--- title: "The Crete Fleet" description: "An on-line encyclopedia featuring the Concrete Ships of World War I and World War II" url: "https://www.normandy1944.info/blog/the-crete-fleet" date: "2026-07-08T06:14:19+00:00" language: "en-GB" --- # The Crete Fleet ![A ‘Spud’ Pierhead](https://www.normandy1944.info/images/blog/2024/The_crete_fleet/crete-fleet-002.jpg)A ‘Spud’ Pierhead ![The remains of one of the pontoons at Arromanches-les-Bains, Normandy](https://www.normandy1944.info/images/blog/2024/The_crete_fleet/crete-fleet-003.jpg)The remains of one of the pontoons at Arromanches-les-Bains, Normandy ![Vitruvius and David O. Saylor, Tampa built concrete ships scuttled in Gooseberry 1](https://www.normandy1944.info/images/blog/2024/The_crete_fleet/crete-fleet-004.jpg)Vitruvius and David O. Saylor, Tampa built concrete ships scuttled in Gooseberry 1 ![A Phoenix Caisson](https://www.normandy1944.info/images/blog/2024/The_crete_fleet/crete-fleet-005.jpg)A Phoenix Caisson ![US Navy photo Mulberry A after the storm](https://www.normandy1944.info/images/blog/2024/The_crete_fleet/crete-fleet-006.jpg)US Navy photo Mulberry A after the storm [](#) [](#) The Crete Fleet is a free on-line encyclopaedia of Concrete Ships, Concrete Barges and Mulberry Harbour components. The website is a result of a five year research collaboration between **Richard Lewis**, based in Ireland, and Norwegian, **Erlend Bonderud**. The website features regular Blogs which have detailed the history of all of the concrete ships and barges built in the U.S and the U.K. over both World Wars, and will expand over time to chart the history of over 1.800 concrete vessels built worldwide. ### 80th Commemoration of D-Day Currently, Richard & Erlend are releasing a series of Blogs about the individual components of the Mulberry Harbours, both concrete and steel, and aim to have completed the series by #dday80. [**Here is the link to that page!** ](https://thecretefleet.com/concrete-ship-blog?blogcategory=Mulberry+Harbour+%26+D-Day) Interestingly, two WWII, Tampa built, McCloskey Concrete Dry Cargo Steamers – Vitruvius and David O. Saylor – were scuttled in Gooseberry 1 at Utah beach, and are still in Normandy today, as indeed are other Mulberry concrete components such as Beetles, Phoenix Caissons & Intermediate Pierhead Pontoons. --- Additional info --- ![](https://www.normandy1944.info/images/blog/2024/The_crete_fleet/thecretefleet-logo.jpg)The Crete Fleet --- ![Construction of parts](https://www.normandy1944.info/images/blog/2024/The_crete_fleet/crete-fleet-007.jpg)Construction of parts [ Visit the website or page ](https://thecretefleet.com/ "The Crete Fleet") [ Add your blog post! ](https://www.normandy1944.info/contact#contact) --- - [](https://www.facebook.com/Normandy1944) - [](https://www.instagram.com/Normandy1944) Share this article on your socials --- Post has been read: 3169 times --- Published on: 15 May 2024 ## Personal view or conclusion on this post This website is a huge undertaking that has been done with the greatest eye for detail. The website is a great source for those who are interested in the concrete ships of both World Wars Also read these interesting articles [ ![](https://www.normandy1944.info/media/yootheme/cache/78/Canadian_Scottish_veteran_Nick_Janicki-783936fb.jpg) Canadian Trail Overijssel ](https://www.normandy1944.info/blog/canadian-trail-overijssel) [ ![](https://www.normandy1944.info/media/yootheme/cache/93/German-Pervitin-the-drug-that-the-German-soldiers-used-in-WW2-to-stay-awake-9377056f.jpg) Hygiene, Stimulants and survival in WW2 ](https://www.normandy1944.info/blog/hygiene-stimulants-and-survival-in-ww2) [ ![](https://www.normandy1944.info/component/ajax/?p=cache/13/Japanese-Army-Proficiency-Badges-by-Andrew-Reznik-139941c1.jpg&src=images/blog/2026/Japanese_Army_Proficiency_Badges_Andrew_Reznik/Japanese-Army-Proficiency-Badges-by-Andrew-Reznik.jpg&thumbnail=400,260,&hash=e0503ae5) Japanese Army Proficiency Badges by Andrew Reznik ](https://www.normandy1944.info/blog/japanese-army-proficiency-badges-by-andrew-reznik) [ ![](https://www.normandy1944.info/media/yootheme/cache/c3/Auschwitz-Museum-unveils-new-exhibition-on-prisoner-life-c3800aef.jpg) Auschwitz Museum unveils new exhibition on prisoner life ](https://www.normandy1944.info/blog/auschwitz-museum-unveils-new-exhibition-on-prisoner-life) [ ![](https://www.normandy1944.info/component/ajax/?p=cache/7f/Charles-Norman-Shay-young-man-7fbdf29b.jpg&src=images/blog/2025/charles_norman_shay/Charles-Norman-Shay-young-man.jpg&thumbnail=400,260,&hash=88e4bbab) Charles Norman Shay dies at the age of 101 ](https://www.normandy1944.info/blog/charles-norman-shay-dies-at-the-age-of-101) [ ![](https://www.normandy1944.info/component/ajax/?p=cache/12/Women-of-the-WRNS-operating-codebreaking-machines-at-Bletchley-Park-12e94403.jpg&src=images/blog/2025/Women_on_DDay/Women-of-the-WRNS-operating-codebreaking-machines-at-Bletchley-Park.jpg&thumbnail=400,260,&hash=3a0b7804) Women in the Normandy Campaign: Unsung Contributions ](https://www.normandy1944.info/blog/women-in-the-normandy-campaign-unsung-contributions) [ ![](https://www.normandy1944.info/media/yootheme/cache/20/Technician-Fourth-Class-George-H.-Pruitt-43rd-20db7067.jpg) When honour is hidden: removal of Black American soldiers ](https://www.normandy1944.info/blog/when-honour-is-hidden-removal-of-black-american-soldiers) [ ![](https://www.normandy1944.info/media/yootheme/cache/f1/The-USS-California-on-fire-after-the-Japanese-attack-on-Pearl-Harbor-colorised-f10f5307.jpg) After 84 years, a sailor comes home ](https://www.normandy1944.info/blog/after-84-years-a-sailor-comes-home) [ ![](https://www.normandy1944.info/component/ajax/?p=cache/b2/Death-of-Lt.-Col.-George-E.-Hardy-b227ccec.jpg&src=images/blog/2025/Passing_of_George_Hardy/Death-of-Lt.-Col.-George-E.-Hardy.jpg&thumbnail=400,260,&hash=7497832d) The passing of the last Tuskegee airman ](https://www.normandy1944.info/blog/the-passing-of-the-last-tuskegee-airman) [ ![](https://www.normandy1944.info/component/ajax/?p=cache/75/Normandy_beyond_Churchill_Image_and_Power_001-7526b54b.jpg&src=images/blog/2025/Churchill/Normandy_beyond_Churchill_Image_and_Power_001.jpg&thumbnail=400,260,&hash=8adbcdac) New Exhibition “Churchill: Image and Power” ](https://www.normandy1944.info/blog/new-exhibition-churchill-image-and-power) [](#) [](#) ## Schema ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Blog", "item": "https://www.normandy1944.info/ww2-blog-articles-events-museums-and-more" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "The Crete Fleet", "item": "https://www.normandy1944.info/blog/the-crete-fleet" } ] } ``` ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://www.normandy1944.info/blog/the-crete-fleet" }, "headline": "The Crete Fleet", "description": "An on-line encyclopedia featuring the Concrete Ships of World War I and World War II", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://www.normandy1944.info/images/blog/2024/The_crete_fleet/crete-fleet-002.jpg" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Normandy1944.info – D-Day, Normandy and Beyond", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://www.normandy1944.info/images/logo/D-Day-Normandy-1944-WW2-logo.png" } }, "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Frank C. 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