LCS(L): Landing Craft, Support (Large)

Two variants of the Landing Craft, Support (Large), the LCS(L)(1) and LCS(L)(2), were both used by the British at Normandy in small numbers. The LCS(L)(1) had the primary armament of a turret-mounted 2-pounder gun, which by 1944 was outdated. The LCS(L)(2) had a 6-pounder gun in a turret, plus a 4-inch smoke mortar, two 20mm guns and a 0.5 inch turret-mounted machine gun.

A line drawing of a landing craft showing side and top-down views

Above: Line drawing of an Landing Craft, Support (Large). (Image from: Baker, Rowland, ‘Notes on the Development of Landing Craft’ in, Duckworth, A.D. (ed.), Transactions of the Institution of Naval Architects, Vol. 89. (London: Institution of Naval Architects, 1947), pp.218-258.)

At Normandy these craft were praised for providing fire support at close range to the shore, which could suppress enemy pillboxes and machine gun posts. On King Red sector of Gold Beach, two LCS(L)s joined with LCG(L)s in suppressing enemy defences in support of 5th East Yorks who were pinned down on the beach. After D-Day they were one of the types used to defend the eastern flank of the anchorage on the Trout Line.