Marchwood Sea Mounting Centre (SMC) (Marchwood)

United Kingdom / England / Marchwood
 military, sea port, logistics company, railway terminus
Built during the Second World War as a amphibious craft loading site to aid in the buildup of the invasion fleet taking part in the June 1944 Normandy landings, the Marchwood Sea Mounting Centre was purposefully designed to quickly process both freight and vehicles received from over-the-road and rail conveyance onto ships, and as a result played a major role in the continued supply of the beachhead area in Normandy until dedicated port facilities were secured. Used throughout the duration of the Second World War and in the subsequent drawdown of Allied forces following the armistice, the facility remained in use but little-changed in the postwar years until the general adoption of ro-ro transport ships in military circles began.

Expanded to its present multi-pier configuration following the Falklands War, the facility is now the primary military loadport in the South of England and also serves as a homeport for several vessels operated by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The port's landside operations are conducted by the 17 Port & Maritime Regiment of the Royal Logistic Corps, British Army.

www.ports.org.uk/port.asp?id=130
www.army.mod.uk/logistic/regiments/24915.aspx
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marchwood_Military_Port
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   50°53'28"N   1°26'3"W

Comments

  • A good link for a history of this facility can be found @: http://unitpages.military.com/unitpages/history.do?ck_unit=20392&id=703846&historyId=704762
This article was last modified 10 years ago