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April Wine
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April Wine
April Wine in concert in 2008
Background information
Origin
Waverley, Nova Scotia, Canada
Genres
Hard rock
Years active
1969–1986, 1992–present
Labels
Aquarius, MCA, Capitol
Website
www.aprilwine.ca
Members
Myles Goodwyn
Brian Greenway
Richard Lanthier
Roy Nichol
Past members
Jim Henman
David Henman
Ritchie Henman
Gary Moffet
Steve Lang
Steve Segal
Carl Dixon
Jim Clench
Jerry Mercer
Breen LeBoeuf
Blair Mackay
April Wine is a Canadian rock band formed in 1969. Originally based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the band enjoyed international success in the 1970s and 1980s, releasing more than 20 albums since 1971.[1][2]
Contents
[hide]
1 History
1.1 Early years
1.2 Mainstream success begins
1.3 Gold and platinum years
1.4 1980s
1.5 Rebirth
2 Awards
3 Discography
4 Band members
4.1 Current members
4.2 Former members
5 See also
6 References
7 External links
History[edit]
Early years[edit]
April Wine began in late 1969 in Truro, Nova Scotia (a suburb of Halifax).[3][4] The band's name was chosen simply because members thought the two words sounded good as well as really liking the month of April and drinking Wine. The original members were brothers David Henman on guitar and Ritchie Henman on drums. Their cousin Jim Henman joined in on bass and Myles Goodwyn completed the sound on lead vocals and guitar. In early 1970 the band relocated to Montreal.[5] Shortly after arriving in their new home the band was signed by Aquarius Records.[6] They recorded and released their debut album April Wine in September 1971. The album spawned their first single, "Fast Train", which received fairly steady airplay on radio stations across Canada and established Myles Goodwyn as the band's main songwriter. The single's success led the band's label to ask for a second album amid the first of many lineup changes:[1] Jim Henman left the band in the fall of 1971 and was replaced by Jim Clench.
Mainstream success begins[edit]
Under the guidance of producer Ralph Murphy,[7] April Wine recorded their second album, titled On Record. The first single from the album was a cover version of the song "You Could Have Been a Lady", originally by the band Hot Chocolate. The record was a commercial success, hitting number two for a single week on the RPM Canadian charts, as well as cracking the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States where it stayed for 11 weeks, peaking at No. 32.[8] Immediately following that triumph, April Wine released a second single from On Record, titled "Bad Side of the Moon." This song, written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, also got much airplay on Canadian radio stations and was a minor hit in the U.S. as well. Both tracks remain staples on classic rock radio stations in Canada. On Record was certified Gold in Canada and the band, along with Murphy, returned to the studio to exploit the popularity generated by their second release.
During the recording of the band's third album, still another line-up change occurred. Before the album's completion, brothers David and Ritchie Henman resigned, leaving Myles Goodwyn as the only remaining original member. Goodwyn and Clench decided to continue the band and began auditions for replacement musicians. Eventually drummer Jerry Mercer (formerly of the Canadian band Mashmakhan) and guitarist Gary Moffet were chosen, and together they finished recording the band's third album entitled Electric Jewels, which contained songs such as "Weeping Widow," "Just Like That" and "Lady Run, Lady Hide." These songs would remain in April Wine's concert set lists for many years. In support of this album, the band embarked on the Electric Adventure Tour which featured a massive lighting and pyrotechnic show.[6]
Gold and platinum years[edit]
The band's fourth release, Stand Back, went double platinum in Canada, riding on the success of the singles "Tonight Is A Wonderful Time To Fall In Love" and "I Wouldn't Want To Lose Your Love".[9][6] The song "Oowatanite" became a concert favourite and stands as one of the most popular songs the band has ever recorded. Following the supporting tour for Stand Back, the roster of members was again shaken up. This time, Jim Clench departed and was replaced by Steve Lang. Clench would stay active in music, doing stints in the rock bands Bachman–Turner Overdrive[10] and Loverboy.[citation needed]
The next release by the band would be titled The Whole World's Goin' Crazy. The album would be the first April Wine release to hit platinum status based on advanced sales orders alone.[11] The album contained the popular title track as well as a successful smash single, the ballad "Like A Lover, Like A Song". Following the supporting tour for Crazy the band returned to the studio to record their sixth album, Forever for Now. The album would be another platinum seller and contained the band's biggest single to date, "You Won't Dance With Me".[12]
On 4 and 5 March 1977 April Wine was booked to play a charity concert at the famed El Mocambo Club in Toronto, Ontario. Co-headliner on the bill was a band called "The Cockroaches," who turned out to be The Rolling Stones.[13] The pseudonym was a poorly kept secret and huge crowds turned out for the event. April Wine's performance was captured and released as the album Live at the El Mocambo. The band got its first chance at touring the U.S. following the El Mocambo gig, first opening for The Rolling Stones, then for various popular headliners, including Styx and fellow Canadian band Rush.
Another line-up change occurred in 1977, though rather than someone leaving, the band added a fifth member, Brian Greenway, who was brought in as a third guitarist. Not only could Brian contribute on guitar, he was also an accomplished singer and harmonica player.[14][not in citation given] His addition gave April Wine a powerful three guitar attack that would become synonymous with their hard rock sound. Also, with Brian on board to cover guitar duties, it allowed Myles Goodwyn to switch to keyboards for the band's long list of popular ballads. Incidentally, Brian Greenway's former band, The Dudes, also contained April Wine alumni David and Ritchie Henman.
1979 saw continued Canadian success, and the beginning of international success. The band's seventh album, First Glance, had an immediate impact and the first two singles were both successful on Canadian radio. It was the third single, a raucous rocker called "Roller", that brought the band mass appeal across North America. "Roller" started its momentum in Michigan and soon was a popular hit across the U.S., finding its way into the Billboard Hot 100 where it stayed for eleven weeks. First Glance also found an audience in the U.S., staying on the Billboard album chart for many weeks, making it April Wine's first gold record outside of Canada. Constant touring helped propel the band to greater success, as American audiences from coast-to-coast embraced the hard rock of this "new" band from Canada.
Following on the popularity of First Glance, April Wine released Harder ... Faster. "Say Hello" and "I Like to Rock" were popular hits on both sides of the border and Harder ... Faster proved to be yet another multi-platinum release for the band. It would stay on the Billboard top album chart for 40 weeks. The supporting tour for the album began as an opening slot for Nazareth on their national tour across the United States.
1980s[edit]
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The Nature of the Beast was released in January 1981, and riding on the popularity of the hit singles "Just Between You and Me" and the band's cover of the Lorence Hud song "Sign of the Gypsy Queen", the album hit multi-platinum success back home in Canada, and was the first April Wine album to reach platinum status internationally. April Wine embarked on an extensive support tour, performing to their largest crowds ever. Following The Nature of the Beast tour, the band went on an eighteen-month hiatus.
In July 1982, April Wine released their tenth album, Power Play. The album included the singles "Enough is Enough", "If You See Kay" and "Anything You Want, You Got It". The latter would become the band's opening number on the supporting tour, while the "Enough is Enough" video started receiving frequent rotation on MTV. The Power Play tour in 1982 was the band's most extensive. Despite decent sales, Power Play was not met with the same critical acclaim the prior two albums had received; both the album and its singles charted well on Billboard's lists, but for shorter periods of time than earlier albums and singles.
The band started writing and recording the next album, Animal Grace, but during the lengthy process the band members were not getting along, and Myles Goodwyn moved from his native Canada to the Bahamas. Both Animal Grace and its single "This Could be the Right One" rose quickly on the charts, but stayed only for a short time. In 1984 the band got together for its announced "Farewell Tour".
