From the Naval Battle of Casablanca to German Reinforcements in Tunisia
About This Footage
Reel 3 of Tunisian Victory (1944) captures the fierce fighting of November 1942 as Operation Torch unfolded in French North Africa. The reel highlights Major-General George Patton’s Western Task Force landing at Casablanca, with Higgins Boats advancing on the beaches and the Naval Battle of Casablanca raging offshore. American forces engaged French shore batteries, silenced the battleship Jean Bart, and defeated Vichy French warships in a dramatic clash of sea and air power. Street battles followed as Allied troops secured the city, while Eisenhower, Giraud, and Anderson met in Oran to coordinate Allied strategy. Meanwhile, German reinforcements poured into Tunisia from Sicily and Sardinia, bolstering Axis defenses in Tunis and Bizerte. Animated maps chart the Allied advance as British, American, and French units pushed toward Tunisia, facing Luftwaffe bombing raids and logistical challenges. The reel culminates in the first major tank battle at Medjez el Bab on November 25, where Allied forces destroyed 15 German tanks before a fierce Axis counterattack forced their retreat. This marked the beginning of the brutal campaign for Tunisia.
Part of this Complete Film
Tunisian Victory (1944): Allied Triumph in the North Africa Campaign