The first big exercise for Canadian L.C.I. took place at the end of March, exercise "Gold Braid", with L.C.I.'s 117, 177 and 255 of the 260th Flotilla and L.C.I.'s 406, 252, 270, 276, 115 and 115 of the 262nd Flotilla taking part together with most of the Eastern assault forces' ships and craft. The following summary from the 262nd Flotilla Officer's report to his Squadron Commander gives an idea of the routine.

26th March: 1430 Slipped to pick up balloons, 1910 anchored in Stanswood.
27th March: 1115 Weighed, proceeded with Group 31. 1145 returned to anchorage because of postponement of exercise.
28th March: 1214 Weighed and proceeded with Group 31, 1453 beached on "Baker White" in Bracklesham Bay (east of Chichester). 1510 off beach and withdrew to waiting position. 1530 left for collecting area at Fort Gilkicker, west of Gosport opposite Ryde, Isle of Wight. 1705 anchored at Fort Gilkicker. 1935 weighed and proceeded to Calshot. 2044 anchored off Calshot.
29th March: 0005 weighed and proceeded to S.2 Hard Southampton. 0100 arrived S.2 for loading. 0200 sailed for Calshot collecting area. 0245 anchored in Calshot collecting area.
30th March: 0734 weighed and proceeded to assault area under order of "K" L.C.T. 1020 anchored in pre-beaching waiting position. 1045 weighed anchor 1115 beached "Able" sector. 1120 unbeached and sailed for collecting area. 1530 anchored off Calshot. 1919 weighed and proceeded to normal berths.

The next big exercise was "Trousers", a code name that gave staff signals officers plenty of scope for fun with such code signals as "Trousers Down", "Trousers Up", "Trousers Wet" and "Trousers Torn", meaning to start or stop loading, or postponement or cancellation of the exercise. The whole available Eastern Task Force and some Western Task Force ships took part. "ATHABASKAN" came up from Plymouth to Portsmouth for the exercise, and formed part of the bombarding force which consisted of the British cruisers "ENTERPRISE" (Captain H.T.W. Grant, D.S.O. R.C.N.) and "BELLONA", and the destroyers "TANATSIDE", HELBREAK", "ASHANTI" and "ATHABASKAN". "HAIDA" and "HURON" under H.M.S. "TARTAR", formed a unit of the covering forces spread in layers along the Channel parallel to the coast. "PRINCE HENRY" and "PRINCE DAVID" were still in the Clyde about to undock. Nine Canadian Bangors, which were later formed into the 31st Minesweeping Flotilla, swept the Force "J" Channel without incident. Twelve L.C.I.'s from the three Canadian Flotillas took part, landing assault troops dry on a stiff gradient beach east of the Needles on the 12th of April.

Between these big exercises there were numerous L.S.I., L.C.I. and L.C.A. Flotilla manoeuvering, beaching, night navigation, signals and firing exercises, usually one of each kind each week.