Photographs: Imperial War Museum - N. Africa, 1942 (9).

Operation TORCH, Invasion of North Africa, 1942

TORCH Sets the Stage for HUSKY, BAYTOWN and AVALANCHE

[Photo: A13046. HM Ships anchored at the Naval harbour of Mers-el-Kebir.

Photo - RN Photographer Lt. C.H. Parnall, Imperial War Museum. IWM.] 

Introduction:

Undoubtedly, more photographs can be found within various archives and collections that pertain to Allied action during Operation TORCH, November, 1942. In the future I may find more at my favourite site for clear photographs and informative captions, the Imperial War Museum, London UK. And if I do so, I will add them to this set of nine posts.

Canadians in Combined Operations went back to various bases and camps in the United Kingdom after their work in North Africa was complete. There they participated in more training aboard landing crafts (LCAs and LCMs and more) in preparation for future, significant operations or planned invasions in the Mediterranean, i.e., at Sicily in July and Italy in September, 1943.

Many posts that feature news articles, photographs, videos and more about those operations in '43 can be found already at this website. Please use the "click on HEADINGS" in the right hand margin re Sicily and Italy to begin your search if desired.

More photos and accompanying captions about action in North Africa now follow:

A13047. HM Ships anchored at the Naval harbour of Mers-el-Kebir.

Photo Credit - RN Photographer Lt. C.H. Parnall, IWM

A13688. SCENES IN ORAN HARBOUR AND MERS-EL-KEBIR, 22, 23 NOV. 1942.

Ships scuttled by the French before the landing parties arrived, lying on the bottom

of Oran Harbour. Photo - Lt. C.H. Parnall, IWM.

A13689. BRITISH SAILORS AND FRENCH DOCKERS WORK TOGETHER

NEAR ORAN. 22, 23 NOV. 1942, ORAN AND MERS EL KEBIR.

British naval ratings and French dockyard workers work together

after the cease fire at Mers-el-Kebir, north west of Oran.

Photo Credit - Lt. C.H. Parnall, Imperial War Museum

Editor's Note: I am reminded, when I see the above and next three photos, that Canadians in Combined Operations were sprinkled among the Royal Navy crews aboard landing crafts, or they manned crafts as a group of three or four while under the command of a British officer. I feel confident in saying that there are Canadians in these rare group photos though we read "British sailors and French dockers work together...."

A13690. SIGN LANGUAGE HELPS BRITISH SAILORS AND FRENCH

DOCKERS TO GET TOGETHER IN NORTH AFRICA. 22, 23 NOV., ORAN

AND MERS-EL-KEBIR. In Mers-el-Kebir, north west of Oran, a seaman ekes

out his French with sign language. After landing at Mers-el-kebir, naval

ratings helped French dock workers in the landing of supplies etc.

Photo - Lt. C.H. Parnall, IWM.

A13691. Heading as above. Caption - In Mers-el-Kebir, north west of Oran, a

seaman ekes out his French with sign language. After landing at Mers-el-kebir,

naval ratings helped French dock workers in the landing of supplies etc.

Photo - Lt. C.H. Parnall, IWM.

A13692. SIGN LANGUAGE.... 22, 23 NOV. 1942 

Lt. C.H. Parnall, IWM.

Editor's Note: The following two photos illustrate my earlier note about a few Canadians "sprinkled among the Royal Navy crews aboard landing crafts." The first is a single frame taken from a video/news reel that deals with the landings in North Africa and men briefly going ashore. The sailor with white cap and fag on his lip (beside a woman, second from right) looks very much like C. Dale, from Canada.

Four boys in the middle row look very familiar!! 

Mr. Dale appears third from left in the next photo, with a few other Canadians I know by name, including my father (peaking out behind Dale, fourth from left). Portsmouth or Southampton, likely.

And now, back to photos from the Imperial War Museum:

A13693. Heading - THE "V C" SHIP. 22 AND 23 NOVEMBER 1942, ORAN AND

MERS-EL-KEBIR. HMS WALNEY, EX-AMERICAN COAST GUARD CUTTER

LYING ON ITS SIDE BY THE INNER BREAKWATER OF ORAN HARBOUR.