The 1984 tour was successful enough to spawn another live album, One for the Road. Goodwyn then began working on what was intended to be his first solo album in 1985. However, April Wine still contractually owed Capitol Records one more album. Greenway joined Goodwyn in Nassau, along with Montreal session musicians Daniel Barbe (keyboards), Jean Pellerin (bass), and Marty Simon (drums, percussion), to record what was supposed to be the band's final album, Walking Through Fire.
In September 1985 (later in certain countries), the album Walking Through Fire was released under the April Wine name; however, only Goodwyn and Greenway remained of the lineup from the previous album. Goodwyn released a self-titled solo album, and Brian Greenway also released an album following the band's break-up, but April Wine remained on hiatus for the remainder of the 1980s and early 1990s.
Main article: Myles Goodwyn (album)
Rebirth[edit]
In 1988 Myles Goodwyn moved back to Canada from his home in the Bahamas. Although there was interest in an April Wine reunion, and the subject was discussed among the former members, other commitments prevented them from getting together until 1992. April Wine returned to the stage that year, starting with a free concert in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. The reunited band consisted of Goodwyn, Greenway, returning drummer Jerry Mercer and bassist Jim Clench, who hadn't played with the band since 1975. Filling out the act was third guitarist Steve Segal. The band toured in both Canada and the US.
In 1993 the band released the first "true" April Wine album in a decade, titled Attitude. It was certified gold in Canada soon after its release. Segal remained with the band through one more studio release, 1994's Frigate.
The band released another album in 2001, entitled Back to the Mansion. Also in 2001, the band's song 'Roller' was featured in the movie 'Joe Dirt'. Then in 2003, they released the live album called Greatest Hits Live 2003.
In 2004 Silverline released April Wine's first DVD-A called From the Front Row ... Live!. From 2001 to 2004 their live shows included Carl Dixon (formerly of the bands Coney Hatch, and The Guess Who)[3] on guitars, keyboards and backing vocals.
April Wine entered into its 37th year as a band in 2006. On October 31 of that year, Aquarius Records released April Wine Rocks!, a new compilation of April Wine favourites, including a bonus live tune and a new album, entitled Roughly Speaking, was released on November 28, 2006.
By the end of 2006, Clench had left the band for the second time and was replaced by bassist Breen LeBoeuf in January 2007.[1][2] A year later, Mercer announced his retirement; his scheduled final show in Calgary Alberta, ringing in the 2009 new year, was cancelled due to bad weather. Mercer was replaced by drummer Blair Mackay in January 2009.
In 2010 April Wine was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame at the Juno Awards April 18, 2010 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.[15][16][17] Goodwyn and Greenway accepted the honour.
On November 3, 2010, former bassist Jim Clench died in a Montreal hospital after a battle with stage 4 lung cancer.[10][18][19][20]
LeBoeuf left April Wine in July 2011 and was replaced by Richard Lanthier from the Yes tribute band Close to the Edge. Mackay left April Wine in March 2012 and was succeeded by Roy "Nip" Nichol, who had performed with the Stacey Thorn Band, Sam Hill and most recently Spare Partz.
April Wine continues to tour across Canada annually and also plays festivals in Europe and in the United States, with the group now consisting of Goodwyn, Greenway, Lanthier, and drummer Roy "Nip" Nichol.
Former bassist Steve Lang died on February 4, 2017 at age 67 after suffering from Parkinson’s disease.
Awards[edit]
April Wine has never been awarded a Juno despite 11 nominations.[1][11][21] Myles Goodwyn was awarded the ECMA (East Coast Music Awards) Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003.[21][22][23][24] April Wine was also inducted into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame and awarded with the CMW Lifetime Achievement Award on March 13, 2009.[25][26][27] In 2008 they were inducted into the East Coast Music Hall of Fame. On April 18, 2010, they were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
Discography[edit]
Main article: April Wine discography
See also: Myles Goodwyn discography
April Wine (1971)
On Record (1972)
Electric Jewels (1973)
Stand Back (1975)
The Whole World's Goin' Crazy (1976)
Forever for Now (1977)
First Glance (1978)
Harder ... Faster (1979)
The Nature of the Beast (1981)
Power Play (1982)
Animal Grace (1984)
Walking Through Fire (1986)
Attitude (1993)
Frigate (1994)
Back to the Mansion (2001)
Roughly Speaking (2006)
Band members[edit]
Current members[edit]
Myles Goodwyn – vocals, guitar (1969-1986, 1992–Present)
Brian Greenway – vocals, guitar (1977-1986, 1992–Present)
Richard Lanthier – bass, vocals (2011–Present)
Roy Nichol – drums, vocals (2012–Present)
Former members[edit]
Jimmy Henman – vocals, bass (1969-1971)
David Henman – vocals, guitar (1969-1973)
Ritchie Henman – drums (1969-1973)
Jim Clench – vocals, bass (1971-1975, 1992-2006; died 2010)
Gary Moffet – guitar, backing vocals (1973-1984)
Jerry Mercer – drums (1973-1984, 1992-2008)
Steve Lang – bass, backing vocals (1975-1984; died 2017)
Daniel Barbe – keyboards (1985-1986)
Jean Pellerin – bass (1985-1986)
Marty Simon – drums (1985-1986)
Steve Segal – guitar (1992-1994)
Carl Dixon – guitar, keyboards, vocals (2001-2004)
Breen LeBoeuf – bass, vocals (2007-2011)
Blair Mackay – drums (2009-2012)
April Wine band members
1969–1971
Myles Goodwyn-vocals, guitars
Jimmy Henman-vocals, bass
David Henman-vocals, guitar
Ritchie Henman-drums
1971–1973
Myles Goodwyn-vocals, guitars
Jim Clench-vocals, bass
David Henman-vocals, guitar
Ritchie Henman-drums
1973–1975
Myles Goodwyn-vocals, guitars
Jim Clench-vocals, bass
Gary Moffet-guitars, background vocals
Jerry Mercer-drums
1975–1977
Myles Goodwyn-vocals, guitars, keyboards
Gary Moffet-guitars, background vocals
Steve Lang-bass, background vocals
Jerry Mercer-drums
1977–1984
Myles Goodwyn-vocals, guitars, keyboards
Gary Moffet-guitars, background vocals
Steve Lang-bass, background vocals
Brian Greenway-vocals, guitars
Jerry Mercer-drums
1985–1986
Myles Goodwyn-vocals, guitars
Brian Greenway-vocals, guitars
Daniel Barbe-keyboards
Jean Pellerin-bass
Marty Simon-drums
1992–1994
Myles Goodwyn-vocals, guitars
Brian Greenway-vocals, guitars
Jim Clench-vocals, bass
Steve Segal-guitars
Jerry Mercer-drums
1995–2001
Myles Goodwyn-vocals, guitars
Brian Greenway-vocals, guitars
Jim Clench-vocals, bass
Jerry Mercer-drums
2001–2004
Myles Goodwyn-vocals, guitars
Brian Greenway-vocals, guitars
Jim Clench-vocals, bass
Jerry Mercer-drums
Carl Dixon-guitar, keyboards, vocals
2004–2006
Myles Goodwyn-vocals, guitars
Brian Greenway-vocals, guitars
Jim Clench-vocals, bass
Jerry Mercer-drums
2007–2008
Myles Goodwyn-vocals, guitars
Brian Greenway-vocals, guitars
Breen LeBoeuf-bass, vocals
Jerry Mercer-drums
2009–2011
Myles Goodwyn-vocals, guitars
Brian Greenway-vocals, guitars
Breen LeBoeuf-bass, vocals
Blair Mackay-drums
2011–2012
Myles Goodwyn-vocals, guitars
Brian Greenway-vocals, guitars
Richard Lanthier-bass, vocals
Blair Mackay-drums
2012–present
Myles Goodwyn-vocals, guitars
Brian Greenway-vocals, guitars
Richard Lanthier-bass, vocals
Roy "Nip" Nichol-drums, vocals
See also[edit]
Canadian rock
Music of Canada
References[edit]
^ Jump up to: a b c d Scrivener, Leslie (2009-03-14). "Music - April Wine gets its respect". Toronto: TheStar.com. Archived from the original on 17 March 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
^ Jump up to: a b "Southwestern Ontario - April Wine plays show at Trilogy, Friday". Walkerton.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
^ Jump up to: a b "CANOE - JAM! Music - Pop Encyclopedia". Jam.canoe.ca. Retrieved 2008-07-26.
