▁She ▁joined ▁con voy ▁SC - 1 5 5 ▁and ▁depart ed ▁for ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁on ▁the ▁ 1 4 th . ▁The ▁con voy ▁reached ▁Mil ford ▁H aven , ▁Wales ▁on ▁the ▁ 2 9 th ▁and ▁two ▁days ▁later , ▁L ST - 2 8 8 ▁stood ▁out ▁for ▁P ly mouth . ▁ ▁She ▁remained ▁at ▁P ly mouth ▁throughout ▁April ▁and ▁May ▁read ying ▁herself ▁for ▁" Operation ▁Over l ord ", ▁the ▁long - await ed , ▁cross - channel ▁invasion ▁of ▁Europe . ▁On ▁ 3 1 ▁May ▁she ▁loaded ▁ 4 2 5 ▁soldiers ▁and ▁ 1 1 6 ▁vehicles ▁and ▁" se aled ▁up " ▁in ▁order ▁prevent ▁any ▁news ▁of ▁the ▁invasion ▁prepar ations ▁from ▁le aking . ▁The ▁t ense ▁week ▁of ▁waiting ▁that ▁followed ▁seemed ▁to ▁be ▁at ▁an ▁end ▁when ▁she ▁set ▁sail ▁on ▁the ▁ 4 th . ▁However , ▁ab omin able ▁weather ▁conditions ▁obliged ▁the ▁Al lied ▁command ▁to ▁recall ▁the ▁invasion ▁fl ot illa ▁and ▁post p one ▁the ▁operation ▁for ▁at ▁least ▁ 2 4 ▁hours . ▁Fort un ately , ▁the ▁weather ▁cleared ▁in ▁the ▁inter im , ▁and ▁the ▁ 4 , 0 0 0 ▁ships ▁and ▁landing ▁craft ▁assemble d ▁for ▁the ▁assault ▁on ▁the ▁be aches ▁of ▁Norm andy ▁depart ed ▁for ▁the ▁real ▁thing ▁on ▁the ▁ 5 th . ▁L ST - 2 8 8 ▁stood ▁out ▁of ▁P ly mouth ▁as ▁a ▁unit ▁of ▁Western ▁Naval ▁Task