AFTER THE SHIP HAD REACHED ITS OBJECTIVE; TO BREAK THE BOOM

IN ORAN FOR THE NORTH AFRICAN LANDINGS, HER COMMANDING

OFFICER CAPTAIN PETERS RECEIVED A POSTHUMOUS V C FOR HIS

PART IN THE ACTION. THE LOSS OF LIFE WAS HEAVY BUT THE

OBJECTIVE WAS ACHIEVED. Photo - Lt. C.H. Parnall, IWM.

A13694. HMS WALNEY, EX-AMERICAN COAST GUARD CUTTER

Photo - Lt. C.H. Parnall, IWM.

A14013. Heading - HMS HARTLAND ON FIRE AND SINKING AFTER FOLLOWING

HMS WALNEY INTO ORAN HARBOUR IN THE FACE OF A HOT FIRE FROM

FRENCH WARSHIPS AND SHORE BATTERIES. Admiralty Official Collection, IWM.

A14014. HMS HARTLAND ON FIRE AND SINKING

Photo Credit - Admiralty Official Collection, IWM.

A14015. HMS HARTLAND ON FIRE AND SINKING

Photo Credit - Admiralty Official Collection, IWM.

A14313. Heading - THE ROYAL NAVY DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR.

Caption - Naval ratings off duty enjoying a bathe on the North African coast at

Oran or Mers-El-Kebir. RN Official photographer Lt. C.H. Parnall, IWM.

A14314. Heading - JACK TAR IN HIS ELEMENT. 25 AND 26 JAN. 1943,

ORAN AND MERS-EL-KEBIR. Naval ratings off duty enjoying a bathe

on the North African coast. Photo - Lt. C.H. Parnall, IWM.

CNA646. Heading - ROYAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

AND NORTH AFRICA, 1939-1943. Caption - German Type VIIB submarine, U-83,

under attack in the Mediterranean, 80 miles North-east of Oran, Algeria, from a

Lockheed Hudson of No. 500 Squadron RAF based at Blida. Three 100-lb AS bombs

are seen exploding short of the target after the first attack run. The Hudson then

dropped three 150-lb depth charges on the U-83 from 75 feet and the submarine sank.

Photo Credit  - No. 500 Squadron RAF, IWM.

Please link to Photographs: Imperial War Museum - N. Africa, 1942 (8).

Unattributed Photos GH

Photographs: Imperial War Museum - N. Africa, 1942 (8).

Operation TORCH, Invasion of North Africa, 1942

Landings on Three Fronts, Busy Times.

[Photo: A13015. A boatload of British troops in a landing craft off Bougie, Algeria.

Photo Credit - RN Photographer, Lt. L. Pelman, Imperial War Museum, IWM] 

Introduction:

Canadians in Combined Operations performed ferrying duties (transporting British and American troops and all the materials of war to shore) for about two weeks beginning on D-Day November 8. They were stationed aboard troop and supply ships at two fronts near Oran and Algiers and transported their significant loads in LCAs (landing craft, assault) and LCMs (landing craft, mechanized).

In the book "Combined Operations" by Londoner Clayton Marks we read the following, from files of Canadian Lt. Cdr. J.E. Koyl (D.S.C., RCNVR):

Shortly after Dieppe, the Canadian Flotillas, now six in number, were making their preparations for a new operation which subsequently turned out to be "Operation Torch" eg. the North African invasion. For several weeks the British and American troops were trained in amphibious warfare and on completion of this training, the invasion was completed successfully.

This operation, as compared to Dieppe, was a complete holiday as the opposition in most quarters was negligible. By the middle of December, 1942, the Canadian Flotillas were returning to England.

The H.M.S. Ettrick was sunk off Cadiz with the loss of 18 Canadians. Survivors were picked up by a Norwegian destroyer and returned to Gibraltar. The S.S. Clan McTaggart was also sunk in approximately the same area with the loss of 1 Canadian. Picked up survivors were returned to England aboard a British corvette.

On their return to England and by early January they were re-organized into 4 Flotillas, the 55th and 61st manning LCA's and the 80th and 81st manning LCM's.

Once again preparations were being made for another operation and by the end of May, 1943, the four Flotillas arrived in Egypt. Further exercises were carried out and finally came the invasion of Sicily and the operation in Italy.

