AUSTRALIAN LANDING CRAFT (ALC's)
IN AUSTRALIA DURING WW2

In 1942 there were three models of Australian Landing Craft (ALCs). The suffix after the ALC denoted their load capacity. So an ALC40 was a 40 ton capacity Landing Craft. Two extra models were introduced in 1944.

Prior to December 1942, the smaller ALC's (32' x 38' x 44') were manufactured at the Ford Factory at Eagle Farm in Brisbane. The two smaller ALC's (ALC5 and ALC20) were built in four sections. The steel hull and the side plates were dipped in sulphuric acid and then washed in phosphoric acid before being coated with zinc chromate.

The ALCs were then assembled at Boggy Creek near Pinkenba on the northern side of the Brisbane River not far from the mouth of the river.

It did not take long to realise that the ALC5 and ALC20 were not suitable for the task ahead. They lacked any adequate sea going capability, had only a range of about 70 to 10 miles, had no accommodation facilities and offered little protection in the event of a surface vessel attack.

The ALC40 was devised in 1943 by cutting the ends off two ALC20's and welding them together. They were manufactured at both the Eagle Farm (Brisbane) and Corio Bay (Geelong) factories of the Ford Motor Company.

43rd Landing Craft Company

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"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 29 December 2001

This page last updated 15 January 2020