Where is smithereens???

That would be Butte Fuque, Egypt, an insignificant rocky area of that country with many hiding places discovered by two members of the French Foreign Legion in 1912, who were never able to explain to the satisfaction of their superiors just why they had been found there wearing no pants (pantalons en Francais). It can be found on the featureless area in the southwest corner of this map. Over time, the name was “Americanized”.

During the North African campaign of WWII, Rommel’s forces were routed by strategic used of Le Butte Fuque. Army strategist Lancelot Swish was assigned the task of placing as much mobile armor in the small box canyons in the area in order to create an effective ambush.

Swish was able to devise a highly efficient plan for hiding the tanks compactly, “like chocolates in a box”, to use the words of his official proposal to his general. The operation proved a success, and although Swish himself was dishonorably discharged for acts unbecoming a military officer commited with an Egyptian youth, his contributions to the war effort were immortalized by the nickname he bore to the end of his days: “Fudgepacker”.