In 1942, Fancourt had been assigned to take command of the escort carrier HMS "Searcher", then under construction in the United States. This was cancelled, however, and he took command of the 4th Destroyer Flotilla which consisted of two destroyers, HMS "Broke" and HMS "Malcolm", assigned to Operation "Torch", the allied invasion of French North Africa. The destroyers were to land a detachment of American Rangers. The assignment was to enter Algiers harbour on 8 November, land the troops and prevent the Vichy French from scuttling their ships or wrecking the port installations (Operation "Terminal").