Walter Pollock described about 240 X-lighters built under his supervision in 1915, most fitted with oil engines. A hinged bow ramp let a platoon disembark in under two minutes, while other examples carried ammunition and stores. The Black Beetles' role more closely resembled that of a modern Mexeflote, a powered raft used to move heavy loads between ship and shore, than that of a later assault landing craft. Their loads and ramp made them useful for reinforcing and supplying a secured beach. Low speed and scant protection made them poor choices for approaching a defended shore under fire.
Chapter · 5:15-7:52
X-lighters and the first step toward powered landing craft
The First World War X-lighter, or Black Beetle, established a powered bow-ramp ship-to-shore capability but was better suited to reinforcement than a contested assault.