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Preserved D-Day era floating roadway unveiled at Marchwood
Overview
A rare surviving World War Two floating roadway, known as a whale, has been unveiled at Marchwood in Hampshire following preservation works by Associated British Ports. The structure, which served as a reserve during the D-Day era and later as an Isle of Wight ferry loading ramp, is now on display as a public monument.
Key points
- A World War Two floating roadway, or whale, has been unveiled following preservation works at Marchwood, Hampshire.
- Associated British Ports lifted the structure from Southampton's Town Quay last year after decades of partial submersion.
- It is one of only two known surviving unsubmerged examples of its kind in England.
- Mulberry Harbours were vital British engineering inventions that helped transfer Allied troops and equipment during the D-Day landings.
- The specific structure was kept as a reserve during the war and later used as a loading ramp for Isle of Wight ferries until the 1960s.