39
During that battle, many British and French soldiers were either killed or wounded.
Both, the British captain Willoughby and the French captain Duperré were badly wounded.
They were taken for treatment to the residence of Robillard in Mahébourg.
This building is now known as the National History Museum.
Study the map.
Discuss and write a few
sentences in the space
provided.
1. How did the British
plan their attack on Ile
de France?
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2. Why did the British lose the battle of Grand Port?
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3. Label the shallow sea and the sand banks on the map.
Captain WilloughbyCaptain Duperré National History Museum - Mahébourg
ACTIVITY 3.2 DISCUSS AND SHARE
Grande rivière Sud-Est
Rivière
Champagne
Rivière
des Créoles
Rivière
La Chaux
Pointe
d’Esny
VIEUX
GRAND-PORT
Ferney
Pointe
Brocus
Pointe
de la
Colonie
Pointe des
Régates
Ilot du Singe
Ilot du Chat
Île aux
Aigrettes
Île aux
Fouquets
Île aux
Vacoas
Île de la Passe
Île
Marianne
Île
aux fous
MAHEBOURG
Bois des
Amourettes
Anse
Jonchée
Grande
Passe
Petite
Passe
Pointe
Bambou
Pointe
du Diable
Pointe
aux Feuilles
Anse du
Grand Sable
Île aux Oiseaux
Ilot Flamants
0
0.5
1 km
Wind
Montagne
Camisard
Montagne
Bambous
Montagne
du Lion
British Ships
French Ships
Coral reefs
Sand banks
KEY
MAP 4 map showing grand port bay
As the British lost many ships, they decided to conquer Ile de France, to carry out trade safely in
the Indian Ocean.They, therefore, planned their attack against the French.
the british in rodrigues
Atrst,theBritishtroopslandedinRodrigues.Therewerenoforticationsandsoldiersto
prevent them from landing on the island. There were in Rodrigues at that time a few French
settlers and about 70-80 slaves.The British easily captured Rodrigues.
In Rodrigues, the British built a fort and named it Fort Duncan.
The island was used as a base to prevent the corsairs from attacking British ships.
Next, the British attacked and captured Réunion island. Ile de France alone remained uncaptured.
the battle of grand port
In 1810, the British attacked the French at Grand Port. First, they captured Ile de la Passe, an islet
at the narrow entrance of the harbour.The French had built a fort on it to protect the port.
Once the British warships were
inside the bay, the French attacked
them. The British and the French
fought a violent battle. During the
battle, the British warships were
caught in shallow and sandy areas.
They found it difcult to move in
the bay.
Finally, the French won the battle
of Grand Port.