Nick Kemp

Ever Your Own, Johnnie, North Africa, 1942-43 Nick Kemp

'Ever your own, Johnnie, North Africa, 1942-43' is a sequel to 'Ever your own, Johnnie, Britain, 1938-42' and recounts the day-to-day life of R. S. M. John Kemp of the 76th Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, through retrospective accounts and letters written to his wife. It covers the period in his military service from landing in Algiers as part of 'Operation Torch', the Allied Forces' invasion of Vichy French North Africa, until his departure for Sicily under 'Operation Husky'. The book vividly describes experiences of working in a foreign country under wartime conditions, and of the frequent advances to defeat the German and Italian Armies in North Africa. Many of the letters are written to entertain and amuse his wife at home, and to hide the realities of the war that he was experiencing. The book, however, contains notes and commentary to give context to his writing and the campaign as it unfolded as his regiment moved east to Bizerte, and the preparations for the invasion of Sicily.