HMS Thruster (F131)

HMS Thruster (F131) was a Mark I LST built by Harland and Wolff. Launched in September 1942 and commissioned the following March, she saw service as part of the Allied invasion of Italy.

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Thruster and HNLMS Pelikaan.

HMS Thruster
History
United Kingdom
NameThruster
Ordered6 March 1941
BuilderHarland and Wolff
Laid down31 July 1941
Launched24 September 1942
Completed2 April 1943
Commissioned28 January 1943
ReclassifiedFighter direction ship, 1944
IdentificationPennant number: F131
FateTransferred to Royal Netherlands Navy, 1947
Netherlands
NamePelikaan
Acquired1947
IdentificationPennant number: A 830
FateScrapped Bilbao 1973
General characteristics
TypeMark I LST
Displacement3,620
Speed
  • 18 knots laden to beaching draught
  • 16.5 knots at deep
Capacity13 Churchill infantry tanks, 27 vehicles, 193 men
Complement169
Service record
Operations:

Design and development
Main article: Landing Ship, Tank

Thruster was the third of the LST Mk.1 class ships which could carry 13 Churchill tanks, 27 other vehicles and 193 men. It had a high speed even when laden for the assault (about 18 knots) but did not have a shallow draught, which meant that a 140 ft (43 m) long bow ramp had to be added and this took up a lot of room inside the ship.

Bruiser had only two sister ships, as plans to build more in the United States led instead to a simpler though slower design capable of similar capacity but with a much shallower draught.

Royal Navy service

Thruster took part in the Salerno landing in 1943. In 1944, she was refitted as a fighter direction ship, for use during the Normandy landings in controlling fighter aircraft by ground-controlled interception.[1] Later in 1944 she took British troops back into Athens in Greece.[2] Trusher was transferred to the Royal Netherlands Navy in 1947.

Royal Netherlands service

She was acquired by the Royal Netherlands Navy in 1947 and renamed HNLMS Pelikaan with the hull number A 830.

See also

References
  1. "HMS Thruster - Landing Ship Tank of WW2". www.combinedops.com. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  2. "bbc".
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