Operation Astonia
Encyclopedia
Operation Astonia was a World War II battle fought from 10 September 1944 to 12 September 1944.The Allied objective of the operation was the capture of the German-held Channel port of Le Havre,France,coveted by the Allies to improve their supply system.The Allies hoped to find the port intact and immediately usable,but because of extensive damage proved to be not ready for use until mid October 1944. The attack on the fortress city used elements of both the Canadian and British armed forces combined with action from naval and aviation units, with the city falling within three days of the first assault.
, with the goal being the liberation of France. Plans for the invasion required four ports on the French coast to be captured as to allow Allied forces to be reinforced and supplied. After crossing the river Seine
British I Corps and Canadian II Corps, under Canadian First Army and forming the left flank of Montgomery's 21st Army Group, were tasked to fan out and capture respectively the ports of le Havre and Dieppe
and then clear the coastal belt as far as Bruges
. Dieppe, which had been evacuated by the Germans, was liberated by the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division
on 1 September 1944.
Le Havre was considered one of the strongest fortifications in the Atlantic Wall, and had a series of strong natural defences; bodies of water completely prevented access from the south, east and west. The north side of the port was heavily fortified, with a 6/7 meter deep and 3 meter wide anti-tank ditch stretching across the entire approach, pillboxes fitted with anti-tank and machine guns and 1,500 mines. Intelligence before the attack estimated there were between 7,300 and 8,700 soldiers in the city, of which 4,000 were artillery troops, 1,300 were naval personnel and the rest were a mixture of low-quality infantry and a battalion from the 36th Grenadier Regiment.
and air bombardment to soften up the fortifications. As such two Royal Navy
vessels, HMS Warspite and HMS Erebus
bombarded the port for several days, firing more than 4,000 tons of shells
. In addition the aircraft of the Royal Air Force
assaulted the defences in a 3-day long attack that saw 1,900 bombers drop 8,200 tons of high explosive bombs on the city.
, such as Kangaroo
s and Sherman Crab
vehicles, the first part of the assault proceeded swiftly, with gaps cleared through the minefield and anti-tank ditches breached. The 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division breached the north-eastern section of the Le Havre perimeter first, followed by the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division attacking on their right from the north. The assault was costly for the specialised armour, however, with the 79th Armoured Division losing 34 Crab anti-mine flail tanks
, two command tanks and 6 AVRE
vehicles.
The first phase continued into the second day with support from various aircraft and armoured vehicles, and the last strongpoints of the outer defences finally surrendered at 1400 hours after they were threatened with the use of Churchill Crocodile
flame throwing tanks. On the third day of the assault the town centre was finally cleared by elements of both divisions, and the German garrison commander officially surrendered the port at 1145; 12,000 German troops were captured and interned as prisoners of war
.
British officer William Douglas-Home
was imprisoned for his refusal to participate in the operation after civilians were not allowed to be evacuated.
Background
On 6 June 1944 Allied troops landed at various beaches on the north coast of France as the start of Operation OverlordOperation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
, with the goal being the liberation of France. Plans for the invasion required four ports on the French coast to be captured as to allow Allied forces to be reinforced and supplied. After crossing the river Seine
Seine
The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
British I Corps and Canadian II Corps, under Canadian First Army and forming the left flank of Montgomery's 21st Army Group, were tasked to fan out and capture respectively the ports of le Havre and Dieppe
Dieppe, Seine-Maritime
Dieppe is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in France. In 1999, the population of the whole Dieppe urban area was 81,419.A port on the English Channel, famous for its scallops, and with a regular ferry service from the Gare Maritime to Newhaven in England, Dieppe also has a popular pebbled...
and then clear the coastal belt as far as Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
. Dieppe, which had been evacuated by the Germans, was liberated by the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division
2nd Canadian Infantry Division
The 2nd Canadian Infantry Division was an infantry division of the First Canadian Army, mobilized on 1 September 1939 at the outset of the Second World War. It was initially composed of volunteers within brigades established along regional lines, though a halt in recruitment in the early months of...
on 1 September 1944.
Le Havre was considered one of the strongest fortifications in the Atlantic Wall, and had a series of strong natural defences; bodies of water completely prevented access from the south, east and west. The north side of the port was heavily fortified, with a 6/7 meter deep and 3 meter wide anti-tank ditch stretching across the entire approach, pillboxes fitted with anti-tank and machine guns and 1,500 mines. Intelligence before the attack estimated there were between 7,300 and 8,700 soldiers in the city, of which 4,000 were artillery troops, 1,300 were naval personnel and the rest were a mixture of low-quality infantry and a battalion from the 36th Grenadier Regiment.
