
The actual
course taken by the vast invasion fleet to the
Normandy beaches was (1) into "The
Spout" just SE of the Isle of Wight, then
(2) south down one of ten swept channels to the
US, British and Canadian beaches
Abbreviations
used for sources of information
- see full list at end :
"British Vessels Lost at Sea,
1939-1945", (HMSO or H)
"Battle Summary No.39: Operation Neptune,
(BS.39 or 39)
"Those Wallowing Beauties" (WB or wb)
"Warships of World War II, Part Eight:
Landing Craft" (LC)
Additional material from Landing Barges Reunion
(BR or br)
BRITISH BEACHES
(LCE, Landing
Craft Emergency Repair were attached to S&R
flotillas)
Gold Beach
25th LBF Flotilla
from Chichester - LBF.1, 3, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15 (bs.39 -
7 not 8 barges)
26th LBF Flotilla
from Chichester - LBF.2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10 (flotilla barge),
11
4th LBV Flotilla
from Langstone, half for Gold, half for Juno
beaches - taken from LBV.17, 36, 41, 58, 60, 91, 125,
139, 169, 183, 215, 224
13th LBV Flotilla
from Yarmouth, Isle of Wight - LBV.110, 133, 143, 152,
159, 165, 166, 189, 196, 197, 198, 236 (bs.39 - 8 not 12
barges)
14th LBV
Flotilla
from Chichester or Yarmouth - LBV.144, 162, 163, 164,
179, 185, 188, 194, 213, 217, 222, 227 (bs.39 - 9 not 12
barges). In September 1944, 14th and 15th flotillas were
taken over by the Army’s RASC
15th LBV Flotilla
from Chichester/Yarmouth - LBV. 138, 142, 148, 167, 177,
178, 190, 204, 205, 208, 216, 240. In September 1944,
14th and 15th flotillas were taken over by the
Army’s RASC
36th LB (S&R)
Flotilla from Chichester - LBE.18, 23, 38 (11?), 49
(flotilla barge), 50, 51; LBO.9, 14, 17, 23, 39, 53, 55,
73, 75, 80; LBW.10, 17; LBK.4; LCE.23; four attached
fuelling trawlers (bs.39 - 1 not 2 LBW).
38th LB (S&R)
Flotilla from Yarmouth, Isle of Wight- LBE.3, 5, 13,
14, 24, 48 (flotilla barge); LBO.3, 19, 22, 60, 70, 71,
72, 76, 81, 86; LBW.11, 19; LBK.1; LCE.24; three attached
fuelling trawlers.
Juno Beach
All flotillas
sailed from Langstone Harbour
1st LBV Flotilla -
LBV.19, 20, 28, 34, 45, 90, 97, 116, 123, 126, 128, 130
(bs.39 - 11 not 12 barges)
2nd LBV Flotilla -
LBV.4, 18, 22, 38, 40, 46, 57, 71, 86, 115, 127, 235
(bs.39 - 11 not 12 barges)
3rd LBV Flotilla -
LBV.6, 25, 47, 48, 52, 54, 74, 107, 120, 122, 223, 231
4th LBV Flotilla, half for
Gold, half for Juno beaches - taken from LBV.17, 36, 41,
58, 60, 91, 125, 139, 169, 183, 215, 224
30th LB (S&R)
Flotilla, part to Juno beach (3 LBE, 4 LBO, 2 LBW),
rest to Sword (3 LBE, 6 LBO, 2 LBW, 1 LBK) taken from
LBE.2, 4, 16, 36, 43, 47; LBO.32, 33, 34, 38, 40, 41, 45,
48, 64, 90; LBW.5, 14 plus two?*; LBK.10; LCE.15; four
fuelling trawlers (*bs.39 totals 4 not 2 LBW).
