Operation Wellhit

Operation Wellhit was a military operation conducted by the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division of the First Canadian Army from 17 to 22 September 1944 to capture the heavily fortified port city of Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France from German occupation during the Second World War.^[1] The operation aimed to secure the port's harbor to alleviate critical Allied supply shortages following the Normandy landings, as part of the broader campaign to clear the Channel coast of German strongholds.^[2] Under the command of Major-General Dan C. Spry, the assault involved the division's 8th and 9th Infantry Brigades, supported by the 10th Armoured Regiment (Fort Garry Horse), the 31st British Tank Brigade, the 87th Assault Squadron of Royal Engineers, and extensive artillery from 328 guns.^[1] The plan unfolded in four phases: first, seizing high ground like Mont Lambert from the east; second, capturing the city center and crossings over the Liane River; third, reducing outlying fortifications such as Fort de la Crèche, Outreau, and Herquelingue; and fourth, securing the heights of Nocquet and Saint-Étienne-au-Mont.^[1] The operation commenced with massive aerial bombardment by RAF Bomber Command, including 540 Lancasters, 212 Halifaxes, and 40 Mosquitoes dropping 3,232 tons of bombs on German defenses, followed by a creeping artillery barrage and smoke screens to cover the infantry advance.^[1] Canadian troops, including regiments such as the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment, Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, Régiment de la Chaudière, Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders, North Nova Scotia Highlanders, and Highland Light Infantry of Canada, employed a pincer movement to encircle and isolate German positions, overcoming fierce resistance from approximately 10,000 troops under General Ferdinand Heim, who had fortified the city with concrete bunkers, minefields, and artillery on elevated terrain.^[2]^[3] Key challenges included demolished bridges over the Liane River, which forced improvised crossings, and persistent German artillery fire from strongpoints like Fort de la Crèche, which held out until the final day.^[1] Boulogne fell on 22 September 1944 when General Heim surrendered at 4:30 p.m., yielding 9,517 German prisoners, including 250 wounded.^[1] The victory came at a cost of 634 Canadian casualties, mostly from the six assaulting infantry battalions, highlighting the intense urban and coastal fighting.^[2] Although the port infrastructure was heavily damaged by German demolitions and Allied bombing, it was repaired and operational by 12 October 1944, contributing to the Allied logistical buildup for the advance into Europe.^[1] Operation Wellhit exemplified the Canadian Army's role in the liberation of France, securing a vital coastal asset amid the rapid pursuit after the Battle of Normandy.^[3]

Background

German Defenses at Boulogne

Boulogne-sur-Mer was designated as Festung Boulogne, one of the major Channel ports fortified by Adolf Hitler's order on 4 September 1944 to serve as unyielding strongholds defended to the last man as part of the Atlantic Wall defenses.^[1] This status emphasized static, impregnable positions to deny the Allies use of vital harbors, with Boulogne's geography—flanked by high hills and the English Channel—enhancing its role in controlling maritime access.^[4] The garrison numbered approximately 10,000 troops under the command of Generalleutnant Ferdinand Heim, an experienced officer from campaigns in Poland and Russia.^[1] Composition included a fortress machine-gun battalion, two fortress infantry battalions staffed by low-category personnel, and artillery and engineer units from the 64th Infantry Division, supplemented by naval artillery crews and demoralized remnants from retreats following the Normandy campaign.^[1]^[4] Heim's command structure relied on a network of static strongpoints, with limited mobile reserves due to severed supply lines and isolation from the retreating Wehrmacht.^[1] Fortifications featured over 90 guns ranging from 75 mm to 350 mm, including 22 88 mm anti-aircraft pieces, nine 15 cm howitzers, and heavy coastal batteries up to 30.5 cm, many fixed seaward but adapted for landward fire.^[1]^[4] Landward defenses, hastily constructed amid resource shortages, were incomplete compared to seaward works, consisting of concrete bunkers, extensive minefields, anti-tank obstacles like dragon's teeth, and barbed wire entanglements; key positions occupied high ground such as Mont Lambert (550 feet) and Herquelingue, while the old town citadel and sites like Fort de la Crèche and La Trésorerie formed inner redoubts reinforced with booby traps and demolished bridges over the Liane River.^[1]^[4] Post-Normandy morale was low among the garrison, marked by defeatist attitudes, reports of desertions, and executions for cowardice, exacerbated by prior defeats, isolation, and lack of reinforcements, forcing heavy dependence on entrenched positions rather than aggressive counterattacks.^[4]

