Saint-Leu-d'Esserent

Saint-Leu-d'Esserent

Saint-Leu-d'Esserent

Commune in Hauts-de-France, France

Saint-Leu-d'Esserent (French pronunciation: [sɛ̃ lø dɛsʁɑ̃]) is a commune in the Oise department in northern France.[3]

Quick Facts Country, Region ...

Saint Leu is notable for 3,000 square metres (32,000 sq ft) of mushroom caves under the Thiverny plateau.[4]

History

During World War II, the caves were one of three major underground V-1 flying bomb storage depots. In addition to the caves, the facility included blockhouses, bunkers, flak emplacements and railway links. Allied intelligence firmly identified late in June 1944 that Saint-Leu-d'Esserent and Nucourt were V-1 storage depots.[5] On 27 June 1944, Saint-Leu-d'Esserent was initially bombed by the US Army Air Force,[6][7] then on 4/5 July 1944 by two RAF forces (the first unsuccessfully used Tallboy bombs in an attempt to collapse the limestone roof of the caves).[5][8] Finally on 7 July 1944, an evening RAF raid successfully blocked the tunnels.[9]

The storage dump at Thiverny was bombed in 1944 on 5 May,[10] 11 July,[11] 12 July[12][13] and 19 July.[14][15][16][17]

Population

More information Year, Pop. ...

See also

References

  1. [1]
    "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022. Archived from the original on 18 July 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  2. [2]
    "Populations légales 2021". The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. [3]
    "INSEE commune file". Archived from the original on 14 April 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  4. [4]
    Couderchon, Philippe. "The quarries of Saint Leu Esserent". Archived from the original on 3 February 2010. Retrieved 6 March 2009.
  5. [5]
    Collier, Basil (1976) [1964]. The Battle of the V-Weapons, 1944-1945. Yorkshire: The Emfield Press. pp. 68, 82, 84. ISBN 0-7057-0070-4.
  6. [6]
    "8th Air Force 1944 Chronicles". Archived from the original on 10 June 2016. Retrieved 25 May 2007.
  7. [7]
    Taylor, Graham. "Leopold". Archived from the original on 19 January 2010. Retrieved 16 May 2007.
  8. [8]
    Irving, David (1964). The Mare's Nest. London: William Kimber and Co. pp. 168, 220, 245, 246.
  9. [9]
    Richards, Denis (1994) [1964]. The Hardest Victory - RAF Bomber Command in the Second World War. p. 241. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 10 May 2007.
  10. [10]
    "tbd". tbd. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 28 October 2008.
  11. [11]
    "tbd". tbd. Archived from the original on 10 October 2006. Retrieved 28 October 2008.
  12. [12]
    "July 1944". Bomber Command 60th Anniversary. RAF. Archived from the original on 11 June 2007.
  13. [13]
    "tbd". tbd. Archived from the original on 10 October 2006. Retrieved 28 October 2008.
  14. [14]
    "tbd". tbd. Archived from the original on 14 April 2008. Retrieved 28 October 2008.
  15. [15]
    "tbd". tbd. Archived from the original on 18 December 2007. Retrieved 28 October 2008.
  16. [16]
    "tbd". tbd. Archived from the original on 2 March 2009. Retrieved 28 October 2008.
  17. [17]
    "tbd". tbd. Archived from the original on 30 May 2009. Retrieved 28 October 2008.
  18. [18]
    Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
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