Jump up ^ "Notable Entertainment and Events - Headline Acts". Noteable.net. Retrieved 2008-07-26.
Jump up ^ "April Wine". CanadianBands.com. Retrieved 2012-05-29.
^ Jump up to: a b c Martin Melhuish (12 October 1974). "From the Music Capitals of the World". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.: 47–. ISSN 0006-2510.
Jump up ^ "Murphy's Laws of Songwriting - Advice from ASCAP Nashville's Ralph Murphy". ASCAP.com. Archived from the original on 2008-09-16. Retrieved 2008-10-11.
Jump up ^ "For all Billboard chart rankings". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2012-05-29.
Jump up ^ For all Gold & Platinum certification of albums at RIAA Archived November 28, 2006, at the Wayback Machine.
^ Jump up to: a b "April Wine and BTO former bassist Jim Clench dies". Toronto: TheStar.com. 2010-11-05. Retrieved 2011-01-25.
^ Jump up to: a b "Famous band unrecognised - The Leader-Post (Regina)". Canada.com. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
Jump up ^ Martin Melhuish (2 October 1976). "Striving for Success without Leaning on Government". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.: 60–. ISSN 0006-2510.
Jump up ^ "Canoe JAM! - April Wine singer savours Juno love". Jam.Canoe.ca. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
Jump up ^ "Complete guide to the Canadian music scene". Canehdian.com. Retrieved 2012-05-29.
Jump up ^ "Quintessential Canadian rockers April Wine to be inducted to Canadian Music Hall of Fame". JunoAwards.ca. Archived from the original on 2010-09-26. Retrieved 2010-02-12.
Jump up ^ "CBC News - Nova Scotia - April Wine added to Canadian Hall of Fame". CBC.ca. 2010-02-09. Archived from the original on 11 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-12.
Jump up ^ "April Wine headed to Cdn Music Hall". TorontoSun.com. Retrieved 2010-02-12.
Jump up ^ "CBC News – Music – April Wine, BTO musician Jim Clench dies". CBC.ca. 2010-11-05. Retrieved 2011-01-25.
Jump up ^ "Lives Remembered – Telegraph – Jim Clench". London: Telegraph.co.uk. 2010-11-10. Retrieved 2011-01-25.
Jump up ^ "The Gazette (Montreal) – Obituaries". Legacy.com via MontrealGazette.com. Retrieved 2011-01-25.
^ Jump up to: a b "The Canadian Encyclopedia - East Coast Music Awards (page 2)". TheCanadianEncyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
Jump up ^ "CBCnews - Great Big Sea take five (ECMA) awards". CBC.ca. 2003-02-17. Archived from the original on 8 December 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
Jump up ^ "CB Music News - Myles Goodwyn to receive ECMA Lifetime Achievement Award". CBMusic.com. Archived from the original on 1 December 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
Jump up ^ "April Wine, the Buerster Collection - ECMA Awards Show". AprilWine.ws. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
Jump up ^ "April Wine to be inducted into Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame during CMW 2009". CMW.net. Archived from the original on 2010-03-29. Retrieved 2009-03-13.
Jump up ^ "What do Crystal Shawanda and April Wine have in common?". SooToday.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-13.
Jump up ^ "CHARTattack - April Wine, Anvil Honoured At CMW". CHARTattack.com. Archived from the original on 2009-03-13. Retrieved 2009-03-13.
External links[edit]
Official website
April Wine on Facebook
CanadianBands.com bio
VH1.com article on April Wine VH1
Allmusic entry Allmusic
[hide]
v
t
e
April Wine
Myles Goodwyn
Brian Greenway
Richard Lanthier
Roy Nichol
Ritchie Henman
David Henman
Jim Henman
Gary Moffet
Steve Lang
Steve Segal
Carl Dixon
Jim Clench
Jerry Mercer
Breen LeBoeuf
Blair Mackay
Studio albums
April Wine (1971)
On Record (1972)
Electric Jewels (1973)
Stand Back (1975)
The Whole World's Goin' Crazy (1976)
Forever for Now (1977)
First Glance (1978)
Harder ... Faster (1979)
The Nature of the Beast (1981)
Power Play (1982)
Animal Grace (1984)
Walking Through Fire (1986)
Attitude (1993)
Frigate (1994)
Back to the Mansion (2001)
Roughly Speaking (2006)
Live albums
Live! (1974)
Live at the El Mocambo (1977)
Ladies Man (1980)
One for the Road (1985)
Greatest Hits Live 1997 (1997)
I Like to Rock (2002)
Greatest Hits Live 2003 (2003)
Compilation albums
Greatest Hits (1979)
The Best of April Wine: Rock Ballads (1981)
Review and Preview (1981)
The Hits (1987)
All the Rockers (1987)
We Like to Rock (1988)
The First Decade (1989)
Oowatanite (1990)
The April Wine Collection (1992)
Champions of Rock (1996)
Rock Champions (2000)
Classic Masters (2002)
Best of April Wine (2003)
April Wine Rocks! (2006)
Video and DVD
Live in London (1981)
From the Front Row ... Live! (2003)
Singles
"Fast Train" (1971)
"Just Between You and Me" (1981)
Authority control
WorldCat Identities
VIAF: 128922472
ISNI: 0000 0001 1010 344X
BNF: cb139016617 (data)
MusicBrainz: 78761837-4b00-4935-b7be-601697900e66
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=April_Wine&oldid=815160996"
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Let the Good Times Roll (Shirley and Lee song)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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This article is about the song recorded by Shirley and Lee in 1956. For other uses, see Let the Good Times Roll.
This article does not cite any sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
"Let the Good Times Roll"
Single by Shirley & Lee
from the album Let the Good Times Roll
A-side
"Let the Good Times Roll"
B-side
"Do You Mean to Hurt Me So"
Released
1956
Format
7" single
Recorded
New Orleans, Louisiana, 1956
Genre
Rhythm and blues, Rock and Roll
Length
2:30
Label
Aladdin 3325
Songwriter(s)
Shirley Goodman, Leonard Lee
Shirley & Lee singles chronology
"Feel So Good"
(1955) "Let the Good Times Roll"
(1956) "I Feel Good"
(1957)
"Feel So Good"
(1955) "Let the Good Times Roll"
(1956) "I Feel Good"
(1957)
"Let the Good Times Roll" is a song that was recorded by Shirley and Lee in 1956. This song was written by the duo, Shirley Goodman (later Shirley Pixley) and Leonard Lee, and by September 8, 1956 had climbed to #20 in the US charts.
