HMS Ilfracombe 1941 Minesweeper Tread Plate

One of many D-Day heroes. Imagine those that had trodden on this glorious treadplate. HMS Ilfracombe was one of hundreds of minesweepers used just before the Normandy Landings. She was part of the 16th Minesweeping Flotilla, which cleared mines, under enemy fire at times, from 5-7 June 1944, so that landing craft could get onto the beaches, and Allied battleships could get close to the French coast to shell German defences.

It was hazardous work, as the area was thick with mines, and had to be done in secrecy. But the success of the little minesweepers’ work meant that relatively few landing vessels were struck by mines, and this helped the greatest invasion force ever assembled to get a foot-hold on German territory.

We have been the Worlds largest dealers in these original Royal Navy artefacts for over twenty years now, the bulk of our stock coming directly from invitation by the Royal Navy and the Royal Navy Museums