Operation for D-Day landing craft tank to make landfall in Southsea is aborted

A MISSION to bring a landing craft that was instrumental in the D-Day assault to the seafront has been put on hold.

LCT 7074, the subject of a multi-million pound, six-year restoration project from the National Museum of the Royal Navy, was due to touch down at Southsea seafront in the early hours of this morning, having been moved towards the shoreline last night.

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But due to turbulent seas caused by strong wind, the scheme was aborted and the vessel returned to Portsmouth Harbour, with plans to recommence the operation again tonight.

LCT 7074 makes its way past the Round Tower, lighting up the midnight sky. Picture: David Georgeplaceholder image
LCT 7074 makes its way past the Round Tower, lighting up the midnight sky. Picture: David George

The landing craft, which served as a nightclub in Liverpool after being decommissioned, will take pride of place outside the D-Day Story Museum, with plans to move it into place over the next few days.

The vessel was moved from Portsmouth Historic Dockyard to Southsea Beach via a barge, before turning back at 3am.

LCT 7074 landed at Gold Beach in the D-Day assault.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

LCT 7074 on Gold Beach on June 7, 1944 Picture: Imperial War Museumplaceholder image
LCT 7074 on Gold Beach on June 7, 1944 Picture: Imperial War Museum

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