The song has a strong steady beat, much of which is provided by drummer Earl Palmer.[citation needed]
External links[edit]
Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics
This 1950s R&B/soul music song-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
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Operation Torch
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Coordinates: 35°05′06″N 2°01′44″W / 35.085°N 2.029°W / 35.085; -2.029
Operation Torch
Part of the North African Campaign of the Second World War

A map showing landings during the operation
Date
8–16 November 1942
Location
French Morocco and French Algeria
Result
Allied victory
Territorial
changes
Anglo-American occupation of Morocco and Algeria
Free France control of French West Africa
German and Italian occupation of southern France
Belligerents
United States
United Kingdom
India
Free France
Naval only
Canada
Netherlands
Australia
Vichy France
Algeria
Morocco
Naval only
Germany
Italy
Commanders and leaders
Dwight D. Eisenhower
George S. Patton
Lloyd Fredendall
Andrew Cunningham
Kenneth Anderson
François Darlan
Charles Noguès
Frix Michelier
Ernst Kals
Strength
Ground forces: 107,000 troops
33,000 in Morocco
39,000 near Algiers
35,000 near Oran
Naval activity:
350 warships
500 transports
Total: 850 Ground forces:
210 tanks
500 aircraft
many shore batteries and artillery pieces
Naval activity:
1 battleship (partially armed)
10 other warships
11 submarines
Germany: 14 submarines
Italy: 14 submarines[1]
Casualties and losses
US:
526 dead
UK:
574 dead
All Other Allies:
756 total wounded[2]
1 escort carrier (HMS Avenger (D14)) sunk with loss of 516 men
4 destroyers lost
2 sloops lost
6 troopships lost
1 minesweeper lost
1 auxiliary anti-aircraft ship lost Vichy France:
1,346+ dead
1,997 wounded
several shore batteries destroyed
all artillery pieces captured
1 light cruiser lost
5 destroyers lost
6 submarines lost
2 flotilla leaders lost
Germany: 8 submarines lost by 17 November
Italy: 2 submarines lost by 17 November[3]
show
v
t
e
North African Campaign
Western Desert Campaign
Invasion of Egypt
Compass
Fort Capuzzo
Nibeiwa
Sidi Barrani
Bardia
Mechili
Beda Fomm
Kufra
Giarabub
Sonnenblume
Tobruk
Bardia raid
Twin Pimples
Skorpion
Brevity
Battleaxe
Crusader
Flipper
1st Bir el Gubi
Point 175
2nd Bir el Gubi
Gazala
Bir Hakeim
Mersa Matruh
1st Alamein
Alam Halfa
Agreement
Caravan
Camouflage
Bertram
Braganza
2nd Alamein
Outpost Snipe
El Agheila
Torch
Casablanca
Reservist
Terminal
Port Lyautey
Tunisia
Run for Tunis
Sidi Bou Zid
Kasserine Pass
Ochsenkopf
Medenine
Mareth Line
El Guettar
Wadi Akarit
Longstop Hill
Hill 609
Vulcan
Flax
Retribution
Strike
show
v
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e
Free French military campaigns of World War II
Dakar
Gabon
Keren
Exporter
Kufra
Bir Hakeim
Run for Tunis
Torch
Réunion
Tunisia
Husky
Corsica
Monte Cassino
Glières
Ist
Mont Mouchet
Overlord
Elba
Saint-Marcel
Vercors
Dragoon
Marseilles
Paris
Strasbourg
Nordwind
Colmar Pocket
Authion
Indochina (1945)
Crimson
French Liberation Army
I Armée
Army of Africa
I Corps
XIX Corps
1re DFL
1reDB
2e DB
5e DB
3e DIA
13e DBLE
FFF
FFI
FEC
FEFEO
CLI
SAS
Résistance
Free French Navy
Free French Air Force
Normandie-Niemen
show
v
t
e
Military actions of Vichy France during World War II
Mers-el-Kébir
Gibraltar
Dakar
Gabon
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Indochina (1940)
Franco-Thai War (Ko Chang)
Syria–Lebanon
Madagascar
Réunion
Torch
Anton
Toulon
show
v
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e
Battle of the Mediterranean
Malta
Club Run¹
Malta convoys¹
Axis convoys²
Espero ¹²
Mers-el-Kébir
Calabria¹²
Cape Spada
Hurry ¹
Cape Passero¹
MB8 ¹
Taranto
Strait of Otranto²
White ¹
Cape Spartivento¹
Excess ¹
Convoy AN 14¹
Genoa
Abstention
Souda Bay
Matapan
Tarigo ²
Crete ²
Substance ¹
Halberd ¹
U-boat Campaign
Duisburg ²
Bon²
1st Sirte¹²
Alexandria
2nd Sirte¹
Calendar ¹
Bowery ¹
Albumen
Harpoon ¹
Vigorous ¹
Pedestal ¹
Agreement
Torch
Stoneage ¹
Toulon
Portcullis ¹
Skerki²
Olterra¹
Algiers¹
Zuwarah
Cigno ²
Campobasso ²
Sicily
Gela
Scylla ²
Bastia
Strait of Bonifacio
Dodecanese
Santorini
Symi
Cape Bougaroun¹
Port Cros
La Ciotat
Ligurian Sea ¹
¹ — Involved an Allied convoy
² — Involved an Axis convoy
Operation Torch (8–16 November 1942, formerly Operation Gymnast) was a Anglo–American invasion of French North Africa, during the North African Campaign of the Second World War. Torch was the debut of the mass involvement of US troops in the European–North African Theatre.
The Soviet Union had long pressed the US and British to start operations in Europe and open a second front, to reduce the pressure of German forces on the Red Army. While US commanders favored Operation Sledgehammer, a landing in Occupied Europe as soon as possible, British commanders believed that it was premature and likely to end in disaster and proposed landings in French North Africa. On July 28, the Axis Afrika Korps, under General Erwin Rommel, captured Mersa Matruh, in Egypt, only 140 miles (230 km) from Alexandria.
Landings in north-west Africa would reduce pressure on Allied forces in Egypt, secure Allied naval control of the south-west Mediterranean and enable an invasion of Southern Europe in 1943. The U.S. President, Roosevelt, suspected that such landings would rule out an invasion of western Europe in 1943 but agreed to support the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
Senior US commanders remained strongly opposed to the landings and after the western Allied Combined Chiefs of Staff (CCS) met in Washington on July 30, General George Marshall and Admiral Ernest King declined to approve the plan. Roosevelt gave a direct order that Torch was to have precedence over other operations and was to take place at the earliest possible date, one of only two direct orders he gave to military commanders during the war.
Contents
[hide]
1 Background
1.1 Allied plans
1.2 Intelligence gathering
1.3 Preliminary contact with Vichy French
2 Battle
2.1 Casablanca
2.2 Oran
2.2.1 Airborne landings
2.3 Algiers
2.3.1 Resistance and coup
2.3.2 Invasion
3 Aftermath
3.1 Political results
3.2 Military consequences
3.2.1 Toulon
3.2.2 Tunisia
4 Later influence
5 Order of battle
6 See also
7 References
8 Bibliography
9 External links
Background[edit]
The Allies planned an Anglo-American invasion of north-western Africa/Maghreb—Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, territory nominally in the hands of the Vichy French government. With British forces advancing from Egypt, this would eventually allow the Allies to carry out a pincer operation against Axis forces in North Africa. The Vichy French had around 125,000 soldiers in the territories as well as coastal artillery, 210 operational but out-of-date tanks and about 500 aircraft, half of which were Dewoitine D.520 fighters—equal to many British and U.S. fighters.[4] These forces included 60,000 troops in Morocco, 15,000 in Tunisia, and 50,000 in Algeria, with coastal artillery, and a small number of tanks and aircraft.[5] In addition, there were 10 or so warships and 11 submarines at Casablanca.