Allied Supply Challenges

Following the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, Allied supply lines faced severe bottlenecks as forces advanced rapidly across northern France, stretching logistics over 300 miles from initial beachheads and creating shortages of fuel, ammunition, and other essentials for the 21st Army Group.^[5] Reliance on the Mulberry artificial harbors and smaller ports such as Dieppe—captured on 1 September but limited to about 6,000–7,000 tons of supplies per day by late September—proved insufficient to sustain the pace of operations, with truck convoys under the Red Ball Express consuming vast amounts of fuel just to deliver goods forward.^[1] Meanwhile, Antwerp had been captured intact on 4 September, yet remained unopened due to German control of the Scheldt Estuary, delaying its potential to handle up to 40,000 tons daily and exacerbating the crisis for advancing Canadian and British units.^[5] Operation Wellhit formed a key part of the broader effort to clear the Pas-de-Calais coastal belt, securing additional Channel ports to support the push into Germany and relieve the mounting supply shortages afflicting the 21st Army Group under Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery.^[4] By mid-September, the rapid pursuit after the Normandy breakout had outrun logistical support, with ammunition and fuel rationing hindering further advances; capturing Boulogne was prioritized as an "immediate solution" to sustain the offensive, as one major Pas-de-Calais port could provide the necessary throughput closer to the front lines.^[4] This urgency was heightened by the need to neutralize German V-weapon sites and coastal batteries in the region, which threatened both supply routes and the United Kingdom.^[1] Boulogne's deep-water harbor held particular strategic value, offering the potential to discharge thousands of tons of supplies daily once cleared of obstructions and mines, thereby enabling sustained operations for the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division and adjacent British forces without the protracted overland hauls from Normandy—a round trip that took seven days and strained transport assets.^[4] Although the port was heavily damaged and only partially operational by 12 October, its capture was seen as vital for alleviating immediate pressures on the overstretched lines supporting the First Canadian Army.^[1] Wellhit was integrated into the wider campaign to open Channel ports, building on the success of Operation Tractable—which closed the Falaise Gap in August and enabled the pursuit to the Seine—and Operation Astonia, the 10–12 September assault on Le Havre that yielded a usable harbor by early October despite similar demolition challenges.^[4] The operation's pressing timeline stemmed from the failure of initial probes against Calais earlier in September, where strong German defenses halted advances and underscored the logistical imperatives driving the Pas-de-Calais clearances before shifting resources to the Scheldt.^[1]

