It's a genuine WWII Higgins LCM. I was told it appeared a couple of weeks ago & was used in the film "Saving Private Ryan". A quick search on Google turned up this information.
Along with designing the well-known LCVP, Higgins Industries also saw to the design and construction of the LCM (Landing Craft, Mechanized), a boat capable of carrying a medium tank. Work began on the LCM in May of 1941, and a prototype was delivered a year later. 486 LCMs were used during Operation Overlord.
The two LCMs used for Saving Private Ryan (standing in for the proper British LCAs) were originally found at the Boston Boatyard in Oreston, Plymouth, England. The aging landing craft required numerous modifications by James Wakefield to return them to their proper World War II era appearance.
The LCMs were designated as PA30-10 and PA30-11, numbers which indicate that these landing craft were from U.S.S. Thomas Jefferson (APA-30). Although Thomas Jefferson did participate in Operation Overlord, the 2nd Ranger units on D-Day were actually transported aboard H.M.S. Prince Charles, H.M.S. Ben Machree and H.M.S. Amsterdam, which explains why they went to shore in British LCAs and not American LCVPs.
http://www.sproe.com/l/lcm.html
It's been put there by the County Council to reflect Shoreham's maritime history. http://www.shorehamherald.co.uk/shoreham-news?articleid=3181623
Not as daft as it might appear. Shoreham was one of the embarkation ports for the D-Day invasion in 1944. This roundabout is sited where a lot of the invasion force was billeted. Mainly Canadian forces I believe. The harbour is about a mile south of here.
A nice idea but I wonder how long before it's covered in graffiti.
Hopefully it will be no worse than has appeared on some of the tanks in Normandy...