The Allies believed that the Vichy French forces would not fight, partly because of information supplied by American Consul Robert Daniel Murphy in Algiers. The French were former Allies of the U.S. and the American troops were instructed not to fire unless they were fired upon.[6] However, they harbored suspicions that the Vichy French navy would bear a grudge over the British attack on Mers-el-Kebir in 1940. An assessment of the sympathies of the French forces in North Africa was essential, and plans were made to secure their cooperation, rather than resistance. German support for the Vichy French came in the shape of air support. Several Luftwaffe bomber wings undertook anti-shipping strikes against Allied ports in Algiers and along the North African coast.
General Dwight D. Eisenhower was given command of the operation, and he set up his headquarters in Gibraltar. The Allied Naval Commander of the Expeditionary Force would be Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham; his deputy was Vice-Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay, who would plan the amphibious landings.
Allied plans[edit]
A map of Allied convoys heading from the British Isles to North Africa.
Planners identified Oran and also Algiers and Casablanca as key targets. Ideally there would also be a landing at Tunis to secure Tunisia and facilitate the rapid interdiction of supplies travelling via Tripoli to Rommel's forces in Libya. However, Tunis was much too close to the Axis airfields in Sicily and Sardinia for any hope of success. A compromise would be to land at Bône (Annaba) in eastern Algeria, some 300 miles (480 km) closer to Tunis than Algiers. Limited resources dictated that the Allies could only make three landings and Eisenhower—who believed that any plan must include landings at Oran and Algiers—had two main options: either the western option, to land at Casablanca, Oran and Algiers and then make as rapid a move as possible to Tunis some 500 miles (800 km) east of Algiers once the Vichy opposition was suppressed; or the eastern option, to land at Oran, Algiers and Bône and then advance overland to Casablanca some 500 miles (800 km) west of Oran. He favoured the eastern option because of the advantages it gave to an early capture of Tunis and also because the Atlantic swells off Casablanca presented considerably greater risks to an amphibious landing there than would be encountered in the Mediterranean.
The Combined Chiefs of Staff, however, were concerned that should Operation Torch precipitate Spain to abandon neutrality and join the Axis, the Straits of Gibraltar could be closed cutting the entire Allied force's lines of communication. They therefore chose the Casablanca option as the less risky since the forces in Algeria and Tunisia could be supplied overland from Casablanca (albeit with considerable difficulty) in the event of closure of the straits.[7]
Marshall’s opposition to Torch delayed the landings by almost a month, and his opposition to landings in Algeria led British military leaders to question his strategic ability; the Royal Navy controlled the Strait of Gibraltar, and Spain was unlikely to intervene as Franco was hedging his bets. The Morocco landings ruled out the early occupation of Tunisia. Eisenhower told Patton that the past six weeks were the most trying of his life.[8] In Eisenhower's acceptance of landings in Algeria and Morocco he pointed out that the decision removed the early capture of Tunis from the probable to only the remotely possible because of the extra time it would afford the Axis to move forces into Tunisia.[9]
Intelligence gathering[edit]
In July 1941, Mieczysław Słowikowski (using the codename "Rygor"—Polish for "Rigor") set up "Agency Africa", one of the Second World War's most successful intelligence organizations.[10] His Polish allies in these endeavors included Lt. Col. Gwido Langer and Major Maksymilian Ciężki. The information gathered by the Agency was used by the Americans and British in planning the amphibious November 1942 Operation Torch[11][12] landings in North Africa.
Preliminary contact with Vichy French[edit]
To gauge the feeling of the Vichy French forces, Murphy was appointed to the American consulate in Algeria. His covert mission was to determine the mood of the French forces and to make contact with elements that might support an Allied invasion. He succeeded in contacting several French officers, including General Charles Mast, the French commander-in-chief in Algiers.
These officers were willing to support the Allies but asked for a clandestine conference with a senior Allied General in Algeria. Major General Mark W. Clark—one of Eisenhower's senior commanders—was dispatched to Cherchell in Algeria aboard the British submarine HMS Seraph and met with these Vichy French officers on 21 October 1942.
With help from the Resistance, the Allies also succeeded in slipping French General Henri Giraud out of Vichy France on HMS Seraph—passing itself off as an American submarine—intending to offer him the post of commander in chief of French forces in North Africa after the invasion. However, Giraud would take no position lower than commander in chief of all the invading forces, a job already given to Eisenhower. When he was refused, he decided to remain "a spectator in this affair".
Battle[edit]
The Allies organised three amphibious task forces to simultaneously seize the key ports and airports in Morocco and Algeria, targeting Casablanca, Oran and Algiers. Successful completion of these operations was to be followed by an eastwards advance into Tunisia.
A Western Task Force (aimed at Casablanca) was composed of American units, with Major General George S. Patton in command and Rear Admiral Henry Kent Hewitt heading the naval operations. This Western Task Force consisted of the U.S. 2nd Armored Division and the U.S. 3rd and 9th Infantry Divisions—35,000 troops in a convoy of over 100 ships. They were transported directly from the United States in the first of a new series of UG convoys providing logistic support for the North African campaign.[13]
A shipment of 116 Supermarine Spitfires sent by sea was assembled in just 11 days at RAF North Front, Gibraltar. Many of these Spitfires served with the United States Army Air Forces, including the aircraft in the foreground, EP 365 (308th FS, 31st Fighter Group).
The Center Task Force, aimed at Oran, included the U.S. 2nd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, the U.S. 1st Infantry Division, and the U.S. 1st Armored Division—a total of 18,500 troops. They sailed from the United Kingdom and were commanded by Major General Lloyd Fredendall, the naval forces being commanded by Commodore Thomas Troubridge.
Torch was, for propaganda purposes, a landing by U.S. forces, supported by British warships and aircraft, under the belief that this would be more palatable to French public opinion, than an Anglo-American invasion. For the same reason, Churchill suggested that British soldiers might wear U.S. Army uniforms, although there is no evidence that this tactic was implemented.[14] (Fleet Air Arm aircraft did carry US "star" roundels during the operation,[15] and two British destroyers flew the Stars and Stripes.[14]) In reality, the Eastern Task Force—aimed at Algiers—was commanded by Lieutenant-General Kenneth Anderson and consisted of a brigade from the British 78th and the U.S. 34th Infantry Divisions, along with two British commando units (No. 1 and No. 6 Commandos), totaling 20,000 troops. During the landing phase, ground forces were to be commanded by U.S. Major General Charles W. Ryder, Commanding General (CG) of the 34th Division and naval forces were commanded by Vice-Admiral Sir Harold Burrough.
U-boats, operating in the eastern Atlantic area crossed by the invasion convoys, had been drawn away to attack trade convoy SL 125. Some historians have suggested the timing of this trade convoy was an intentional tactical diversion to prevent submarine attacks on the troop transports.[16]
Aerial operations were split into two, east of Cape Tenez in Algeria, with British aircraft under Air Marshal Sir William Welsh and west of Cape Tenez, all American aircraft under Major General Jimmy Doolittle, under the direct command of Major General Patton.
P-40s of the 33rd Fighter Group were launched from U.S. Navy escort carriers and landed at Port Lyautey on November 10. Additional air support was provided by the carrier USS Ranger, whose squadrons intercepted Vichy aircraft and bombed hostile ships.
Casablanca[edit]
The Western Task Force landed before daybreak on 8 November 1942, at three points in Morocco: Safi (Operation Blackstone), Fedala (Operation Brushwood, the largest landing with 19,000 men), and Mehdiya-Port Lyautey (Operation Goalpost). Because it was hoped that the French would not resist, there were no preliminary bombardments. This proved to be a costly error as French defenses took a toll of American landing forces.
On the night of 7 November, pro-Allied General Antoine Béthouart attempted a coup d'etat against the French command in Morocco, so that he could surrender to the Allies the next day. His forces surrounded the villa of General Charles Noguès, the Vichy-loyal high commissioner. However, Noguès telephoned loyal forces, who stopped the coup. In addition, the coup attempt alerted Noguès to the impending Allied invasion, and he immediately bolstered French coastal defenses.
