North Africa

The Second World War

Date

8 November 1942 – 20 February 1943

Geographical parameters

(no geographical parameters defined)

Context

(no eligibility parameters defined)

A fleet action/campaign honour formally entitled “North Africa 1942-3” Footnote 1

Description

The British Army had won a hard-fought victory at El Alamein, in Egypt, in November 1942 and had begun to push the Axis forces toward the west. New Allied forces would now be landed in the rear of the Axis troops, in an operation named “Torch”. Operation “Torch” was scheduled to begin on 8 November 1942 and would initially involve three Canadian corvettes, HMCS Lunenburg, Prescott and Woodstock.

The planning for Torch was top secret and when the three ships left St John’s on 15 September 1942, as part of a North Atlantic convoy escort, they did not know what their future held. Once in Tobermory, Scotland, the ships were refitted for their new role including new radar sets and the addition of Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns, a necessity in order to survive in the Mediterranean theatre with its heavy enemy air threat. Now a part of Canadian Escort Group 25 (Commander G.H. Griffiths, RCN) the three ships, along with a larger British escort force, took convoy KMS 2 to Gibraltar. After a week of local escort duties based on Gibraltar they escorted convoy MKS 1 back to the United Kingdom.

The Torch landings had been a success, but now the enemy was intent on sinking the supply ships that were supporting the Allied armies in North Africa. A total of 25 German and 10 Italian submarines were ranged against the Mediterranean convoys. As well as submarines the corvettes had to deal with aerial attacks by bombers and torpedo-carrying aircraft, the rescue of survivors and the rounding up of stray merchant ships. By February 1943 their duties in the Mediterranean had been concluded and they were returned to the campaign in the North Atlantic.

Awarded to:

Ships not currently in commission

NOTE

HMCS Weyburn appears on the RN Battle Honour website as having been awarded this Honour.

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