The Canadian Flotillas at all times performed their duties in a manner which brought the highest of praise from our Commanding Officer, Admiral Troubridge, Admiral of the force. (Page 174, Combined Operations.)

This entry focusses on 16 photographs and their full captions as found at the Imperial War Museum (IWM, U.K.). They were taken by Royal Navy photographers and there are likely more that I have been unable to locate. Full credit is listed with the photos. 

Readers can search (endlessly, 11 million photographs) by going to Search our Collections, IWM.

A13016. Heading - North Africa Operations. 12 November 1942, British troop

convoy beaches at Bougie, Algeria. Caption - British troops disembarking from LCPs

during the landing at Bougie, Algeria. RN Photographer, Lt. L. Pelman, IWM.

A13017. SS KARANJA and SS CATHAY on fire off Bougie.

Photo - RN Photographer, Lt. L. Pelman, IWM.

A13018. SS KARANJA and SS CATHAY on fire off Bougie.

Photo Credit - RN Photographer, Lt. L. Pelman, IWM.

A13019. SS KARANJA and SS CATHAY on fire off Bougie.

RN Photographer, Lt. L. Pelman, IWM.

A13021. Survivors from SS AWATEA, which was bombed and torpedoed outside

Bougie Bay, on board the ST MARNIX. RN Photographer, Lt. L. Pelman, IWM.

A13024. Heading - The troop convoy en route to Gibraltar. Caption - Troop

convoy en route for Gibraltar with HMS BITER, an escort carrier, nearest
the camera. Photo Credit - Admiralty Official Collection*

*Editor's Note: The above caption does accompany Photo A13024 at the Imperial War Museum but I suspect there has been some mixup. An accordion, not "an escort carrier", appears to be "nearest the camera"!

A13034. Heading - THE BRITISH NAVY IN NORTH AFRICAN OPERATIONS.

20 NOVEMBER 1942, THE BRITISH NAVY PLAYED A LARGE PART IN THE

NORTH AFRICAN COMBINED OPERATION. HMS NELSON anchored

off Mers-el-Kebir. Photo Credit - Lt. C.H. Parnall, IWM

A13035. HMS RODNEY and destroyers off Mers-el-Kebir.

Photo Credit - RN Photographer Lt. C.H. Parnall, IWM.

A13036. Heading - The British Navy in North African operations.

20 November 1942. The British Navy played a large part in the North

African Combined Operation. Caption - HMS Sirius off Oran.

Photo - Lt. C.H. Parnall, IWM.

A13037. Heading as above. Caption - HMS SIRIUS, HMS FORMIDABLE, and

HMS RODNEY entering Mers-el-Kebir harbour. Photo - Lt. C.H. Parnall, IWM

A13038. HMS RODNEY and HMS SIRIUS off Oran.

Photo Credit - RN Photographer Lt. C.H. Parnall IWM

A13039. HMS SIRIUS at Oran, with a French tug in the foreground.

Photo - Lt. C.H. Parnall, Imperial War Museum (IWM)

A13040. HMS NELSON and HMS RODNEY anchored off Mers-el-Kebir.

Photo - Lt. C.H. Parnall, IWM.

A13042. Heading - The British Navy in North African operations. 20 NOV. 1942.
A 'Sea-Dog' guards the depth charges. Caption - 'Buds', the ships mascot of the
British destroyer BOREAS. Photo Credit - Lt. C.H. Parnall, IWM.

A13045. HM Ships anchored off Mers-el-Kebir.
Royal Navy Photographer Lt. C.H. Parnall, IWM.

One more round of 'found photos' to follow.

Please link to Photographs: Imperial War Museum - N. Africa, 1942 (7).

Unattributed Photos GH.

Articles: Operation TORCH, N. Africa, 1942 (Parts 1 - 13)

The Invasion of North Africa, D-Day November 8, 1942.

Details, Context re Operation TORCH, from The Winnipeg Tribune

[Photo: A true Combined Operation - U.S. troops disembark from British landing

craft manned by Canadian volunteer members of RCNVR and Combined Ops.]