A flyer in French and Arabic that was distributed by Allied forces in the streets of Casablanca, calling on citizens to cooperate with the Allied forces.
At Safi, the objective being capturing the port facilities to land the Western Task Force's medium tanks, the landings were mostly successful.[17] The landings were begun without covering fire, in the hope that the French would not resist at all. However, once French coastal batteries opened fire, Allied warships returned fire. By the time General Ernest Harmon's 2nd Armored Division arrived, French snipers had pinned the assault troops (most of whom were in combat for the first time) on Safi's beaches. Most of the landings occurred behind schedule. Carrier aircraft destroyed a French truck convoy bringing reinforcements to the beach defenses. Safi surrendered on the afternoon of 8 November. By 10 November, the remaining defenders were pinned down, and the bulk of Harmon's forces raced to join the siege of Casablanca.
At Port-Lyautey, the landing troops were uncertain of their position, and the second wave was delayed. This gave the French defenders time to organize resistance, and the remaining landings were conducted under artillery bombardment. With the assistance of air support from the carriers, the troops pushed ahead, and the objectives were captured.
At Fedala, weather disrupted the landings. The landing beaches again came under French fire after daybreak. Patton landed at 08:00, and the beachheads were secured later in the day. The Americans surrounded the port of Casablanca by 10 November, and the city surrendered an hour before the final assault was due to take place.
Casablanca was the principal French Atlantic naval base after German occupation of the European coast. The Naval Battle of Casablanca resulted from a sortie of French cruisers, destroyers, and submarines opposing the landings. A cruiser, six destroyers, and six submarines were destroyed by American gunfire and aircraft. The incomplete French battleship Jean Bart—which was docked and immobile—fired on the landing force with her one working gun turret until disabled by the 16-inch calibre American naval gunfire of the USS Massachusetts, the first such heavy-calibre shells fired by the U.S. Navy anywhere in World War II. Two U.S. destroyers were damaged.
USS Lakehurst (formerly Seatrain New Jersey), after discharging medium tanks at Safi, Morocco.
Oran[edit]
The Center Task Force was split between three beaches, two west of Oran and one east. Landings at the westernmost beach were delayed because of a French convoy which appeared while the minesweepers were clearing a path. Some delay and confusion, and damage to landing ships, was caused by the unexpected shallowness of water and sandbars; although periscope observations had been carried out, no reconnaissance parties had landed on the beaches to determine the local maritime conditions. This was in contrast to later amphibious assaults—such as Operation Overlord—in which considerable weight was given to pre-invasion reconnaissance.
The U.S. 1st Ranger Battalion landed east of Oran and quickly captured the shore battery at Arzew. An attempt was made to land U.S. infantry at the harbour directly, in order to quickly prevent destruction of the port facilities and scuttling of ships. The operation—code named Operation Reservist—failed, as the two Banff-class sloops were destroyed by crossfire from the French vessels there. The Vichy French naval fleet broke from the harbor and attacked the Allied invasion fleet, but its ships were all sunk or driven ashore.[18]
French batteries and the invasion fleet exchanged fire throughout 8–9 November, with French troops defending Oran and the surrounding area stubbornly. Heavy fire from the British battleships brought about Oran's surrender on 9 November.
Airborne landings[edit]
Torch was the first major airborne assault carried out by the United States. The 2nd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment flew all the way from Britain, over Spain, intending to drop near Oran and capture airfields at Tafraoui and La Sénia, respectively 15 miles (24 km) and 5 miles (8 km) south of Oran.[19] The operation was marked by weather, navigational and communication problems. Poor weather over Spain and the extreme range caused the formation to scatter and forced thirty of the 37 aircraft to land in the dry salt lake to the west of the objective.[20] Nevertheless, both airports were captured.
Algiers[edit]
Resistance and coup[edit]
As agreed at Cherchell, in the early hours of 8 November, 400 mainly Jewish French Resistance fighters[21] staged a coup in the city of Algiers. Starting at midnight, the force under the command of Henri d'Astier de la Vigerie and José Aboulker seized key targets, including the telephone exchange, radio station, governor's house and the headquarters of 19th Corps.
Robert Murphy took some men and then drove to the residence of General Alphonse Juin, the senior French Army officer in North Africa. While they surrounded his house (making Juin effectively a prisoner) Murphy attempted to persuade him to side with the Allies. However, he was treated to a surprise: Admiral François Darlan—the commander of all French forces—was also in Algiers on a private visit. Juin insisted on contacting Darlan, and Murphy was unable to persuade either to side with the Allies. In the early morning, the local Gendarmerie arrived and released both Juin and Darlan.
Invasion[edit]
American soldiers land near Algiers.
On 8 November 1942, the invasion commenced with landings split between three beaches—two west of Algiers and one east. Under overall command of Major General Charles W. Ryder, Commanding General of the U.S. 34th Infantry Division, British 11th Brigade Group from the British 78th Infantry Division, landed on the right hand beach, U.S. 168th Regimental Combat Team, from the 34th Infantry Division, supported by 6th Commando and most of 1st Commando on the middle beach while the U.S. 39th Regimental Combat Team, also from the U.S. 34th Division, supported by the remaining 5 troops from 1st Commando landed on the left hand beach. The British 36th Brigade Group from the British 78th Division stood by in floating reserve.[22] Though some landings went to the wrong beaches, this was immaterial because of the extremely low level of French opposition. All the coastal batteries had been neutralized by French resistance, and one French commander openly welcomed the landing Allies. The only fighting took place in the port of Algiers, where in Operation Terminal, two British destroyers attempted to land a party of U.S. Army Rangers directly onto the dock, in order to prevent the French destroying the port facilities and scuttling their ships. Heavy artillery fire prevented one destroyer from landing, but the other was able to disembark 250 Rangers before it too was driven back to sea.[18] The landed troops pushed quickly inland and General Juin surrendered the city to the Allies at 18:00.
Aftermath[edit]
Political results[edit]
A plaque commemorating Operation Torch at the American War Memorial in Gibraltar.
It quickly became clear that Giraud lacked the authority to take command of the French forces. He preferred to wait in Gibraltar for the results of the landing. However, Darlan in Algiers had such authority. Eisenhower, with the support of Roosevelt and Churchill, made an agreement with Darlan, recognizing him as French "High Commissioner" in North Africa. In return, Darlan ordered all French forces in North Africa to cease resistance to the Allies and to cooperate instead. The deal was made on 10 November, and French resistance ceased almost at once. The French troops in North Africa who were not already captured submitted to and eventually joined the Allied forces.[23] Men from French North Africa would see much combat under the Allied banner as part of the French Expeditionary Corps (consisting of 112,000 troops in April 1944) in the Italian campaign, where Maghrebis (mostly Moroccans) made up over 60% of the unit's soldiers.[24]
When Adolf Hitler learned of Darlan's deal with the Allies, he immediately ordered the occupation of Vichy France and sent troops to Tunisia.
The Eisenhower/Darlan agreement meant that the officials appointed by the Vichy regime would remain in power in North Africa. No role was provided for Free France, which was supposed to be France's government-in-exile, and which had taken charge in other French colonies. This deeply offended Charles de Gaulle as head of Free France. It also offended much of the British and American public, who regarded all Vichy French as Nazi collaborators, and Darlan as one of the worst. Eisenhower insisted however that he had no real choice if his forces were to move on against the Axis in Tunisia, rather than fight the French in Algeria and Morocco.
