APPENDIX H

Operation 'TORCH'

 


Composition of Allied Naval Forces
taking part in the operation

FORCE 'H' 2 Battleships (Duke of York, Rodney1)
1 Battle cruiser (Renown)
3 Fleet Carriers (Victorious, Formidable, Furious1)
3 Cruisers (Bermuda2, Argonaut, Sirius)
17 Destroyers1
AZORES COVERING FORCE 2 Cruisers (Norfolk, Cumberland)
3 Destroyers
FUELING FORCE 2 Tankers
1 Corvettes
4 A/S Trawlers
EASTERN NAVAL TASK FORCE 1 Headquarters Ship (Bulolo)
3 Cruisers (Sheffield, Scylla, Charybdis)
1 Carrier (Argus)
1 Auxiliary carrier (Avenger)
3 A.A. ships (Palomares, Pozarica, Tynwald)
1 Monitor (Roberts)
13 Destroyers
3 Submarines
3 Sloops
7 Minesweepers
6 Corvettes
2 Landing Ships Infantry (Large)
2 Landing Ships Gantry
8 A/S Trawlers
8 Motor Launches

 

ALGIERS INSHORE LANDING GROUPS - partly formed from Eastern Naval Task Force
Western Landing group Centre Landing group Eastern Landing group
3 Landing Ships Infantry (Large) 1 Headquarters ship (Bulolo) 4 Combat Loaders (U.S.)3
1 A.A Ship 1 A.A. Ship 1 Landing Ship Infantry
1 Landing Ship Gantry 7 Landing Ships Infantry (Large) 1 A.A. Ship
4 Mechanical Transport Ships 9 Mechanical Transport Ships 3 Mechanical Transport Ships
2 Sloops 1 Landing Ship Gantry 2 Destroyers
2 Corvettes 4 Destroyers 1 Sloop
3 Trawlers 1 Sloop4 2 Corvettes
3 Motor launches 2 Corvettes4 4 Minesweepers
  3 Minesweepers 2 A/S/ Trawlers
3 A/S/ Trawlers 2 Motor Launches
3 Motor Launches  

 

NOTES: (1) Rodney, Furious, and Three destroyers were detached to support Centre Naval Task Force.
(2) Bermuda was detached to support the Eastern Naval Task Force.
(3) One combat loader was torpedoed on the 7th November and towed into Algiers later.
(4) One sloop and two corvettes shown here are also shown under the Eastern Landing group, to which they proceeded.

--464--

 

CENTRE NAVAL TASK FORCE (Oran) 1 Headquarters Ship (Largs)
2 Auxiliary carriers (Bitter, Dasher)
2 Cruisers (Jamaica, Aurora)
2 A.A. ships (Alynbank, Delhi)
13  Destroyers
2 Submarines
2 Sloops
8 Minesweepers
6 Corvettes
2 Cutters
1 Landing Ship Infantry (Large)
2 Landing Ships Infantry (Medium)
3 Landing Ships Infantry (Small)
3 Landing Ships Tank
1 Landing Ships Gantry
8 A/S trawlers
10 Motor launches

 

ORAN INSHORE LANDING GROUPS - partly formed from Centre Naval Task Force
Western Landing group Centre Landing group Eastern Landing group
1 Landing Ship Infantry (Large) 3 Landing Ships Infantry (Large) 6 Landing Ships Infantry (Large)
2 Landing Ships Infantry (Medium) 2 Mechanical Transport Ships 3 Landing Ships Infantry (Small)
1 Landing Ship Tank 2 Destroyers 2 Landing Ships Tank
4 Mechanical Transport Ships 4 A/S trawlers 1 Landing Ships Gantry
1 Cruiser (Aurora) 5 Motor launches 1 Cable Ship
1 Destroyer   15 Mechanical Transport Ships
2 Corvettes 6 Merchant vessels
1 A/S trawler 1 Cruiser (Jamaica)
1 Motor launches 1 A.A. Ship (Delhi)
  3 Destroyers
5 Corvettes
2 Cutters
1 Sloop
8 Minesweepers
3 A/S trawlers
4 Motor launches

 

GIBRALTAR ESCORT FORCE 2 Destroyers
4 Corvettes
13 A/S trawlers
GIBRALTAR MISCELLANEOUS FORCE 1 Submarine Depot Ship (Maidstone)
7 Submarines
5 Auxiliary minesweeping trawlers
1 Controlled minelayer
3 Salvage vessels
4 Tugs
18 Tankers
23 Merchant vessels
25 Motor launches
32 Motor minesweepers
6 Landing craft tanks
WARSHIPS NOT INCLUDED IN FORCES ORGANIZED FOR 'TORCH', BUT WHICH WERE AVAILABLE FOR THE VARIOUS SERVICES AFTER THE OPERATION HAD BEEN LAUNCHED 3 Destroyers
10 Sloops
5 Cutters
2 Minesweepers
8 Corvetes
4 Trawlers
1 Coastal craft depot ship
1 Army port repair ship

 

--465--

Composition of United States Naval Forces

COVERING GROUP 1 Battleship (Massachusetts)
2 Cruisers (Wichita, Tuscaloosa)
4 Destroyers
1 Oiler
NORTHERN ATTACK GROUP (Port Lyautey) 1 Battleship (Texas)
1 Cruiser (Savannah)
2 Auxiliary carriers (Sangamon, Chenango)
1 Seaplane tender
9 Destroyers
1 Submarine (Shad)
6 Transports
3 Merchant vessels
2 Minesweepers
1 Oiler
CENTRE ATTACK GROUP (Casablanca) 3 Cruisers (Augusta, Brooklyn, Cleveland)
1 Carrier (Ranger)
1 Auxiliary carrier (Suwanee)
15 Destroyers
2 Submarines
12 Transports
3 Merchant vessels
2 Minelayers
4 Minesweepers
1 Oiler
SOUTHERN ATTACK GROUP (Safi) 1 Battleship (New York)
1 Cruiser (Philadelphia)
1 Auxiliary carrier (Santee)
10 Destroyers
1 Submarine (Barb)
5 Transports
1 Merchant vessel
1 Minelayer
2 Minesweepers
2 Oilers
1 Tug

 

--466--

Table of Contents
Previous Appendix (G) ** Next Appendix (J)


Transcribed and formatted for HTML by Rick Pitz for the HyperWar Foundation.