Portland, United Kingdom; September 12, 2019;

L3685 pennant indicates vessel originally designed as a landing craft;
with large anchor aft, deployed as running up the beach;
with bow doors open and ramp down allowed tanks, etc. to be put ashore;
vessel also carried large floating platforms strapped alongside, which could be lashed together
and taken to her stern door for loading tanks, etc,
these floats were rquipped with huge outboard motors on them to drive them ashore;

vessel took part in Operation Corporate: the 1982 Falkland War;
on 8 June, while transporting men and equipment to Fitzroy Cove alongside the
Sir Galahad, she was attacked by A-4 Skyhawks from Argentine Air Force's V Brigada Aérea (FAA);
a 500 lb. bomb penetrated the deck, and vessel was abandoned. she was towed to Port Stanley
and used as an accommodation ship;
returned to the United Kingdom in 1983 on a heavy lift ship and was extensively rebuilt;
after rebuilt re-entered active service in 1985, and saw service in the Gulf War and the Balkan
conflicts of the 1990s;
supported relief operations for Hurricane Mitch off Central America;
2000: deployed to Sierra Leone in support of British operations there;

vessel currently permanently anchored at harbour entrance after decommission on 17 December 2005;
continues to be used for training purposes by the Special Boat Service and other elements of
UK Special Forces Group