Though de Gaulle had no official power in North Africa, much of the population now publicly declared Free French allegiance, putting pressure on Darlan. Then on 24 December, Fernand Bonnier de La Chapelle, a French resistance fighter and anti-fascist monarchist, assassinated Darlan. (Bonnier de La Chapelle was arrested on the spot and executed two days later.)
Giraud succeeded Darlan but like him replaced few of the Vichy officials. He even ordered the arrest of the leaders of the Algiers coup of 8 November, with no opposition from Murphy.
The French North African government gradually became active in the Allied war-effort. The weak French troops in Tunisia did not resist German troops arriving by air; Admiral Esteva, the commander there, obeyed orders to that effect from Vichy. The Germans took the airfields there and brought in more troops. The French troops withdrew to the west, and within a few days began to skirmish against the Germans, encouraged by small American and British detachments who had reached the area. While this was of minimal military effect, it committed the French to the Allied side. Later all French forces were withdrawn from action to be properly re-equipped by the Allies.
Giraud supported this but also preferred to maintain the old Vichy administration in North Africa. Under pressure from the Allies and from de Gaulle's supporters, the French régime shifted, with Vichy officials gradually replaced, and its more offensive decrees rescinded. In June 1943 Giraud and de Gaulle agreed to form the "Comité français de Libération nationale" (CFLN), with members from both the North African government and from de Gaulle's "French National Committee". In November 1943 de Gaulle became head of the CFLN, and de jure head of government of France, recognized by the U.S. and Britain.
In another political outcome of Torch (and at Darlan's orders), the previously Vichyite government of French West Africa joined the Allies.
Military consequences[edit]
Toulon[edit]
Main article: Scuttling of the French fleet in Toulon
One of the terms of the Second Armistice at Compiègne agreed to by the Germans was that southern France would remain free of German occupation and self-governed from Vichy. The lack of determined resistance by the Vichy French to the Allied invasions of North Africa and the new de Gaulle policies in North Africa convinced the Germans that France could not be trusted. Moreover, the Anglo-American presence in French North Africa invalidated the only real rationale for not occupying the whole of Metropolitan France—it was the only practical means to deny the Allies use of the French colonies. The Germans immediately occupied southern France and German troops moved to seize the French fleet in the port of Toulon, beginning on 10 November. The naval strength of the Axis in the Mediterranean would have been greatly increased if the Germans had succeeded in seizing the French ships, but every important ship was scuttled at dock by the French Navy before the Germans could take them.
Tunisia[edit]
Main article: Tunisia Campaign
After the German and Italian occupation of Vichy France and their unsuccessful attempt to capture the interned French fleet at Toulon (Operation Lila), the French Armée d’Afrique sided with the Allies, providing a third corps (XIX Corps) for Anderson. Elsewhere, French warships—such as the battleship Richelieu—rejoined the Allies.
On 9 November, Axis forces started to build up in Tunisia unopposed by the local French forces under General Barré. Wracked with indecision, Barré moved his troops into the hills and formed a defensive line from Teboursouk through Medjez el Bab and ordered that anyone trying to pass through the line would be shot. On 19 November, the German commander—Walter Nehring—demanded passage for his troops across the bridge at Medjez and was refused. The Germans attacked the poorly equipped French units twice and were driven back. However, the French had taken heavy casualties and, lacking artillery and armor, Barré was forced to withdraw.[25]
After consolidating in Algeria, the Allies struck into Tunisia. Elements of the British First Army under Lieutenant-General Kenneth Anderson came to within 40 miles (64 km) of Tunis before a counterattack at Djedeida thrust them back. In January 1943, German and Italian troops under Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel—retreating westward from Libya—reached Tunisia.
The British Eighth Army in the east—commanded by Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery—stopped around Tripoli to allow reinforcements to arrive and build up the Allied advantage and to repair the port there. In the west, the forces of the First Army came under attack at the end of January, being forced back from the Faïd Pass and then suffering a reversal at Sidi Bou Zid on 14–15 February. Axis forces pushed on to Sbeitla and then to the Kasserine Pass on 19 February, where the U.S. II Corps retreated in disarray until heavy Allied reinforcements halted the Axis advance on 22 February. Fredendall was replaced by George Patton.
General Sir Harold Alexander arrived in Tunisia in late February to take charge of the new 18th Army Group headquarters, which had been created to take overall control of both the Eighth Army and the Allied forces already fighting in Tunisia. The Axis forces again attacked eastward at Medenine on 6 March but were easily repulsed by the Eighth Army. Rommel counselled Hitler to allow a full retreat to a defensible line but was denied, and on 9 March Rommel left Tunisia to be replaced by Jürgen von Arnim, who had to spread his forces over 100 miles (160 km) of northern Tunisia.
The setbacks at Kasserine forced the Allies to consolidate their forces and develop their lines of communication and administration so that they could support a major attack. The First and Eighth Armies then attacked the Axis in April. Hard fighting followed, but the Allies cut off the Germans and Italians from support by naval and air forces between Tunisia and Sicily. On 6 May, as the culmination of Operation Vulcan, the British took Tunis, and American forces reached Bizerte. By 13 May, the Axis forces in Tunisia had surrendered. This opened the way for the Allied invasion of Sicily in July.
Later influence[edit]
Despite Operation Torch's role in the war and logistical success, it has been largely overlooked in many popular histories of the war and in general cultural influence.[26] The Economist speculated that this is because French forces were the initial enemies of the landing, making for a difficult fit into the war's overall narrative in general histories.[26]
The operation was America’s first armed deployment in the Arab world since the Barbary wars and, according to The Economist, laid the foundations for America’s post-war Middle East policy.[26]
Order of battle[edit]
Allied Forces
Division Regiment or battalion
Western Task Force
Patton
2nd Armored Division
Harmon 66th Armored Regiment
67th Armored Regiment
3rd Infantry Division
Anderson 7th Infantry Regiment
15th Infantry Regiment
30th Infantry Regiment
9th Infantry Division
Eddy 47th Infantry Regiment
60th Infantry Regiment
Central Task Force
Fredendall
1st Ranger Battalion
1st Armored Division
Ward Combat Command B
6th Armored Infantry Regiment
1st Infantry Division
Allen 16th Infantry Regiment
18th Infantry Regiment
26th Infantry Regiment
Eastern Task Force
Anderson
No. 1 Commando
(British)
No. 6 Commando
(British)
9th Infantry Division
Eddy 39th Infantry Regiment
34th Infantry Division
Ryder 135th Infantry Regiment
168th Infantry Regiment
78th Infantry Division
(British)
Evelegh 11th Infantry Brigade
36th Infantry Brigade
French Army
Division Regiment
Morocco
Fez Division
Salbert 4th Moroccan Rifle Regiment
5th Moroccan Rifle Regiment
11th Algerian Rifle Regiment
1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment
Meknès Division
Dody 7th Moroccan Rifle Regiment
8th Moroccan Rifle Regiment
3rd Moroccan Spahis Regiment
Casablanca Division
Béthouart 1st Moroccan Rifle Regiment
6th Moroccan Rifle Regiment
Colonial Moroccan Infantry Regiment
1st Hunters of Africa Regiment
Marrakech Division
Martin 2nd Moroccan Rifle Regiment
2nd Foreign infantry Regiment
4th Moroccan Spahis Regiment
Algeria
Algiers Division
Mast 1st Algerian Rifle Regiment
9th Algerian Rifle Regiment
3rd Zouaves Regiment
2nd Hunters of Africa Regiment
1st Algerian Spahis Regiment
Oran Division
Boissau 2nd Algerian Rifle Regiment
6th Algerian Rifle Regiment
15th Senegalese Rifle Regiment
1st Foreign Regiment
Moroccan Division 7th Moroccan Rifle Regiment
3rd Algerian Rifle Regiment
4th Tunisian Rifle Regiment
3rd Foreign Rifle Regiment
See also[edit]
World War II portal
United States portal
List of World War II Battles
Mieczysław Zygfryd Słowikowski
RMS Mooltan Troopship
North African Campaign timeline
Operation Flagpole (World War II)
Operation Husky
Operation Kingpin (World War II)
17th Armored Engineer Battalion
Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion
References[edit]
Notes
Jump up ^ I sommergibili dell'Asse e l'Operazione Torch.