31st LB (S&R)
Flotilla - LBE.6, 9, 21, 22, 39, 54; LBO.4, 7, 8, 20,
28, 43, 47, 49, 66, 83; LBW.2, 9; LBK.9; LCE.16; 4
fuelling trawlers
37th LB (S&R)
Flotilla - LBE.15 (flotilla barge), 19, 20, 44, 45,
56; LBO.1, 2, 29, 35, 36, 58, 59, 61, 67, 78; LBW.3, 16;
LBK.2; LCE.19; three fuelling trawlers
Sword Beach
All flotillas
sailed from Langstone Harbour
5th LBV Flotilla -
LBV.10, 13, 24, 32, 59, 75, 77, 85, 96, 108, 114, 238
6th LBV Flotilla -
LBV.1, 43, 44, 88, 99, 111, 117, 119, 135, 199, 200, 201
16th LBV Flotilla -
LBV.145, 146, 147, 155, 171, 173, 180, 193, 195, 202,
221, 237
35th LB (S&R)
Flotilla - LBE.1, 7, 35, 40, 42, 53; LBO.5, 12, 15,
25, 31, 42, 50, 51, 52, 85; LBW.12, 13; LBK.6; LCE.13; 3
refuelling trawlers
30th LB (S&R)
Flotilla, part to Sword (3 LBE, 6 LBO, 2 LBW, 1 LBK),
rest to Juno beach (3 LBE, 4 LBO, 2 LBW) taken from
LBE.2, 4, 16, 36, 43, 47; LBO.32, 33, 34, 38, 40, 41, 45,
48, 64, 90; LBW.5, 14 plus two*; LBK.10; LCE.15; four
fuelling trawlers (*bs.39 totals 4 not 2 LBW).
AMERICAN BEACHES
Utah Beach
All flotillas were
British-manned, and sailed from Poole
8th LBV Flotilla -
LBV.5, 9, 14, 15, 16, 21, 30, 51, 65, 73, 82, 83
19th LBV Flotilla -
LBV 29, 31, 35, 50, 63, 72, 87, 113, 118, 121, 137, 174
(bs.39 - 11 not 12 barges)
20th LBV Flotilla -
LBV 151, 154, 157, 170, 175, 181, 184, 186, 187, 210,
212, 230 (bs.39 - 8 not 12 barges)
33rd LB (S&R)
Flotilla - LBE.12, 30, 32; LBO 13, 21, 24, 26, 77,
79, 82, 92, 95, 96; LBW 6; 1 fuelling trawler (bs.39 - 2
not 3 LBE)
34th LB (S&R)
Flotilla - LBE.28, 33, 34, 37, 52, 55; LBO 6, 11, 30,
44, 54, 63, 69, 87, 88, 89; LBW 1, 4; LBK 3, 8; four
fuelling trawlers
Omaha Beach
All flotillas were
British-manned, and sailed from Poole
7th LBV Flotilla -
LBV 3, 11, 23, 53, 67, 70, 76, 101, 153, 206, 214, 225
9th LBV Flotilla -
LBV 98, 100, 132, 140, 141, 156, 161, 172, 176, 211, 228,
239
10th LBV Flotilla -
LBV 2, 26, 49, 68, 78, 79, 81, 103, 105, 131, 150, 192
11th LBV Flotilla -
LBV 8, 27, 61, 69, 84, 89, 95, 104, 106, 124, 191, 232
12th LBV Flotilla -
LBV 12, 33, 42, 64, 66, 92, 94, 109, 160, 203, 209, 229
18th LBV Flotilla -
LBV 7, 37, 39, 55, 62, 80, 93, 102, 129, 136, 149, 168
32nd LB (S&R)
Flotilla - LBE 26, 31, 57, 58, 59, 60; LBO 10, 16,
18, 37, 46, 56, 57, 84, 97; LBW 7, 8; LBK 5; 4 fuelling
trawlers
39th LB (S&R)
Flotilla - LBE 8, 10, 17, 25, 27, 29, 41, 46; LBO 27,
68, 93, 98; LBW 15, 18, 20; LBK 7; nine fuelling trawlers
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to Part 2, Barges by type &
number
return to
Naval-History.Net
revised 1/10/08
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