Sea Your History - Operation Torch

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Operation Torch

Naval aircraft takes part in a joint operation with American forces to invade North Africa

The Fleet Air Arm participated in all the significant joint operations in World War Two including the Normandy landings. The Fleet Air Arm contribution to the Normandy landings was not major because the beaches were within range of airfields in the south of England and the sheer numbers of vessels across the English Channel meant that there was no room for carriers to operate their aircraft. A number of Fleet Air Arm aircraft flew in support of the landings, spotter role for heavy guns of the battleships and general reconnaissance.

The Fleet Air Arm participated in a major role during Operation Husky; the landings in Sicily, Operation Anvil/Dragoon; the landings in the South of France, Operation Avalanche; the landings at Salerno (Italy) and Operation Ironclad; the invasion of Madagascar. The British Pacific fleet with several Fleet carriers supported the Americans for the landings on Japanese-held islands in the Far East. These were intensive operations and several of the carriers were hit by Kamikaze suicide aircraft, although none were sunk, they made a significant contribution to the Pacific War.

The British Eighth Army inflicted a major defeat on the German Afrika Korps at the Battle of El Alamein in October 1942, the first major British victory on land. The Royal Navy supported landings in North Africa, designated Operation Torch, were to completely defeat the Axis forces in North Africa. This would involve landing 100 000 men in Vichy French territory, on the Atlantic coast of French Morocco and in Algeria.