Saint-Leu-d'Esserent
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Commune of Saint-Leu-d'Esserent |
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| Location | |
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| Administration | |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Region | Picardie |
| Department | Oise |
| Arrondissement | Senlis |
| Canton | Montataire |
| Intercommunality | Communauté de communes Pierre - Sud - Oise |
| Mayor | Alain Blanchard (2001-2008) |
| Statistics | |
| Elevation | 25 m–137 m (avg. 29 m) |
| Land area¹ | 13.08 km² |
| Population² (1999) |
4,867 |
| - Density | 372/km² (1999) |
| Miscellaneous | |
| INSEE/Postal code | 60584/ 60340 |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
| 2 Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) only counted once. | |
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Saint-Leu-d'Esserent is a small town and commune situated on the banks of the river Oise, in France. During World War II, the mushroom caves of 'Saint Leu' were one of three major underground V-1 flying bomb bases, including Nucourt and Rilly La Montange. In addition to the caves, the facility included blockhouses, bunkers, flak emplacements and railway links.
- See also: List of V-1 storage depots
[edit] Bombing of Saint-Leu-d'Esserent during World War II
Along with Nucourt, Allied intelligence firmly identified late in June 1944 that Saint-Leu-d'Esserent was a V-1 flying bomb storage depot.[1]
| Bombing of Saint-Leu-d'Esserent during World War II | |||||
| June 27, 1944: Initial bombing by the US Army Air Force[2][3] | |||||
| July 4/5, 1944: Tallboy bombs were used in an attempt to collapse the limestone roof of the caves.[1][4] The bombing started on July 4 by 17 Avro Lancasters, 1 de Havilland Mosquito and 1 P-51 Mustang of No. 617 Squadron RAF and was accurate and without loss. After the 617 Squadron bombing, No. 5 Group RAF attacked St Leu d'Esserent immediately (Bomber Command records show the 617 Squadron operation as a day raid and the 5 Group operation as a night raid.) The second wave continue to July 5 and was accurate, but 13 Lancasters were lost to German fighters.[5] | |||||
| July 7, 1944: An evening raid by 208 Lancasters and 13 Mosquitos (mainly No 5 Group but with some Pathfinders)[5] successfully blocked the tunnels. 31 planes were shot down by German night-fighters.[6] | |||||
[edit] References & Notes
- ^ a b Collier, Basil [1964] (1976). The Battle of the V-Weapons, 1944-1945. Yorkshire: The Emfield Press, p68,82,84. ISBN 0 7057 0070 4.
- ^ 8th Air Force 1944 Chronicles. Retrieved on 2007-05-25.
- ^ Taylor, Graham. Leopold. Leopold. Retrieved on 2007-05-16.
- ^ Irving, David (1964). The Mare's Nest. London: William Kimber and Co, p168,220,245,246.
- ^ a b Campaign Diary. Royal Air Force Bomber Command 60th Anniversary. UK Crown. Retrieved on 2007-05-24.
- ^ Richards, Denis [1964] (1994). The Hardest Victory - RAF Bomber Command in the Second World War, p241.
