大象传媒

This article is taken from LCG&F Association Newsletter鈥檚.

The Conversion of H.M.L.C.G. (L) 14 And Its Story To The Invasion of Sicily on July 10th 1943

OPERATION 鈥楬USKY鈥�

After our conversion from H.M.L.C.T.373 at the Harland & Wolfe Shipyard, we sailed out of Belfast three weeks after our original sailing date, this was because of the tragedy at Milford Haven where LCG鈥檚 15 & 16 went down in heavy seas.

We remained in Belfast to have our fo鈥檆鈥檚le 鈥楧ecked Over鈥� and on completion of this, sailed out on May 27th 1943 en route for Falmouth. We called into Milford Haven for an overnight stop on May 28th, and as we sailed into harbour we all remembered the friends that had lost their lives only four weeks before.

The following morning we were under way about 10:00 hours, the sea was calm and a slight breeze. Our time spent out to sea was spent training on the 4.7 Guns. We arrived in Falmouth about 16:00 hours on Sunday May 30th.

The next few days were spent taking on fuel, provisions and ammunition. We all managed a couple of 鈥淩uns Ashore鈥� before slipping out of Falmouth Harbour at about 18:00 hours on Wednesday June 9th 1943 to form up with a convoy of Landing Craft, Merchant Ships and two Corvettes.

Our 鈥淪kipper鈥�, Lt Sam Armstrong. RNVR, then Cleared Lower Decks to tell us we were heading for the Mediterranean and our first Port of Call would be Gibraltar, which we should reach in seven days.

The weather conditions were atrocious, very heavy seas running, with gale force winds, and the 鈥淪crews鈥� out of the water more than they appeared to be in. (It has been recorded that the conditions endured by this particular convoy, were some of the worse during the war).

We arrived in Gibraltar at about 11:00 hours on Friday June 18th. The voyage of nine days, if it did nothing else proved that these Landing Craft could stand up to the worse of the elements and the crews as well.

On Sunday June 20th we left Gibraltar and headed out to the North African Port of Djedjelli, where we arrived on Wednesday June 23rd, not without mishap though, as only a few hours out from Gibraltar our fuel pump was not functioning correctly and we had to pump our diesel to keep the engines running. This entailed two crewmembers at a time, spending 15 minutes on duty.

We spent a week in Djedjelli getting in more training on out 4.7 Guns and the Pom-Poms. On one occasion we put to sea for some Gunnery practice, only the second time we had actually fired the 4.7鈥檚, the first time was at Belfast on our sea trials.

On Wednesday June 30th 1943 we sailed out of Djedjelli in company with many LCT鈥檚, LCF鈥檚, LCT(R)鈥檚 and LCG鈥檚, and headed for the Port of Bone, arriving there the following day. We had barely tied-up before we were ordered out to sea again and making our way to the Port of Sousse, arriving there at about 15:00 hours on Saturday July 3rd. Once again only a few hours in harbour before putting to sea again an ever-increasing collection of Landing Craft and Ships.

Our next Port of Call was Sfax, where we arrived at about 16:00 hours on Monday July 5th. We had only been in harbour for about two hours when we were the targets for an enemy air attack. Fortunately all the bombs fell well away from our area.

We spent the next two days taking on fuel, provisions and ammunition. On Wednesday July 7th at about 14:00 hours we again put to sea and outside the harbour assembled with more Landing Craft and Ships before setting off in convoy.

We were already aware that this invasion force was heading for the Island of Sicily, and we were already on 鈥淲atch and Watch About鈥�. At about 20:00 hours on Friday July 9th our 鈥淪kipper鈥� once again 鈥淐leared the Lower Decks鈥� and told us what our role was to be. The task for LCG14 was to cover the Landings at Porto Palo, Cape Passero, and capture the heavily defended Bay.

At 23:00 hours we went to Action Stations and continued on our 鈥淩un In鈥�, it was a very impressive sight watching this great Armada, (At that time the biggest ever assembled). The sea was choppy but as we neared the shore it appeared to calm. The enemy defences had been under constant bombing by the RAF and Americans, and as we continued on our approach it was still going on.

Zero hours were 02:45 hours on Saturday July 10th as we had already arrived at our designated area in company with LCG鈥檚 12,13,17 and 18 and waited for the LCT (R鈥檚) to open the proceedings. This was the first time we had seen the full firepower of the Rocket Craft, quite awesome and thankful they were on our side.

Apart from some small arms fire the enemy appeared to be retreating in haste from the beachhead and did not open fire with his shore batteries to begin with. Then in company with LCG13 and some LCA鈥檚 we sailed further Eastwards to create a diversion. As dawn approached we found ourselves in company with a Cruiser and had orders to open fire at a Shore Battery, these were the first shots we had fired 鈥淚n Anger鈥�. A short time afterwards the Shore Battery ceased firing.

Soon after this two enemy planes approached but the barrage put up be the Ships and Flak Craft did not allow them to bomb with any accuracy and they soon veered away.

From all accounts the Landings had gone very well and our Troops were getting well inland. We continued to patrol our designated area in company with LCG13. The Cruisers and Destroyers were still firing at targets inland, but this also ceased after a short time.

All we could hear was the dull sound of gunfire and watch the continuous 鈥淩un In鈥� of the LCT鈥檚 and LST鈥檚 to the beaches and our Transport moving along the coastal roads.

At about noon on the 10th July we closed on one of the Destroyers to take on Fresh Water supplies, and then continued on our patrol along the coast. This pattern of activity we carried out for the next two days. As our Troops were now well established, our presence was no longer required and we were ordered to assemble in the 鈥淩eturn Convoy Area鈥� and await further instructions.

On Monday July 12th at about 15:00 hours we sailed from Sicily and headed for Malta, which for me was a marvellous Port of Call as I had an Uncle and Aunt living in Floriana.

We arrived in Valletta at about 11:00 hours on July 13th, stayed there for three days before heading back to Djedjelli, arriving there on July 18th.

Our first 鈥淥peration鈥� completed.

In writing this article I would wish to acknowledge the use of Lt. Sam Armstrong鈥檚 Notes.

This article was written by H Turley.

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