The MTO
TO

N Africa & Sicily

bigpigeon.us webpage  WW II - Germany  > MTO > North Africa & Sicily  > Operation Torch, updated by RAC 14 May 2021.  

French North Africa

• In early November 1942, the French North African colonies of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia were controlled by the Axis-oriented Vichy French government.
• Over 100,000 French military personnel were stationed in these three colonies.
• Clandestine efforts to persuade French political and military leaders in North Africa to switch loyalty from Vichy France to the Allied cause failed.

Morocco, Algeria & Tunisia

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Operation Torch,  8 November 1942.  Operation Torch consisted of amphibious landings by British and American forces in three locations in French North Africa:

• near Casablanca in Morocco.
• near Oran in northwest Algeria.
• near Algiers in north central Algeria.

Vichy French forces resisted until 11 November, resulting in the deaths of around 500 Americans.

Operation Torch Landings - 8 Nov 1942

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Allied forces moved eastward from Algeria towards Tunisia by sea, by road, and by rail as quickly as possible. 

Meanwhile, Germany rushed forces by air and sea into Tunisia. Germany won the race to Tunisia.

​Thus the North African Campaign continued in Tunisia for six additional months.

French North Africa Railroads 1935

Northeastern Algeria & Northern Tunisia

While US and British forces were approaching Tunisia from the west, Erwin Rommel's German and Italian army were beginning their long retreat from the El Alamein area in northern Egypt to Tripoli in northwestern Libya.

Sources for the Operation Torch webpage:

• The Morocco, Algeria & Tunisia map is courtesy of https://www.nationsonline.org/index.html.
• The Operation Torch Landings map is courtesy of https://history.army.mil/brochures/algeria/algeria.htm.
• The French North Africa Railroads 1935 is courtesy of railwaywondersoftheworld.com.
• The Northeastern Algeria & Northern Tunisia map is courtesy of https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-MTO-NWA/.

Pottawattamie County, Iowa Area WW II Dead - Operation Torch:

• Taken from the bigpigeon.us WW II Dead webarea.

02-01 - North Africa & Sicily > Morocco and Algeria: (three dead, updated 14 Aug 2021)
† Alff, John Fredrick, SN 37-118-084, US Army, Pott & Cass Cos.

• 436 Coast Artillery Bn.; on troop transport USS Tasker H. Bliss (AP-42); KIA 12 Nov 1942 Fedala Roads, off Casablanca, Morocco, North Africa; Bliss sunk by German submarine U-130, 31 dead, 204 survivors; North Africa & Sicily > Operation Torch; BNR.

† Bird, Frank Raymond, SN 20-706-126, US Army, Mills Co.

• Co. I, 168th Inf. Regt., 34th Inf. Div., detached to British Commando; WIA 8 Nov 1942; DOW 12 Nov 1942 near Algiers, Algeria; North Africa & Sicily > Operation Torch.

† Klefman, Gordon Louis, SN O-325561, US Army, Pott. Co. & Douglas Co., NE

• Co. C, 1st Ranger Bn. (one of 500 original US Army Rangers); KIA 10 Nov 1942 near Oran, Algeria, North Africa; North Africa & Sicily > Operation Torch.