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

"11 Allied Ships Lost in Landing"

News Clippings - December 3, 1942

[Two Photos - The Landings in North Africa (digitized text), Page 100

Originals from the University of Michigan

Introduction:

As previously mentioned, Canadians in Combined Operations were involved with the Allied landings beginning on November 8, 1942. By December 3rd, many if not most had returned to the United Kingdom with landing crafts aboard troop and supply ships.

Some exact details about their return to the U.K. has already been shared in the form of very informative news articles. Please link to Operation TORCH, N. Africa, 1942 (Pt. 10) for specific details concerning several Canadian officers and ratings (volunteers) in Combined Operations, briefly referred to in the two news clips below:

Original clips from The Winnipeg Tribune, November 25, 1942

The articles that follow provide more news and information related to the closing days of Operation Torch.

The two cutters mentioned above, i.e., "Walney and Hartland, two former U.S. coast guard vessels transferred to the Royal navy in 1941" (and that were sunk), are also mentioned in more detail in an online, digitized text called The Landings in North Africa (pages 67 - 69):

The notes above mention the makeup and size of the landing party: 500 U.S. combat troops, 30 U.S. engine room personnel and "a British contingent of 40 naval ratings", among others.

It is very possible that several Canadian sailors were sprinkled among the RN ratings at the Oran landings. (My father was part of the Canadian contingent assigned to land U.S. troops at Arzeu, a landing site east of Oran, also part of the Central Task Force plans). 

Originals from the University of Michigan

The following map reveals the three-pronged approach associated with each of the three major landing sites for Operation Torch.

Details related to the landings at Arzeu (east of Oran; see the right-hand arrow of Center Task Force on the map above) is found in the digitized text called The Landings in North Africa (pages 90 - 95):

Originals from the University of Michigan

More clippings from The Winnipeg Tribune follow:

Doug Harrison (Canadian in Combined Ops), with CWAC. Location unknown. 

Doug Harrison, my father (center), in Canadian Navy uniform. 

Photo Credit - Imperial War Museum

Caption with above photograph:

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. Troops and ammunition being brought ashore from LCAs (landing craft assault) at Arzeu in Algeria during Operation 'Torch', November 1942.

One more entry of news clippings related to the invasion of North Africa to follow.

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

Unattributed Photos GH