Caption with above photo, as found at Imperial War Museum: 

American troops landing on the beach at Arzeu, near Oran, from a landing craft assault (LCA 26), some of them are carrying boxes of supplies. Photo Credit - RN Photographer F. A. Hudson

Introduction:

There is a goodly amount of information regarding the roles of Canadians in various operations and invasions - on various war fronts - during World War 2. I have been fortunate to find memoirs and short stories by Canadian sailors connected to the significant work aboard landing crafts during Operation TORCH (that mention their involvement in specific locations at specific dates).

I have also had time to peruse sound copies of The Winnipeg Tribune (digitized) and collect various articles and photographs that inform readers about the action on an important war front on the shores of North Africa in November, 1942.

British, American and Canadian servicemen were involved in 3 Task Forces.

Below readers will find links to 13 posts I have organized that provide details and some context - primarily from The Winnipeg Tribune - about those days when Canadians in Combined Operations were involved in a well-planned operation, important in itself, which set the stage for the invasion of Sicily and Italy the following year. 

Links to Thirteen Posts re the invasion of North Africa:

1. Articles: Operation TORCH, N. Africa, Nov. 1942 (Pt 1)

2. Articles: Operation TORCH, N. Africa, Nov. 1942 (Pt 2).

3. Articles: Operation TORCH, N. Africa, Nov. 1942 (Pt 3).

4. Articles: Operation TORCH, N. Africa, Nov. 1942 (Pt 4).

Caption: American troops climb into assault landing craft from the liner REINA DEL PACIFICO during Operation 'Torch', the Allied landings in North Africa, November 1942. Two of the landing craft are numbered LCA 428 and LCA 447. Imperial War Museum.

Editor's note: Several Canadians in Combined Ops are sprinkled among the landing craft crews.

5. Articles: Operation TORCH, N. Africa, Nov. 1942 (Pt 5).

6. Articles: Operation TORCH, N. Africa, Nov. 1942 (Pt 6).

7. Articles: Operation TORCH, N. Africa, Nov. 1942 (Pt 7).

8. Articles: Operation TORCH, N. Africa. Nov. 1942 (Pt. 8).

Caption: Troops and ammunition for light guns being brought ashore from a landing craft assault (ramped) (LCA 428) on Arzeu beach, Algeria, North Africa, whilst another LCA (LCA 287) approaches the beach. Operation 'Torch', November 1942. Imperial War Museum.

Editor's note: A Canadian in Combined Ops stands front and centre as troops disembark from 'his craft'.

9. Articles: Operation TORCH, N. Africa, 1942 (Pt. 9)

10. Articles: Operation TORCH, N. Africa, 1942 (Pt. 10)

11. Articles: Operation TORCH, N. Africa, 1942 (Pt. 11)

12. Articles: Operation TORCH, N. Africa, 1942 (Pt. 12)

13. Articles: Operation TORCH, N. Africa, 1942 (Pt. 13)

Please link to Photographs: Imperial War Museum - N. Africa, 1942 (7) for more information about the invasion of North Africa.

Unattributed Photos GH

Photographs: Imperial War Museum - N. Africa, 1942 (7).

Operation Torch, Allied Invasion of North Africa, WWII.

[Photo: A12935. The British Naval beachmaster and his party at Arzeu, near

Oran, Algiers. Photo Credit - RN Photographer Lt. F.A. Hudson, IWM.]

Introduction: 

Readers will find 13 entries related to newspaper articles, supported on occasion by veterans' memoirs, as well as videos and audio tapes, about the invasion of North Africa and its significance as the Allied nations combined efforts in a markedly more successful way during November 1942.

The articles, almost exclusively from The Winnipeg Tribune (digitized), were selected from issues published in November 2 (pre-dating D-Day N. Africa November 8th by 6 days) to December 7, 1942.

Readers can gain access to the first batch of articles here - Articles: Operation TORCH, N. Africa, Nov. 1942 (Pt 1)

Presented below are more photographs taken (chiefly) by Royal Navy photographers assigned to various troop and supply ships, including Lt. F.A. Hudson (re first four photographs). Hudson's photographs are of particular interest to me because he set up his camera(s) on some of the same sites visited by my father (RCNVR and Combined Ops) while he laboured aboard landing crafts (assault and mechanized) for about two weeks - before returning to the UK.

Doug Harrison writes the following in Navy memoirs:

One November morning the huge convoy, perhaps 500 ships, entered the Mediterranean Sea through the Strait of Gibraltar. It was a nice sun-shiny day... what a sight to behold.

