With LCT Marks I to III in heavy demand, the Royal Navy sought a simpler Mark IV able to carry about 300 tons of tanks. Its quoted load was six Churchills or nine Valentines or Shermans, with a speed of about ten knots. Craft earmarked for the Far East received stronger sides, bulwarks, and bottoms for the longer and harsher service expected there. Many were still arriving in India for planned operations against Singapore and Japan when the war ended. The changes were part of the logistical effort to move invasion forces across far greater distances.
Chapter · 54:20-56:03
The LCT Mark IV's mass lift and Far Eastern refit
See how the LCT Mark IV simplified tank lift for mass production, then gained extra strengthening for planned Far Eastern assaults.