The initial landings at Gallipoli were hampered by a lack of purpose-designed landing craft. The Royal Navy quickly developed the X-lighter as a means of getting troops and equipment to the beaches for subsequent landings there.

Quickly built and very successful, the lighters were shipped to Gallipoli as deck cargo. Nicknamed "beetles" by the troops because of the raised beams supporting the landing ramp at the front, the shallow-draft lighters could carry up to 500 troops at a time.