On November 11, 1942* the Derwentdale dropped anchor off Arzew in North Africa and different ships were distributed at different intervals along the vast coast. My LCM had the leading officer aboard, another seaman besides me, along with a stoker and Coxswain. At around midnight over the sides went the LCMs, ours with a bulldozer and heavy mesh wire, and about 500 feet from shore we ran aground. When morning came we were still there, as big as life and all alone, while everyone else was working like bees.

There was little or no resistance, only snipers, and I kept behind the bulldozer blade when they opened up at us. We were towed off eventually and landed in another spot, and once the bulldozer was unloaded the shuttle service began. For ‘ship to shore’ service we were loaded with five gallon jerry cans of gasoline. I worked 92 hours straight and I ate nothing except for some grapefruit juice I stole. ("DAD, WELL DONE", page 23-24.)

*The above date has always confused me. D-Day was November 8, and photos reveal my father was active in LCAs as US troops disembarked from the Reina Del Pacifico and as they landed on beaches near Arzew. See Photographs, Part 6.

However, as far as I can reason, he was likely assigned to two sets of duties: The first related to LCAs and getting troops to shore beginning on Nov. 8; the second related to the LCMs on the Derwentdale and getting troops' supplies to shore beginning on Nov. 11. Earlier memoirs reveal he boarded the Derwentdale in the UK, so he likely considered the Derwentdale and the LCMs his home base.

(In 1943, during the invasion of Sicily, four Canadian flotillas of landing craft (LCAs and LCMs) were larger and there were more Canadian sailors involved, thus the duties aboard the two different types of craft were likely kept separate in most cases, with Dad aboard LCMs almost exclusively).

More photographs from the Imperial War Museum, via "Search our Collections":

A12936. An injured French soldier being lowered into a landing craft

after receiving treatment on board the REINA DEL PACIFICO.

Photo - Lt. F.A. Hudson, Imperial War Museum (IWM).

Readers are encouraged to look closely at the passengers and 'helping hands' on the Landing Craft, Assault above. The LCA appears to hold both British and American servicemen, but chiefly American... sporting rounded helmets and goggles. The sailor, top right in the LCA, could be British or Canadian, as Canadians were sprinkled amongst the English or RN crews. And the crew member (officer?), lower middle, about to catch the "injured French soldier" with arms spread, appears to have an RCN epaulet on his shoulder (?).

Your impressions, of course, may be different. Let me know via email. (See Submissions Contact Us in right margin for email addresses).

A12937. Transports of the expedition lying in Gibraltar harbour.

Photo Credit - Lt. F.A. Hudson, IWM.

A12939. Hoisting the Stars and Stripes over Algiers, after the cease-fire.

The ceremony was attended by Senior Naval and Military Officers.

Photo Credit - Lt. R.G.G. Coote, IWM.

A12945. A FRENCH FORT NEAR ORAN WHICH IS NOW IN ALLIED HANDS.

The harbour of Oran is now in Allied hands. Photo - Lt. R.G.G. Coote, IWM.

A12946. Heading - THE NAVY ON ANTI-SUBMARINE PATROL AROUND ORAN. PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN FROM HMS FORMIDABLE, 19-21 NOVEMBER 1942.
Caption - The French fort on top of the hill, west of Oran, Oran harbour and town.
Photo Credit - Lt. F.G. Roper, Imperial War Museum (IWM).

A12947. THE NAVY ON ANTI-SUBMARINE PATROL AROUND ORAN.
PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN FROM HMS FORMIDABLE, 19-21 NOV. 1942.
Caption - A British destroyer in Oran. Lt. Photo - F.G. Roper, IMW

A12948. A destroyer and auxiliary aircraft off Oran.
Photo Credit - Lt. F.G. Roper, IWM.

A12978. Heading - Escort Ships return from the North African operations.
Londonderry, 22 November, 1942. Caption - Ratings on board a Corvette
reading letters from home which awaited their arrival in a British port.
Photo Credit - RN Photographer Lt. H.W. Tomlin, IWM.

I've read that Allied servicemen and -women looked forward to receiving mail from home and friends as much as their weekly pay, if not more. Some of the Canadians in Combined Operations also returned to the U.K. about two weeks after N. African operations started, and a few may appear in the photos, immediately above and below.

