on August 13, and when a French squadron led by Captain Guy-Victor Duperré approached the bay seven days later, the British commander, Samuel Pym, decided to lure it into the shallow waters and destroy it with his firepower.

The British had carefully prepared their strategy. They had taken a stand on the Pass Island, which controlled the entrance to the port of Grand Port, thinking of being able to stretch a deadly trap with French ships which would try to force the passage. This tactic, which seemed infallible on paper, was going to prove to be a fatal error.

The protagonists: heroes of the two camps

On the French side: exceptional captains

Captain Guy-Victor Duperré emerges as the main hero of this battle. Duperré was injured in the battle, struck in the face by a machine -gun, but his bravery and his leadership were decisive in the French victory. This exceptional sailor would later become Admiral and Minister of the Navy.

Charles-Félix-Emmanuel Hamelin, captain commanding Venus, also played a crucial role. The Ferdinand-Alphonse Hamelin foam, future admiral, was on the Venus commanded by his uncle, Captain Charles-Félix-Emmanuel Hamelin, future counter-admiral and future baron of the Empire. This battle thus marked several generations of French sailors.

On the British side: a formidable opponent

Captain Samuel Pym Headed the British forces with the intention of definitively destroying the French naval presence in the Indian Ocean. Sir Nesbit Josiah Willoughby, defeated during the Battle of Grand Port (August 23-27, 1810) where he lost his eye. He was treated side by side with his French opponent L'Amiral Duperré in the house of the Colon de Robillard, which has since become August 2000 Museum of National History (Mahébourg).

This anecdote perfectly illustrates the chivalrous spirit which still animated the naval fights of the time, where the adversaries could respect each other despite the ferocity of the fights.

The course of the battle: seven days of heroic combat

August 20, 1810: initial commitment

The battle began on August 20, 1810 when the French squadron, made up of several frigates, approached Grand Port. The British, confident in their strategic position on the Pass Island, thought they could easily push this attack.

August 20-27: a week of fierce fighting

The Battle of Grand Port was a naval battle waged from August 20 to 27, 1810 between frigate squadrons of the French Navy and the British Royal Navy for the possession of the Port of Grand Port on the Ile de France (now Mauritius).

The fighting continued for an entire week, testifying to the relentlessness of the two camps. The waters of the Baie de Grand Port were the scene of confrontations of a rare intensity, where the maritime mastery and the bravery of the crews were put to the test.

French victory: an unexpected triumph

Tactical results

The British lose four ships: two casting, two captured. The French also make 1,600 prisoners. This victory represented a hard blow for the Royal Navy, used to dominating the seas from Trafalgar.

On August 28, the British soldiers who remained on the Pass Island made their surrender, marking the official end of this battle which will remain in history as one of the most beautiful French naval victories.

The symbolic and psychological impact

A real French feat on the banks of the village of Mahébourg, in August 1810, the battle of the old Grand Port remains the largest victory in the Napoleonic Navy against the formidable British fleet.

This victory had a considerable impact in Europe. For the first time in a long time, the French navy managed to inflict a significant defeat on the Royal Navy, giving hope to the supporters of Napoleon and demonstrating that British invincibility was not absolute.

The consequences: a temporary but decisive respite

Short -term: a stay for Mauritius

This victory retains Mauritius to France for a short time. Indeed, in September, the Royal Navy made a concentration of troops and ships in Rodrigues. A fleet of 70 buildings of all types is gathered there, set sail for Maurice that she reached on November 26. On the 30th, the landing takes place to the north.

Although the victory of Grand Port could not prevent the final conquest of the island by the British in December 1810, it offered France a few additional months of presence in the Indian Ocean and forced the British to mobilize considerable means for their reconquest.

In the long term: a heroic heritage

The Battle of Grand Port left an indelible mark in the Mauritian and French collective memory. She demonstrated that even in the most difficult circumstances, courage and tactical skill could triumph over apparently higher forces.

Recognition: honors and awards

French side

In France, despite the final defeat, Hamelin was rewarded for the services rendered: appointed commander of the Legion of Honor on December 20, 1810, Baron d'Empire on July 19, 1811 and counteradly on September 15.

British side

Victorious, Bertie and Rowley are both made Baronets to reward them for efforts made during this campaign, showing that even on the British side, this campaign was recognized as particularly difficult and meritorious.

The legacy of the battle: 215 years after

In Mauritian memory

Today, 215 years after this epic battle, Grand Port and Mahébourg preserve many testimonies from this historic event. The Museum of National History, installed in the former residence of the Colon of Robillard where the wounded of the two camps were treated, perpetuated the memory of this battle.

In global naval history

The Battle of Grand Port occupies a unique place in world naval history. It remains studied in naval schools as a remarkable example of naval tactics and courage in the face of adversity. His inscription on the Arc de Triomphe testifies to his exceptional place in the pantheon of French victories.

For contemporary Mauritius

This battle constitutes a founding element of Mauritian identity. It symbolizes resistance to the oppression and the strategic importance of the island in the history of the Indian Ocean. A battle that will bequeath an incredible humanitarian promontory from which this micro-nation was going to forge.

Conclusion: a birthday to celebrate

The 215 years of the Battle of Grand Port remind us of the importance of preserving the memory of these events that have shaped the history of Mauritius and the Indian Ocean. This battle, although it has not changed the final course of the war, remains a brilliant testimony of the courage of French sailors and the strategic importance of Mauritius in the world geopolitical issues.

In 2025, when we commemorate this 215th anniversary, it is necessary to pay tribute to all those who, French and British combined, wrote a heroic page of naval history in the crystal clear waters of Grand Port. Their sacrifice and their bravery continue to inspire current and future generations, recalling that history is often forged in the most perilous moments, where exceptional men rise above the circumstances to accomplish the impossible.

This battle remains today a symbol of the exceptional maritime heritage of Mauritius and its central place in the history of the Indian Ocean, a heritage that the 215 years sold have only magnified.