More information : Three Second World War embarkation hards located at Stokes Bay in Gosport (SZ 589 988). This was a 4-berth hard that was built in 1942 for landing craft transporting troops (LCT). It was controlled by Portsmouth Command. Further embarkation hards for Portsmouth Command were located at Bishopstone (TV 467 997) and Tide Mills (TQ 459 001) in Seaford, a further hard at Stokes Bay in Gosport (SZ 599 979), Newhaven (TQ 448 006), Hamworthy (SY 986 905), Stanswood Bay (SZ 465 988), Lepe (447 986), two at Portland (SY 688 744), and three at Southampton (SZ 415 112, SZ 417 110 and SZ 419 109). A further three sites at Gosport and two sites at Shoreham have not been traced.
Embarkation hards were built by the Admiralty as part of Operation Overlord to load landing vessels in preparation for D-Day and the invasion of occupied Europe. A total of 68 individual hards were constructed between 1942 and 1944 across the southern coast of England in every county between Suffolk and Cornwall.
There were two types of embarkation hards: LCT hards for landing crafts for troops and LST hards for landing ships carrying tanks. A standard hard consisted of a rectangular concrete apron that sloped down into the water, which was equipped with steel framed mooring points (known as dolphins) to moor the vessels during loading. Hard sites included access roads to link the hards to public highways, approach roads to accommodate the concentrated heavy traffic and transit areas for marshalling troops, vehicles and equipment. Accommodation and ancillary buildings at hard sites would include offices for embarkation staff; a central control room; a workshop for maintenance crew; stores; a watch hut and a latrine. Sites were also fitted with fuel, lighting and utilities. (1) |