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Honour - NORTH AFRICA 1942-43


Date - 08-November 1942 / 20-February-1943
Type - Combined Operations
Conflict - World War 2; 1939-45

 
Description The operation 'Operation Torch' took place at Morocco, Oran and Algiers and landed a military force to take the area controlled by Vichy French forces.

The naval forces included Royal Navy and United States Navy heavy units escorting troop convoys which came direct from the UK and the USA. A total of more than 300 warships and 370 merchant ships.

An initial 65,000 were landed across the beaches under cover of air support from offshore carriers and naval gunfire support from heavy units.

By D+3, 160 land based fighters were ashore at Casablanca, 180 at Oran and 90 at Algiers.

The part played by US forces was emphasised and British forces reduced in an attempt to reduce French resistance caused by anger at the Royal Navy bombardment of the French Fleet at Oran shortly after Mainland France surrendered earlier in the war.

French resistance was mixed, fierce at Oran, mild at other areas. None was prolonged.

All French forces surrendered after a few days.

A movement east was then made against German forces in Tunisia in conjunction with the existing Eighth Army to the west to force the surrender of Axis forces in North Africa. This objective was achieved on 12-May-1943 when all German and Italian forces in North Africa surrendered.

 

 
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A         
Aberdeen 42  Achates 42  Acute 42-43  Alarm 42-43  Albacore 42-43 
Algerine 42  Alynbank 42  Amazon 42-43  Antelope 42-43  Arctic Ranger 42-43 
Argonaut 42  Argus 42  Ashanti 42-43  Aubretia 42-43  Aurora 42-43 
Avenger 42   Avon Vale 42-43       
B         
Bachaquero 42-43  Banff  42-43  Beagle 42  Bermuda 42  Bicester 42-43 
Bideford 42  Biter 42  Blean 42  Boadicea 42  Boreas 42-43 
Bradford 42  Bramham 42  Brilliant 42-43  Brixham 42-43  Broke 42 
Bude 42-43  Bulldog 42  Bulolo 42  Burke 42   
C         
Cadmus 42-43  Calpe 42-43  Cava 42-43  Charybdis 42  Clacton 42-43 
Clare 42-43  Clyne Castle 42  Coltsfoot 42  Convolvulus 42-43  Coreopsis 42 
Coriolanus 42-43  Cowdray 42  Cumberland 42     
D         
Dasher 42  Delhi 42  Deptford 42  Dianella 42  Duke of York 42 
E         
Eastbourne 42  Easton 43  Eday 42-43  Egret 42-43  Elbury 42-43 
Empyrean 42  Enchantress 42-43  Erne 42  Eskimo 42-43  Exe 42 
F         
Farndale 42-43  Felixstowe 42-43  Filey Bay 42-43  Fleetwood 42-43  Fluellen 42 
Formidable 42-43  Foula 42-43  Furious 42-43     
G         
Gardenia 42  Geranium 42  Glengyle 42  Goth 42-43   
H         
Hartland 42  Hengist 42-43  Horatio 42  Hoy 42  Hunda 42-43 
Hussar 42-43         
I         
Ibis 42  Ilfracombe 42  Imperialist 42  Inchcolm 42-43  Inchmarnock 42-43 
Ithuriel 42         
J         
Jamaica 42  Jaunty 42-43  Jonquil 42  Juliet 42-43  Jura 42-43 
K         
Karanja 42  Keren 42  Kerrera 42-43  Kintyre 42-43  Kingston Chrysolite 42 
L         
Lamerton 42-43  Landguard 42  Largs 42  Laurel 42  Leith 42 
Leyland 42  Linnet 42-43  Loch Oskaig 42-43  Londonderry 42-43  Lookout 42-43
Lord Hotham 42  Lord Nuffield 42-43  Lotus 42-43 Lulworth 42   Lunenburg 42-43 
M         
Maidstone 42-43  Malcolm 42  Marigold 42  Martin 42  Meteor 42 
Milne 42  Misoa 42   Mull 42-43     
N        
Negro 42-43  Nelson 42-43  Norfolk 42     
O         
Offa 42-43  Onslow 42  Opportune 42  Oribi 42  Othello 42 
P         
P45 (42 P46 (42 P48 (42 P51 (Unseen) (42-43 P54 (42
P217 (42-43 P221 (42 P222 (42 P228 (Splendid) (42 Palomares 42 
Panther 42-43  Partridge 42  Pathfinder 42-43  Pelican 42  Penn 42-43 
Pentstemon 42-43  Philante 42  Polruan 42-43  Poppy 42  Porcupine 42 
Pozarica 42-43  Prescott 42-43  Prinses Beatrix 42-43  Puckeridge 42-43   
Q         
Quality 42-43  Queen Emma 42-43  Quentin 42  Quiberon 42-43   
R         
Renown 42  Restive 42-43  Returno 42  Rhododendron 42  Rhyl 42-43 
Roberts 42  Rochester 42  Rodney 42-43  Ronaldsay 42  Rother 42-43
Rothesay 42-43  Rousay 42  Royal Scotsman 42-43  Royal Ulsterman 42-43  Ruskholm 42-43 
Rysa 42         
S         
St. Mellons 42-43  St. Nectan 42  Samphire 42-43  Sandwich 42  Scarborough 42 
Scottish 42  Scylla 42  Sennen 42-43  Seraph (P219) 42-43  Sheffield 42 
Shiant 42-43  Sirius 42-43  Speedwell 42-43  Spey 42-43  Spirea 42 
Starwort 42  Stork 42  Stornoway 42-43  Stroma 42-43  Stronsay 42-43 
Sturgeon 42-43  Swale 42       
T         
Tartar 42-43  Tasajera 42-43  Tribune 42  Tynwald 42   
          
U         
Ulster Monarch 42  Ursula 42       
V         
Vanoc 42-43  Vansittart 42  Velox 42-43  Venomous 42-43  Verity 42-43 
Vetch 42-43  Victorious 42  Vienna 42-43  Violet 42-43   
W         
Walney 42  Westcott 42-43  Westray 42-43  Weyburn 42-43  Wheatland 42-43 
Wilton 42-43  Wishart 42-43  Wivern 42-43  Woodstock 42-43  Wrestler 42 
Z         
Zetland 42-43         
         
RFA Ships
Abbeydale 42 Brown Ranger 42 Derwentdale 42 Dewdale 42-43 Dingledale 42-43
Ennerdale 42 Nasprite 42  Viscol 42    
         
FAA Squadrons
700 (42-43) 800 (42) 802 (42) 804 (42) 807 (42-43)
809 (42) 817 (42) 820 (42-43) 822 (42-43) 832 (42)
833 (42) 880 (42) 882 (42) 883 (42) 884 (42)
885 (42-43) 888 (42-43) 891 (42) 893 (42-43)  
         
ML's
1942-43        
238  273  280 283  295 
307  336  338 433  444 
458  463  469  471  480 
483         
         
HDML's
1942-43        
1127  1128  1139     
 
This page last edited - 11 April, 2013.

Copyright © Ian M King, except where otherwise indicated.