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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

HMC LCI(L)-263
ex
 HM LCI(L)-263


LCI-1 Class Landing Craft Infantry (Large):
  • Laid down in December 1942 at New Jersey Shipbuilding Corp., Barber, N.J.
  • Launched December 1942
  • Delivered under terms of the Lend-Lease Act to the United Kingdom, 7 January 1943, commissioned HM LCI(L)-263
  • Transferred to the Canadian Navy, commissioned HMC LCI(L)-263, 29 January 1944, LT. John B. B. Shaw RCNVR (Temp.) in command, 2nd Canadian LCI Flotilla (Royal Navy Flotilla 262)
  • During World War II HM-LCI(L)-263 / HMC LCI(L)-263 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaigns:
    Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
    HM LCI(L)-263 Campaign and Dates HMC LCI(L)-263 Campaign and Dates
    Sicilian occupation, 10 July 1943 Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944

  • Decommissioned by the Canadian Navy, 2 September 1944 and returned to the Royal Navy
  • Returned to US Naval custody, 14 March 1946
  • Struck from the Naval Register in 1946
  • Transferred to the State Department for disposal
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 17 April 1946
  • Transferred to the France Marine, 19 April 1946, for service in Indochina, redesignated RFS L9049, LT. de Vaisseau Lefebure in command
  • Final Disposition, sunk by a mine in 1953
    Specifications:
    Displacement 236 t.(light), 264 t.(landing), 419 t.(loaded)
    Length 158' 5½"
    Beam 23' 3"
    Draft
    Light, 3'1½" mean
    Landing, 2' 8" forward, 4' 10" aft
    Loaded, 5' 4" forward, 5' 11" aft
    Speed
    16 kts (max.)
    14 kts maximum continuous
    Complement
    4 officers
    24 enlisted
    Troop Capacity
    6 officers
    182 enlisted
    Cargo Capacity 75 tons
    Armor 2" plastic splinter protection on gun turrets, conning tower and pilot house
    Endurance 4,000 miles at 12 kts, loaded, 500 miles at 15 knots; and 110 tons of fuel
    Armament
    five single 20mm guns, one bow mounted, one each port and starboard forward of wheelhouse, one each port and starboard aft of wheelhouse
    on some LCIs two .50 cal machine guns were added
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 860 Bbls
    lube oil 200 gal
    Propulsion
    two sets of 4 General Motors 6051 series 71 Diesel engines, 4 per shaft
    single General Motors Main reduction gears
    two Diesel-drive 30Kw 120V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    twin variable pitch propellers, 2,320shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    HM LCI(L)-263
    LCI(L)-134 85k HM LCI(L)-134, HM LCI(L)-177) and HM LCI(L)-263 disembarking infantrymen of the Scottish 51st Highland Division, during Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily, 10 July, 1943. Robert Hurst
    HMC LCI(L)-263
    LCI(L)-263 30k HMC LCI(L)-263 beached at Normandy, date unknown. Ed Storey
    RFS L9049
    LCI(L)-263 976k RFS L9049 moored to the bank of the Red River in Indochina, date and location unknown. Georges Demichelis, courtesy Jean Pierre Mir L9049 survivor
    The history for LCI(L)-263 was extracted from
    The RCN's Part in the Invasion of France    , a Royal Canadian Navy History document.
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    The Nauticapedia - The Ships of the Royal Canadian Navy Present Off the Normandy Beaches on June 6/7/1944 (The D-Day Landings)
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Amphibious Ship Type Index Back To The Landing Craft Infantry (LCI) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 17 October 2014