Harland and Wolff - Shipbuilding and Engineering Works

Pennant No. F131

In order to ensure a speed of at least 16 knots she was quite deep draft and had a boat-shaped bow formed from two large doors. However these were not watertight and they relied on an internal ramp to keep the sea out. Because they drew so much water the Boxers were difficult craft to beach and the only solution was to fit a retractable bridge with extension ramp inside at the bow. This was powered by electric motors and, fully extended stretched 131 feet from ship to shore. The problem was the amount of room it took up inside.

Two other features of the Boxers were 40 ton crane, just aft of the funnel, which could load tanks from the dockside, and large doors in both sides of the hull, just forward of the bridge, which allowed tanks to be loaded or unloaded from landing craft if required. The funnel was offset to the starboard side to provide clear deck and could carry 13 at 30t tanks, 27 at 3t lorries and 193 troops.

Thruster and Boxer both took part in the Salerno landings but Boxer was later converted to a communications vessel.

Thruster became a Fighter Direction Ship in 1944 and went to the Royal Netherlands Navy as the RNS Pelikaan.

She was scrapped in 1958.