Operation Astonia (10-12 September 1942) was the codename for the capture of the German-occupied French port of Le Havre during World War II. Adolf Hitler had declared Le Havre to be a festung (fortress), meaning that it was to be held to the last man. The Germans were compelled to fight to the end by the Allied "unconditional surrender" policy, and the Allies coldly rejected Le Havre garrison commander Hermann-Eberhard Wildermuth's plea to allow for the civilians in the city to be evacuated. The Royal Air Force heavily bombed the city, killing only 19 German troops but over 2,000 innocent French civilians. Shortly after, the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division and the 51st (Highland) Division, assisted by Canadian forces, assaulted the city. The Germans trashed the port before they were forced to surrender following a two-day struggle, and it was not until mid-October 1944 that the dock facilities were repaired. In the aftermath, the Allied command became more sensitive about the prospect of harming non-German civilians.
Advertisement