Raid on Le Havre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Raid on Le Havre |
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| Part of the Seven Years' War | |||||||
 Vue generale du bombardement du Havre en 1759 par les Anglais, Joseph-Abel Couture |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Great Britain |
 France |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 George Rodney |
Charles de Rohan |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 5 ships of the line 5 frigates 1 sloop 6 bomb ketches |
8,000 12 prams 337 barges |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Light | Many barges destroyed | ||||||
The Raid on Le Havre was a big attack by the British navy on the French port of Le Havre in July 1759. This happened during the Seven Years' War, a major global conflict. British forces, led by Rear-Admiral George Rodney, bombed the port for two days. Their main goal was to destroy many special invasion boats. These boats were being gathered by France to launch a planned attack on Great Britain. The raid was a success for the British.
Why the Raid Happened
By the summer of 1759, France was planning a large-scale invasion of Britain. The French leader, the duc de Choiseul, was getting his navy ready. Ships and troops were being prepared in several French ports. Le Havre was chosen as a very important base for this invasion. It was located on the Seine River, which made it easy to move troops.
The British knew about these plans. They had learned that France was building many flat-bottomed boats in Le Havre. These boats were designed to carry soldiers across the sea for the invasion. Stopping this invasion was very important for Britain's safety.
The Bombardment Begins
Admiral Rodney and his group of warships left Spithead on July 2nd. They quickly sailed to Le Havre. Rodney's fleet included a large 60-gun ship called the Achilles. There were also four 50-gun ships, five smaller frigates, a sloop, and six special ships called bomb ketches. These bomb ketches were ships designed to fire heavy bombs.
The British ships anchored near Le Havre. They placed the bomb ketches in a narrow channel leading to the port. The attack started the very next day. The British aimed at the flat-bottomed boats and the supplies gathered there. They also fired into the town itself.
The Attack and Its Impact
For 50 hours straight, the British fired over 3,000 shells. The main targets were the French storage areas, their gun batteries, and especially the invasion boats. The town of Le Havre was hit hard. Fires broke out in many places, and people living there had to flee.
French troops on shore tried to fight back. They used trenches and their own cannons to fire at the British ships. However, Rodney's fleet suffered very little damage. The bombardment caused huge destruction to the French invasion preparations. Admiral Rodney and some of his frigates stayed near the port for the rest of the year. They captured many French ships during this time.
What Happened Next
The British were very happy with their success at Le Havre. However, they might have thought it was a bigger blow to France than it actually was. The French still planned to invade Britain, but they had to make their plans smaller.
Later in 1759, France suffered more big defeats at sea. In August, the French fleet from Toulon was beaten by the British at the Battle of Lagos. Then, in November, the French fleet from Brest was crushed at the Battle of Quiberon Bay. These two major defeats, combined with the damage at Le Havre, severely hurt France's invasion plans.
The victory at Le Havre helped make 1759 a very successful year for Great Britain. It became known as the Annus Mirabilis, which means "Year of Miracles."