A12980. The ship's company of a corvette which formed part of the

North Africa convoy, in good spirits on their return to harbour.

Photo Credit - RN Photographer Lt. H.W. Tomlin, IWM.

One newspaper report (revealed in an earlier post) from The Winnipeg Tribune makes note of "their return to harbour" in the U.K., with Canadians aboard.

Original clip from The Winnipeg Tribune, November 25, 1942

My father, Doug Harrison (RCNVR, Combined Operations), "who landed American troops and equipment on the beach at Arzew" refers to his return to the UK - after duties were completed - in his Navy memoirs. About the return trip, via Gibraltar, he says the following:

The Reina (Del Pacifico) was a ship purposely for fellows like me who were tired out, and I was fed everything good, given a big tot of rum and placed in a hammock. I slept the clock around twice - 24 hours - then went back to work. In seven days I went back aboard the Reina Del and headed for Gibraltar to regroup for the trip back to England. During the trip I noticed the ship carried an unexploded three inch shell in her side all the way back to England.

Just outside Gibraltar, Ettrick was torpedoed in her side and sank, and one rating from Ingersoll, Ontario was among those killed. She took four hours to sink and many were saved. We arrived in England without trouble. Our ship was fast, could do about 22 knots per hour, a knot being one mile and a fifth per hour. (I am going to leave my memories about hilarious occasions during leaves I enjoyed until last.) ["DAD, WELL DONE" page 26]

About going on leave after Operation TORCH he writes the following:

Six weeks later (i.e., after leaving the U.K for N. Africa) we arrived back from North Africa to Liverpool on the Reina-del-Pacifico and in a few days the mail arrived from FMO and among my stack was a letter from Grace (a woman he met while training at HMS Westcliff), now serving at the summer resort town of Blackpool.

Could I get a weekend leave? If so, she said she’d arrange rooming quarters and give me a phone number to call at a precise time. That’s if things became favourable for me, which they did, and quite soon I was stepping onto the train platform at Blackpool with Grace waiting with open arms.

I had a 72 hour pass and stayed at a Seniors Boarding House with a lovely room. I sat down at meal times with Seniors dressed in formal bib and tucker to shepherd’s pie - and Brussel sprouts, of course.

Friday night and Saturday night we had a drink or two and enjoyed a dance and restaurant and renewed our friendship. Then I went back to the boarding house. Sunday (this would be late November, 1942) we went to see a large aquarium, sharks and all. The weather was foreboding, like the feeling in our hearts. On the surface we were enjoying ourselves but underneath I think we were both quite sad for we feared the end*. ["DAD, WELL DONE" page 54]

*After they left Blackpool they did not reunite again, as far as I know. Editor.

A12981. The signalman of a corvette with the pile of signals received

during the North Africa operations. Photo - Lt. H.W. Tomlin, IWM.

A12991. Heading - Free cigarettes for the Royal navy. 20 November 1942.
Caption - Gift cigarettes from the Overseas League Tobacco Fund arriving
on board a Minesweeper. Photo - Lt. C.J. Ware, IWM.

A12993. Lt. H. L. Choppin handing over a gift of free cigarettes from the Overseas
League Tobacco Fund, together with acknowledgement cards, to his crew.
Photo Credit - Lt. C.J. Ware, Imperial War Museum

A12994. The crew of a minesweeper enjoying the gift cigarettes
before going on patrol. Photo - Lt. C.J. Ware, IWM

A13014. Heading - NORTH AFRICA OPERATIONS. 12 NOVEMBER 1942,
BRITISH TROOP CONVOY BEACHES AT BOUGIE, ALGERIA.
Bougie Harbour, Algeria where British troops have been landed.
Photo Credit, RN Photographer Lt. L. Pelman, IWM.

I'm sure there is a story - not a fully happy one - about the abundance of cigarettes that were distributed to servicemen during WW2. It slowly dawned on me as I looked at many photos from various fronts, that cigarettes were often present between the fingers or on the lips of sailors, soldiers, airmen, etc.

More photographs to follow in this series from North Africa. 

Please link to Photographs: Imperial War Museum - N. Africa, 1942 (6).

Unattributed Photos GH