Saint-Leu-d'Esserent
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| Commune of Saint-Leu-d'Esserent | |
| Location | |
| Longitude | 02° 25' 22" E |
| Latitude | 49° 13' 05" N |
| Administration | |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Region | Picardie |
| Department | Oise |
| Arrondissement | Senlis |
| Canton | Montataire |
| Intercommunality | Communauté de communes Pierre - Sud - Oise |
| Mayor | Alain Blanchard (2001-2008) |
| Statistics | |
| Altitude | 25 m–137 m (avg. 29 m) |
| Land area¹ | 13.08 km² |
| Population² (1999) |
4,867 |
| - Density (1999) | 372/km² |
| Miscellaneous | |
| INSEE/Postal code | 60584/ 60340 |
| ¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 mi² or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
| ² Population sans doubles comptes: single count of residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel). | |
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Saint-Leu-d'Esserent is a small town and commune situated on the banks of the river Oise, in France.
[edit] World War II
During the Second World War this town would be come the center of attention of the Allied bombing campaign CROSSBOW.
It was here, in underground caves that the Luftwaffe would stock its infamous V1 flying bombs. Due to the activity caused by the building of blockhouses, bunkers, flak emplacements and railways links, the locals became somewhat curious. It was not long before the activity was monitored and via various means transmitted back to England.
The V1 bombs would be brought to Saint Leu via the railway network, unloaded at night and stocked in the caves before being dispatched to launch sites dotted alone the French coasts all pointing towards England.
The Allied air force notably the RAF bombed Saint Leu d’Esserent during mid 1944, which caused the destruction of 85% of the town yet hampered the V1 offensive, ultimately putting an end to it. Saint Leu d’Esserent was one of three major underground bases occupied by the Luftwaffe, the two other, Nucourt and Rilly La Montange also saw the same treatment by the RAF.
Saint Leu d’Esserent was bombed three times by the RAF and due the the huge defensive effort by the Germans at the base, the RAF saw some of its heaviest losses of the war over a French target.