Jump up ^ Atkinson, Rick. (2002). An Army at Dawn. p. 159
Jump up ^ Granito and Emo. Navi militari perdute, Italian Navy Historical Branch, page 61-62.
Jump up ^ Watson 2007, p. 50
Jump up ^ "The Stamford Historical Society Presents: Operation Torch and the Invasion of North Africa"
Jump up ^ Playfair et al. 2004, pp. 126, 141–42.
Jump up ^ Eisenhower 1948, pp. 88–89
Jump up ^ Smith, Jean Edward (2012). Eisenhower in War and Peace. New York: Random House. pp. 214–15. ISBN 978-0-679-64429-3.
Jump up ^ Eisenhower 1948, p. 90
Jump up ^ Tessa Stirling et al., Intelligence Co-operation between Poland and Great Britain during World War II, vol. I: The Report of the Anglo-Polish Historical Committee, London, Vallentine Mitchell, 2005
Jump up ^ Churchill, Winston Spencer (1951). The Second World War: Closing the Ring. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. p. 643.
Jump up ^ Major General Rygor Slowikowski, In the Secret Service: The Lightning of the Torch", The Windrush Press, London 1988, s. 285
Jump up ^ Hague 2000 pp. 179–80
^ Jump up to: a b Peter Mangold, 2012, Britain and the Defeated French: From Occupation to Liberation, 1940–1944, London, I.B.Tauris, p. 159.
Jump up ^ J. D. Brown, 1968, Carrier Operations in World War II: The Royal Navy, London, Ian Allan, p. 93.
Jump up ^ Edwards 1999 p. 115
Jump up ^ Howe 1993, pp. 97, 102.
^ Jump up to: a b Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p. 175.
Jump up ^ Playfair et al. 2004, pp. 146–47, map 19.
Jump up ^ Playfair et al. 2004, p. 149.
Jump up ^ Documentary film presenting the dominant role of Jewish resistance fighters in Algiers
Jump up ^ Playfair et al. 2004, p. 126, 140–41, map 18.
Jump up ^ Eisenhower, Dwight. Crusade In Europe, pp. 99–105, 107–10. New York: Doubleday, 1948.
Jump up ^ Paul Gaujac, Le Corps expéditionnaire français en Italie, Histoire et collections, 2003, p. 31
Jump up ^ Watson 2007, p. 60
^ Jump up to: a b c R.B.S. (9 November 2017). "Remembering Operation Torch on its 75th anniversary". The Economist. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
This article includes a list of references, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (November 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Bibliography[edit]
War Official reports
Les Cahiers Français, La part de la Résistance Française dans les évènements d'Afrique du Nord (Official reports of French Resistance Group leaders who seized Algiers on 8 November 1942, to allow allied landing), Commissariat à l'Information of Free French Comité National, London, Aug. 1943.
War correspondent report
Melvin K. Whiteleather, Main street's new neighbors, J.B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia, 1945.
Academic works
Aboulker, Professeur José; Levisse-Touzé, Christine (2002). "8 novembre 1942: Les armées américaine et anglaise prennent Alger en quinze heures". Espoir (in French). Paris (n° 133).
Allen, Bruce (2007) [1999]. Exit Rommel: The Tunisian Campaign, 1942–43. Stackpole Military History Series. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3381-6.
Anderson, Charles R. (1993). Algeria-French Morocco 8 November 1942-11 November 1942. WWII Campaigns. Washington: United States Army Center of Military History. ISBN 0-16-038105-3. CMH Pub 72-11.
Breuer, William B. (1985). Operation Torch: The Allied Gamble to Invade North Africa. New York: St.Martins Press.
Brown, J. D. (1968). Carrier Operations in World War II: The Royal Navy. London: Ian Allan.
Danan, Professeur Yves Maxime (1963). La Vie Politique à Alger de 1940 à 1944 (in French). Paris: L.G.D.J.
Eisenhower, Dwight D. (1948). Crusade in Europe. London: William Heinemann. OCLC 559866864.
Edwards, Bernard (1999). Dönitz and the Wolf Packs. Brockhampton Press. ISBN 1-86019-927-5.
Funk, Arthur L. (1974). The Politics of Torch. University Press of Kansas.
Hague, Arnold (2000). The Allied Convoy System 1939–1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-019-3.
Howe, George F. (1993) [1957]. North West Africa: Seizing the Initiative in the West. The United States Army in World War II. Washington, D.C.: United States Army Center of Military History. LCCN 57060021. CMH Pub 6-1.
Levisse-Touzé, Christine (1998). L'Afrique du Nord dans la guerre, 1939–1945 (in French). Paris: Albin Michel.
Lewis, Adrian S. (2001). Omaha Beach: a flawed victory. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 0-8078-2609-X.
Meyer, Leo J. (2000) [1960]. "Chapter 7: The Decision to Invade North Africa (Torch)". In Kent Roberts Greenfield. Command Decisions. United States Army Center of Military History. CMH Pub 70-7.
Michel, Henri (1993). Darlan. Paris: Hachette.
Moses, Sam (November 2006). At All Costs; How a Crippled Ship and Two American Merchant Mariners Turned the Tide of World War II. Random House.
O'Hara, Vincent P. (2015) Torch: North African and the Allied Path to Victory (Annapolis: Naval Institute, 2015). x, 371 pp.
Playfair, Major-General I. S. O.; Molony, Brigadier C. J. C.; Flynn R.N., Captain F. C. & Gleave, Group Captain T. P. (2004) [1st HMSO 1966]. Butler, J. R. M., ed. The Mediterranean and Middle East: The Destruction of the Axis Forces in Africa. History of the Second World War United Kingdom Military Series. IV. Uckfield, UK: Naval & Military Press. ISBN 1-84574-068-8.
Rohwer, J. & Hummelchen, G. (1992). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-105-X.
Salinas, Alfred (2013) Les Américains en Algérie 1942–1945 (in French), L'Harmattan, Paris
Watson, Bruce Allen (2007) [1999]. Exit Rommel: The Tunisian Campaign, 1942–43. Stackpole Military History Series. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3381-6. OCLC 40595324.
General
Atkinson, Rick (2002). An Army at Dawn. Henry Holt. ISBN 0-8050-6288-2.
Further reading
The Decision to Invade North Africa (TORCH) part of Command Decisions a publication of the United States Army Center of Military History
Algeria-French Morocco a book in the U.S. Army Campaigns of World War II series of the United States Army Center of Military History
External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Operation Torch.
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
US Army Campaigns of World War II Series/Algeria-French Morocco
A detailed history of 8 November 1942
Combined Ops
History and photos of the operations of the USS Ranger and its Air Group during Operation Torch
(North African Jewish Resistance to Nazis and the Holocaust)
The accord Franco-Américan of Messelmoun (in French)
Royal Engineers Museum Royal Engineers and Second World War (Operation Torch)[dead link]
Report of the Commander-in-Chief Allied Forces to the Combined Chief of Staff on Operations in North Africa
Operation Torch: Allied Invasion of North Africa article by Williamson Murray
Eisenhower's report on operation Torch
Operation TORCH Motion Pictures from the National Archives
Operation Torch
Operation Torch World War II

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