The Landing Craft Mechanized (LCM) or Landing Craft Mechanical was a landing craft designed for carrying vehicles. They came to prominence during the Second World War when they were used to land troops or tanks during Allied amphibious assaults.
Variants
There was no single design of LCM used, unlike the Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel (LCVP) or Landing Craft Assault (LCA) landing craft made by the US and UK respectively. There were several different designs built by the UK and US and by different manufacturers.
LCM (1)
The Landing Craft Mechanical Mark I was an early British model, it was able to be slung under the davits of a liner or on a cargo ship boom with the result that it was limited to a 16 ton tank. The British LCM was conceived and tested in 1920 and was used from 1924 in exercises.William F Buckingham. D-Day the First 72 hours Tempus Publishing, Stroud. 2004