Preparations
Plans called for a massive artilleryArtillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
and air bombardment to soften up the fortifications. As such two Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
vessels, HMS Warspite and HMS Erebus
HMS Erebus (I02)
HMS Erebus was a World War I monitor launched on 19 June 1916 and served in both world wars. She and her sister HMS Terror are known as the Erebus class...
bombarded the port for several days, firing more than 4,000 tons of shells
Shell (projectile)
A shell is a payload-carrying projectile, which, as opposed to shot, contains an explosive or other filling, though modern usage sometimes includes large solid projectiles properly termed shot . Solid shot may contain a pyrotechnic compound if a tracer or spotting charge is used...
. In addition the aircraft of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
assaulted the defences in a 3-day long attack that saw 1,900 bombers drop 8,200 tons of high explosive bombs on the city.
Assault on Le Havre
The assault began at 1745 hours on 10 September, with both naval vessels engaging the coastal batteries defending the port and RAF bombers dropping approximately 5,000 tons of bombs in an attack ninety minutes prior to the two divisions conducting their assault. The attack was divided into two phases; firstly to penetrate the German defences to allow further forces to attack and secondly to further these gains and capture the city. With the assistance of specialist units from the 79th Armoured Division and the 1st Canadian Armoured Carrier Regiment1st Canadian Carrier Regiment
1st Canadian Armoured Carrier Regiment was an armoured regiment of the Canadian Army formed during the late stages of World War II in the European theatre. It was formed in October 1944 at Tilburg with the original 1st Canadian Armoured Personnel Carrier Squadron as its core...
, such as Kangaroo
Kangaroo (armoured personnel carrier)
A Kangaroo was a World War II Commonwealth or British armoured personnel carrier , created by conversion of a tank chassis. Created as an expedient measure by the Canadian Army, the Kangaroos were so successful that they were soon being used by British forces as well...
s and Sherman Crab
Mine flail
A mine flail is a vehicle-mounted device that makes a safe path through a mine-field by deliberately detonating land mines in front of the vehicle that carries it. They were first used by the British during World War II....
vehicles, the first part of the assault proceeded swiftly, with gaps cleared through the minefield and anti-tank ditches breached. The 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division breached the north-eastern section of the Le Havre perimeter first, followed by the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division attacking on their right from the north. The assault was costly for the specialised armour, however, with the 79th Armoured Division losing 34 Crab anti-mine flail tanks
Hobart's Funnies
Hobart's Funnies were a number of unusually modified tanks operated during World War II by the United Kingdom's 79th Armoured Division or by specialists from the Royal Engineers. They were designed in light of problems that more standard tanks experienced during the Dieppe Raid, so that the new...
, two command tanks and 6 AVRE
Avre
Avre may refer to:*Avre , a river in northwestern France, tributary of the Eure*Avre , a river in northern France, tributary of the Somme*Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers, a military vehicle of the British Army...
vehicles.
The first phase continued into the second day with support from various aircraft and armoured vehicles, and the last strongpoints of the outer defences finally surrendered at 1400 hours after they were threatened with the use of Churchill Crocodile
Churchill Crocodile
The Churchill Crocodile was a British flame-throwing tank of late Second World War. It was a variant of the Tank, Infantry, Mk VI Churchill Mark VII, although the Churchill Mark IV was initially chosen to be the base vehicle....
flame throwing tanks. On the third day of the assault the town centre was finally cleared by elements of both divisions, and the German garrison commander officially surrendered the port at 1145; 12,000 German troops were captured and interned as prisoners of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
.
Aftermath
The port had been successfully captured with few military casualties. The civilian damage, however, was severe; the artillery and air assaults had destroyed 350 ships and 18 kilometres of docks, as well as 15,000 buildings, significantly reducing the usefulness of Le Havre as a supply port.British officer William Douglas-Home
William Douglas-Home
William Douglas Home was court-martialled in World War II for his refusal to obey orders as a British army officer and later became a successful British dramatist.-Early life:...
was imprisoned for his refusal to participate in the operation after civilians were not allowed to be evacuated.