On 8 November 1942, Operation TORCH landed Allied forces in Algeria (at Oran and Algiers) and Morocco (at Casablanca) to secure the Vichy territories of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. The intention was to advance to Tunis some 800 km to the east and then advance to attack the rear of the Axis forces fighting Montgomery’s Eighth Army in the Western Desert. The overall strategic aim of the North Africa war theatre was to gain safe Mediterranean passage for Allied shipping and permit transit via the Suez canal instead of having to negotiate the longer passage via South Africa.