Prelude

Allied Bombardments

The Allied bombardments preceding Operation Wellhit aimed to degrade German fortifications around Boulogne, targeting coastal batteries, gun emplacements, the citadel, and harbor infrastructure to facilitate the subsequent Canadian ground assault.^[1] Beginning in mid-September 1944, following the fall of Le Havre on 12 September, the RAF's 2nd Tactical Air Force conducted 49 strikes using medium bombers, fighter-bombers, and rocket-firing Typhoons against defensive positions encircling the port.^[1] These operations, including targeted attacks by No. 2 Group on 16 September, focused on disrupting German artillery and communications networks, though they inflicted only limited structural damage on reinforced concrete installations while creating numerous craters that hindered vehicle movement.^[1] The culminating pre-assault effort occurred on 17 September, when RAF Bomber Command executed a massive raid involving over 790 heavy bombers—540 Lancasters, 212 Halifaxes, and 40 Mosquitoes—in more than 1,000 sorties, dropping 3,232 tons of high-explosive bombs on the outer defensive perimeter.^[1]^[2] This tactic emphasized area saturation to crater open ground, suppress counterattacks, and shatter morale, with markers from pathfinder Mosquitoes guiding the main force despite cloud cover challenges.^[1] No significant naval shelling supported these aerial operations, as Boulogne's coastal position limited effective ship-based fire without risking shallow-water grounding.^[1] The bombardments achieved partial success in neutralizing artillery, destroying or damaging several gun emplacements and outer defenses while compelling the partial evacuation of approximately 8,000 civilians between 11 and 13 September under German orders, coordinated with Canadian civil affairs teams.^[1] However, the core fortress structures, including inland batteries, proved resilient to aerial attack, with the German commandant later reporting only a "general destructive effect" rather than decisive penetration.^[1] The raids devastated the town, destroying over 60% of buildings and rendering harbor facilities nearly unusable until mid-October, though this collateral damage complicated post-battle reconstruction.^[6] Preparations also included specialized engineering support from the 79th Armoured Division's Hobart's Funnies for potential breaching operations, though their deployment awaited the ground phase.^[1]

Canadian Operational Plan

The Canadian operational plan for Operation Wellhit was developed by Major-General Daniel Spry, commander of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, under the oversight of Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds leading II Canadian Corps within the First Canadian Army.^[4]^[7] Spry's strategy emphasized maneuver warfare to overcome the fortified defenses of Boulogne-sur-Mer, leveraging combined arms tactics despite the division's understrength brigades facing a numerically superior German garrison.^[4]^[8] Primary assault units included the 8th and 9th Canadian Infantry Brigades, with the 8th responsible for northern sector engagements and the 9th leading the main effort in the east; support came from the British 79th Armoured Division, providing specialized "Hobart's Funnies" vehicles, alongside elements of the Fort Garry Horse tank regiment and the 1st Canadian Armoured Personnel Carrier Squadron.^[4]^[7]^[8] The plan unfolded in coordinated phases, beginning with an eastern approach via the La Trésorerie ridge to outflank the principal German defenses along the main axes into the city, allowing infantry to bypass heavily fortified coastal positions.^[7]^[4] Key to the plan's execution was the integration of innovative armored support vehicles: Kangaroo armored personnel carriers, converted from M7 Priest self-propelled guns, transported infantry under protection to minimize exposure during advances; Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers (AVREs) breached obstacles and demolished fortifications with petard mortars; and Churchill Crocodile flamethrower tanks provided close-range suppression against bunkers and strongpoints.^[4]^[8] This marked one of the first major combat deployments of Kangaroos by Canadian forces, shifting from vulnerable open-topped half-tracks to enclosed transport that significantly reduced infantry casualties in contested terrain.^[4]^[7] Primary objectives centered on securing the high ground at Mont Lambert to dominate the southern approaches, isolating the old town and citadel to prevent German reinforcement, and coordinating with naval forces offshore to interdict any evacuation attempts by sea.^[4]^[8] Contingencies were built in for intense urban combat, including house-to-house clearances in the port district using flame-throwers and engineer support to methodically reduce fortified buildings.^[4] Overall, the plan prioritized surprise, concentrated firepower, and rapid exploitation of breaches to compel the surrender of the Boulogne garrison and reopen the harbor for Allied logistics.^[4]

Assault Phase

Opening Attacks (17 September)

