Embarkation Hards Explained

One of the many challenges for Operation Overlord was loading troops and military machinery onto an array of landing craft specifically designed for off-loading on the initial beach head. Whilst troops could be loaded on quays, docks and piers; vehicles could only be safely and efficiently loaded, by driving on the Landing Craft.  

The Bigger Picture

In the months before D-Day troops and machinery was to be progressively assembled across Southern England in a series of marshalling areas and camps. Infrastructure was therefore required to ensure that men and machinery could move quickly to the embarkation sites. This called for routes from holding areas to be surveyed and in some cases new roads being built, existing roads widened were necessary as well as passing places being installed. This is another example of the detailed planning and enormous effort that went into achieving the large scale landings required to overwhelm enemy forces.  

Hard Construction & Use

Suitable embarkation sites required a gently sloping area into the sea, which could be an existing slipway or a section of shore or beach that was levelled and graded before square pre-cast concrete spreader blocks known as Beach Hardening Mats were laid to form an Apron and slipway. These Blocks, which have become known as chocolate blocks due to the moulding shape are one of the tell tale signs that an area was used as an Embarkation Hard. The mat sections were approximately 70cm by 40cm by 15cm thick, strengthened by steal rods which were also used to link individual matts.

The slipway was also equipped with large cast metal bollards to secure the landing craft at either end of the slipway and one or more mooring Dolphins, shown on the left of the image below. These were also used to board men on to larger Landing craft via their landing ramps.  The picture below shows the vehicles and equipment being loaded backwards in a specific order so that the correct equipment was off loaded when required. Vehicles were issued with ‘Chalk Numbers’ written on the vehicles, which acted as an asset number in the synchronised supply chain. This simple system meant the people in the supply chain could deliver what the planners required at the time expected by the beach parties. The advantage of the chalk system over a fixed asset number meant that a broken-down Jeep in a marshalling area or indeed any asset within the supply or delivery chain could quickly be reassigned, avoiding any delay or confusion. The chalk system was applied to all military vehicles being loaded on landing craft or ship.

Landing Craft and Ships also had individual temporary asset numbers, similar to a bus number. This formed part of the chalk number code meaning that the landing craft/ship number could also be transferred to another craft/ship. Airborne troops, will also have been familiar with Chalk numbers being assigned to aircraft.            

Gosport Hard with Dolphin to the left. Part of IWM H 38000

Quick Facts: Chalk Marks

Quick Facts: Landing Craft LCT7074

Page Updated: April 2025