Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) in the Mediterranean Theatre
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3526669)
Lieutenant E.T. Simmons, RCNVR, Commanding Officer, HMCS Port Arthur, which sank the Italian submarine Tritone on 19 January 1943. Photo taken in April 1943.
(IWM Photo, A17955)
Landing Craft Mechanized (LCM), 27 July 1943.
Royal Canadian Navy and the Sicily Campaign: 9 July-5 Aug 1943
The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) was assigned a major role in the Sicily campaign. It was responsible for the landing and supply of Canadian and Allied forces during the operation. Four landing craft flotillas were assembled for the task. The 55th and 61st LCA (landing craft assault: lightly armoured craft capable of landing 30 troops directly onto a beach) flotillas would land Canadian, British, and American infantry forces. The 80th and 81st LCM (landing craft mechanized: armoured landing craft that could carry vehicles, light tanks, and troops) flotillas would be responsible for transporting armoured vehicles, jeeps, trucks, troops, and supplies for the duration of the operation. On 9-10 July 1943, the 55th and 61st LCA flotillas were involved in landing operations. From 9 July to 5 August 1943, 24 landing craft of the 80th and 81st LCM flotillas transported 9,000 vehicles, 40,000 men, and 40,000 tons of supplies.
80th Canadian LCM Flotilla
81st Canadian LCM Flotilla
55th Canadian LCA Flotilla
61st Canadian LCA Flotilla
(IWM Photo, A17955)
Landing Craft Mechanized (LCM), off the Italian coast, 27 July 1943
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3194314)
Assault landing craft alongside HMCS Prince Henry during preparations for Operation Dragoon, 22August 1944.
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3964054)
American and Canadian troops which took part in the pre-invasion exercises for the Mediterranean Operation, loll around on a LCA as they return to Prince Henry, the mother ship who waits out in the stream, 22 August 1944.
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3964051)
HMCS Prince David and HMCS Prince Henry supporting pre-invasion exercises for the Mediterranean Operation which took place off the coast of Italy, 22 Aug 1944.
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 13964045)
HMCS Prince David and HMCS Prince Henry supporting pre-invasion exercises for the Mediterranean Operation which took place off the coast of Italy, 22 Aug 1944.
(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3202223)
An injured German seaman being taken aboard HMCS Prince David from an American PT Boat during operations in the Mediterranean Sea, August, 1944.