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North Africa

Operation TORCH and Meeting the Desert Fox, January 3—September 22, 1943

North Africa
Dec 1942: Map of the Empress of Australia’s sailing route from Liverpool, England to Oran, Algeria for Operation TORCH. Not to scale.
December 1942/Jan 1943: On the "Empress of Australia" to North Africa from Liverpool, England, for Operation TORCH.
"The men are quartered and fed much better than on the “tub” that we came over on originally. [from the U.S. to Northern Ireland] This ship is about the same size, but is much cleaner in every way. It’s actually a re-outfitted luxury cruise ship, which suits us fine. The men are enjoying some deck time in the sunshine."
December 1942: "Today at luncheon, the dance orchestra, made up from our band (The Rhythm Majors), the one that played for our dances back on the island (Northern Ireland) sat on the balcony in the main dining salon and played sweet and smooth during the meal. The service and “cuisine” are excellent as many of the civilian steward staff are still on board. The tablecloths and silver are spotless. It certainly doesn’t seem like a troopship in wartime, more like a nice hotel or nightclub in the States. We are going off in “style.” I feel great, except for being very lonesome for you..
“I think we got to our final destination, the Port of Oran, Algeria, around the third of January, 1943. From Britain, we went down the entire coast of France and Spain and through the Straits of Gibraltar. But of course, at night, we had no lights burning. We were in a convoy – and we would zig for a mile or two, then zag for a mile or two. There were no lights showing – and there was a 5,000-ton Dutch ship on our flank that was supposed to zig when we zigged, and zag when we zagged and it didn’t, and they accidentally rammed us, that tore a big ten-foot gash in our side, about four feet high and partly below the water line, and we started to list." Their ship barely made it to shore, limping into the Port of Oran.
The U.S. Army issued these brochures to its “Expeditionary Forces in North Africa” with important information about the history of North Africa, Hygiene Issues, Insect -Borne Diseases, Venereal Disease, Money, The Native Population, The Moslem Religion, and strict instructions regarding the Attitude Toward Women. The section regarding women was especially interesting: •”You must not talk to Moslem women. Never. Under no circumstances. The most innocent word addressed to a Moslem woman is considered an insult, and is bitterly resented by all Moslem men. There have even been instances of murder when this custom is violated. You must put aside all your own preconceived notions and ideas. “You must remember that your conduct in this matter may decide the fate of this campaign.” •There were three pages of “Important Do’s and Don’ts” Here are a few: --Don’t enter mosques; if you come near a mosque, look away and keep moving. —Shake hands gently with the Arabs - their hands are delicate. —Eat with your right hand - never with your left. —Leave food in the main bowl - what you leave goes to the women and the children. —When you see grown men walking hand-in-hand, ignore it. They are not “queer.” —Avoid talking about or praising Europeans. —Be generous with your cigarettes.
"Ludwick takes a bath, African style."
March 4 - 10, 1943; Training Schedule of Medical Detachment 168th Inf, U.S. Army.
March 1943, Sbiba, Tunisia: "Capt. Schiffrin, one of our dentists, pulling an Arab's tooth in front of our aid station at Sbiba, Tunisia, during a quiet time." Many Medical Assistants were dentists.
March/April 1943, North Africa: Capt. A.L. Ludwick, Medical Corps (M.C.) North Africa. "Medical Aid station in a cactus patch, camouflaged.”
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