Anyone got any idea what 'VACNA' stands for in the context of planning an amphibious assault? (Operation Torch in this instance) I'm guessing VA = Vice Admiral? C = Commanding? NA = Naval Assault?
I’ve not seen that acronym before Rob but suggest it relates to Commander-in-Chief, North Atlantic - Wikipedia.
I believe it is Vice Admiral Commanding North Africa -- an appointment held by VA Sir Bertram Ramsey, reporting to the naval theatre commander Adm. Sir Andrew Cunningham. Rattler Apologies -- spelt his name incorrectly ..... should be Vice Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay. The role was mainly a planning one for Op. Torch.
Ah: Andrew Cunningham's post-op despatch in the London Gazette includes mention of the abbreviation: "Vice-Admiral Commanding, North Atlantic, whose HQ were at Gibraltar" Would that be synonymous with Flag Officer North Atlantic Command (FOCNA), as per Richelieu's link? If so, VACNA at the time of Operation Torch = Vice Admiral Sir Frederick Edward-Collins? Andrew Cunningham was ANCXF, wasn't he, for Torch? With Ramsay as his deputy? (Edited to add: although Cunningham was only appointed quite late on in October, wasn't he? So I guess for reconnaissance operations carried out in early October, it would have been Ramsay signing himself as 'NCXF'?) Another challenge for me is to work out whether SO Force 'C' is synonymous with commander of the Central Naval Task Force (Commodore Thomas Troubridge). (Vice Admiral Harold Burrough led the Eastern Naval Task Force and that London Gazette despatch suggests that was called 'Force E'.) My head hurts. The perils of "learning as you go"! (If you want to see the context, it's still very much at the "throw mud at the wall and see what sticks" stage, but: https://www.coppsurvey.uk/october-1942/#postscript)
FOCNA and VACNA do seem to be synonymous although I think FOCNA may formally be correct judging by The Navy List. Secret Flotillas Vol. II: Clandestine Sea Operations in the Western Mediterranean, North Africa and the Adriatic, 1940-1944 p.96 p.207
That's awesome - thank you for digging that up! (I presume p. 207 is in relation to dropping Clarke on the Algerian coast from Seraph - I would have loved to see Collins' face when Clarke said something along the lines of: 'Actually, yes, I do know about it ...') (Apologies for the slow response, which isn't any indicator of my level of appreciation!)
Sort of... but you seem to be confusing Colonel Brien Clarke, SOE, which the passage referred to, with Major-General Mark Clark who was also present at the conference. Clarke had a role in delivering Clark to Algeria. You should be able read the beginning of chapter 13 ‘SOE and OSS Prepare for TORCH’ (pps. 206-8) from the preview on the link above.
