Summary: Description and demonstration of a landing ramp for bridging the gap between a tank landing ship (LST) and the shore on a flat beach.
Description: The vehicle landing ramp consists of a line of linked floating platforms capable of supporting heavy vehicles; it is launched in sections and assembled in situ. In the first part of the film, details of components and the methods of storage on the LST, and of assembly, are shown. The second part shows a trial landing using the ramp. The sections stored on the top deck are launched by cutting the lashings with a detonating fuse circuit and these are linked up with the other sections at the bow ramp of the LST. There is some inevitable disorder in this maiden trial. A load test is then carried out on the completed ramp with the following vehicles: Valentine 25-pounder SP, Scammell recovery, FA Quad and 25-pounder, AEC Matador and 3.7-inch anti-aircraft gun, Diamond T tractor and RB Trailer, AEC Matador and 20-ton trailer, Albion tank transporter, 3-ton Portee and 6-pounder anti-tank gun, Solo motorcycles, Caterpillar D4 tractor, David Brown Tractor, Caterpillar D7 tractor. Finally, details of the timings for this "mainly technical" exercise are given.
