What Was Learnt At North Africa
by Leading Seaman Jim Gibb (later Lt. Cdr)
"Canadians active in North Africa, November, 1942"
L-R: Waldo Mullins (FO 81st), D, Chisholm, C.E. Howard, First
Mate Bill Sinclair, and Capt. Dunster, Master of the Ennerdale.
In this operation the lessons of the past, particularly those of Madagascar were relearnt, namely the need for sufficient craft to unload the ships and the importance of a Beach group Organization. There had not been time in which to absorb and take action on those lessons.
Other lessons learnt were:
1. The importance of proper training for the crews of all landing craft.
2. The need for effective navigational aids. A considerable advance was made before the Sicily landings. The craft were specifically provided to act as navigational guides but it was not till before Normandy that craft fitted with every navigational device were in service.
3. The importance of knowing the gradient of the beach and whether there are false beaches or not. The training of Combined Operations Pilotage parties (COPPs) was pressed on with and they were available for reconnoitring the beaches of Sicily and for all future operations.
4. The need for a salvage organization on the beach to deal with craft that have broached to. Landing Craft Recovery Units were formed and trained for subsequent operations.
5. The mistake of Military Commanders going ashore before their signal and intelligence organizations are set up on shore. They are better on board their headquarters ships with all its excellent wireless facilities and plots of the battle.
6. The value of special headquarters ships. At Algiers and Oran the British had two such ships. At Casablanca the American HQ staff was in the cruiser Augusta which was called off to battle at the critical moment.
7. The first rate value of LST*. Twenty miles west of Oran the Maracaibo LST Bachequero beached and landed the first echelon of the armoured brigade whose object it was to envelop the town from the west. She then started to ferry the tanks and armoured vehicles from the transports to the shore. Twenty miles to the east her sister ships, the Misoa and Tasajero were doing equally valuable service but the need of a causeway to connect ship to shore was keenly felt.
Top Photo and "What Was Learnt", found in St. Nazaire to Singapore, Volume 1, page 118
*Landing Ship Tanks. Longe range, shallow draft, larger landing vessels which could beach and unbeach for unloading tanks and heavy transport independently on steep beaches via a bow ramp. To be built in their hundreds for Normandy and the Pacific.
Link to Short Story re North Africa, S.S. Clan MacTaggart
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