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

Smoke Screens, U.S. Troops, HMS Rodney, North African Operations.

A12635. Heading - NORTH AFRICAN OPERATIONS. BRITAIN'S ROYAL NAVY

HAD A MAJOR ROLE IN THE WORLD'S GREATEST COMBINED OPERATION

WHEN THE 500 SHIP CONVOY SAFELY TRANSPORTED ALLIED TROOPS TO

FRENCH NORTH AFRICA, WHERE SIMULTANEOUS LANDINGS WERE MADE

AT STRATEGIC POINTS. NOVEMBER 1942. Caption - A destroyer laying a smoke

screen round one of the transports off Oran. Photo Credit - 

RN Photographer Lt. J.E. Russell, Imperial War Museum

Introduction:

The invasion of North Africa in November 1942 was a co-ordinated effort between members of Allied Forces: U.S. troops travelled from American ports, across the Atlantic to land at shores near Casablanca; British troops travelled from the U.K and passed Gibraltar as they stationed themselves in various locations in the Mediterranean Sea, e.g., near Oran and Algiers.

The collected armada was reported to be the largest in world history, up to that date. Canadians in Combined Operations (many volunteers of the RCNVR also volunteered for the C.O. organization, e.g., after completing training at HMCS Stadacona in Halifax in the fall of 1941) were active aboard many landing crafts that landed U.S. and U.K. troops in N. Africa beginning on November 8.

RN Photographer Lt. F.A. Hudson (mentioned with some of the photos that follow) was present at landings that involved Canadians in Combined Operations at Arzeu, east of the city of Oran, and several of his photographs (possibly videos as well) reveal my father assisting in the landings as crew member of LCAs and LCMs.

My favourite is below, and was posted in an earlier entry:

A12671. Troops and ammunition for light guns being brought ashore from
a landing craft assault (ramped, LCA 428) on Arzeau beach, Algeria, North
Africa, whilst another LCA (LCA 287) approaches the beach.
Photo Credit - Lt. F.A. Hudson, Imperial War Museum.

The caption does not say so, but I am certain that U.S. troops are disembarking (distinctive helmets), and my father, front and centre, is standing knee-deep in water wearing his Navy blues and rounded cap, with his right shoulder toward the camera. 

Landing Craft Assault 287 and LCA 428 were active for several days. My father wrote that he only received a short rest break after 92 hours of transporting men and material of war to shore. Landing Craft Mechanized (longer and wider than LCAs and capable of carrying more troops and/or supplies per trip from a supply ship) were also kept very busy for about two weeks, or well into mid- to late-November. Dad appears in LCA 428 as U.S. troops disembark Reina Del Pacifico and board 428 in a photo that follows later.

Fifteen photos, headings and captions from Imperial War Museum, UK:

A12637. Caption - American troops before going ashore.

Photo Credit - RN Photographer Lt. J.E. Russell, IWM.

A12639. Caption - The battleship HMS RODNEY, engaging shore defences

at Oran. Lt. J.E. Russell, IWM.

A12641. Heading - THE ROYAL NAVY DURING THE SECOND WORLD
WAR: OPERATION TORCH, NORTH AFRICA, NOVEMBER 1942.

Caption - General view of part of the convoy en route for Gibraltar

stretching across the horizon. Lt. J.E. Russell, RN, IWM.

A12642. Heading - NORTH AFRICAN OPERATIONS. BRITAIN'S ROYAL NAVY

HAD A MAJOR ROLE IN THE WORLD'S GREATEST COMBINED OPERATION

WHEN THE 500 SHIP CONVOY SAFELY TRANSPORTED ALLIED TROOPS

TO FRENCH NORTH AFRICA, WHERE SIMULTANEOUS LANDINGS

WERE MADE AT STRATEGIC POINTS. NOVEMBER 1942.

General view of part of the convoy en route for Gibraltar.

Photo Credit - Lt. J.E. Russell, IWM.

A12653. Heading - as A12642. Caption - Captain QD Graham RN, on the bridge of

the REINA DEL PACIFICO with Rear-Admiral A.C. Bennet USN.

Photo Credit to RN Photographer Lt. F.A. Hudson, IWM.

Another photograph and caption bearing witness to the presence of US troops aboard the Reina Del (as it was called by some, including my father). This photo was displayed on an earlier post as well:

A12647. American troops manning their landing craft assault from a door-

way in the side of the liner REINA DEL PACIFICO. Two of the landing craft are

numbered LCA 428 and LCA 447. During Operation 'Torch', the Allied landings

in North Africa, November 1942. RN Photographer Lt. F.A. Hudson, IWM

The caption fails to mention that LCA 428 is operated by Canadians in Combined Operations under the leadership of an RN officer. My father is again front and centre, already aboard LCA 428 and looking toward an approaching LCA (left edge of photo). He is wearing his metal helmet, left shoulder toward the camera.

(NB. My wife disagrees. She believes the sailor about to reach out toward LCA 428 from the approaching LCA is my father - because that sailor looks like our oldest son. The discussion continues).

A12659. Heading - NORTH AFRICAN OPERATIONS. BRITAIN'S ROYAL NAVY

HAD A MAJOR ROLE IN THE WORLD'S GREATEST COMBINED OPERATION

WHEN THE 500 SHIP CONVOY SAFELY TRANSPORTED ALLIED TROOPS TO

FRENCH NORTH AFRICA, WHERE SIMULTANEOUS LANDINGS WERE
MADE AT STRATEGIC POINTS. NOVEMBER 1942. Caption - American
soldiers fraternising with natives at Arzeu. Photo - Lt. F.A. Hudson, IWM.

A12660. American soldiers fraternising with civilians at Arzeu.

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

A12662. Heading - THE ROYAL NAVY DURING THE SECOND WORLD

WAR: OPERATION TORCH, NORTH AFRICA, NOVEMBER 1942. Caption -

Some of the inhabitants of Arzeu, meet the US soldiers on the beach.

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

A12683. Caption - American troops preparing to unload materials for shore.

RN Official Photographer Lt. J.E. Russell, IWM.

A12884. Heading - Combined Operations off North African coast. November 1942.

Caption - The convoy forming up. Photo - Lt. R.G.G. Coote, IWM.

A12885. American troops embarking on HMS SHEFFIELD.

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

A12886. American troops on HMS SHEFFIELD.

RN Photographer - Lt. R.G.G. Coote, IWM.

A12932. Heading - Combined Operations in North Africa. November 1942. 

Caption - Transports unloading troops and stores at Arzeu, near Oran.

Photo Credit - Lt. F.A. Hudson, Imperial War Museum.

A12933. A light tank landed at Arzeu for Allied North African Forces.

Photo - Lt. F.A. Hudson RN Photographer, IWM.

A12934. A general view of the harbour at Arzeu.

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

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

More details concerning the landing at Arzeu (Canadians in Combined Ops were active there) can be found at Articles: Operation TORCH, N. Africa, 1942 (Pt. 12)

More photographs to follow.

Please link to Photographs: Imperial War Museum - N. Africa, 1942 (5)

Unattributed Photos GH