The opening attacks of Operation Wellhit commenced at dawn on 17 September 1944, with the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade launching assaults toward the outer defenses at La Trésorerie and other eastern positions, as part of the planned eastern approach to Boulogne.^[9] The brigade, under Brigadier J. A. Blackader, consisted of the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment, and Le Régiment de la Chaudière, supported by elements of the 6th Field Company Royal Canadian Engineers and armoured units from the 10th Armoured Regiment (Fort Garry Horse).^[1] These forces advanced in coordination with the aftermath of a massive aerial bombardment by RAF Bomber Command, which had targeted German positions earlier that morning but left many fortifications intact due to incomplete effects.^[2] The initial push encountered immediate obstacles, including extensive minefields and barbed wire entanglements that slowed the infantry's progress across the muddy terrain, exacerbated by recent heavy rains.^[9] Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers (AVREs) were employed to breach these barriers, while Churchill Crocodile flamethrower tanks made their operational debut in flushing out bunkers and strongpoints, proving effective in suppressing concealed German positions.^[1] The Queen's Own Rifles captured the St. Martin Boulogne railway station by 11:00 a.m., and the Régiment de la Chaudière secured the Marlborough area, but the North Shore Regiment's assault on La Trésorerie was stalled by enfilading machine-gun and artillery fire from the higher ground at Mont Lambert.^[2] Accurate German counter-battery fire, combined with the incomplete neutralization of defenses from prior bombardments, inflicted significant losses, resulting in around 100 Canadian casualties for the day.^[9] By nightfall, the brigade had achieved only limited gains, securing a foothold on the eastern perimeter of Boulogne but failing to penetrate deeper into the town due to the resilient German 343rd Infantry Division defenses.^[1] This cautious probing set the stage for subsequent efforts, highlighting the challenges of assaulting fortified coastal positions under adverse weather and terrain conditions.^[2]

Eastern Sector Advances (18 September)

Building on the limited perimeter gains secured the previous day in the eastern approaches to Boulogne, the 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade launched a renewed assault on 18 September 1944, with reinforcements from the Highland Light Infantry of Canada and the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders joining the North Nova Scotia Highlanders in pushing forward.^[1]^[4] This effort focused on seizing Mont Lambert, a dominant height fortified with pillboxes and machine-gun nests, where intense close-quarters combat unfolded amid heavy German resistance.^[1] Canadian troops employed aggressive tactics, including flame-throwers from specialized Crocodile tanks and direct fire from supporting artillery to breach the entrenched defenses, while engineers cleared minefields to facilitate the advance.^[1]^[4] Coordinated infantry-armor operations proved crucial, with Kangaroo armored personnel carriers transporting troops rapidly across exposed ground and delivering mobile fire support from the 10th Armoured Regiment's tanks.^[1] German counterattacks were effectively repelled through naval gunfire from British ships offshore, including heavy 14- and 15-inch guns based at Dover, which suppressed enemy positions and batteries.^[4] By afternoon, the North Nova Scotia Highlanders had captured the summit of Mont Lambert, securing a vital vantage point overlooking the port and enabling the destruction of several German gun batteries in the vicinity.^[1]^[4] Meanwhile, the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders continued advances in the sector, further disrupting German communications lines across the sector.^[4] These gains represented a pivotal shift in momentum, as the crumbling defenses opened pathways for deeper penetration into Boulogne's eastern flanks.^[1] Casualties in the eastern sector fighting were significant, with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders suffering 96 casualties (including 27 fatal) and the Highland Light Infantry recording 97, contributing to around 150 Canadian wounded overall for the day's brigade actions.^[1]

Central Fighting (19 September)

On 19 September 1944, the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade, led by the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment, advanced against Wimille south of Boulogne, encountering determined German resistance as part of the effort to expand the perimeter. This push built on the eastern high-ground control secured the previous day, allowing the brigade to probe deeper despite mined approaches and pre-sighted enemy artillery.^[1] Meanwhile, the 9th Brigade continued operations north of the Liane River, with the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders capturing Outreau and approximately 185 prisoners, while the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa seized Herquelingue hilltop amid intense fighting. German rearguard elements conducted delaying actions that inflicted additional losses during advances.^[1] RAF spotter aircraft played a pivotal role by observing enemy movements and directing precise artillery barrages from divisional guns and naval vessels across the Channel, suppressing strongpoints and aiding infantry momentum. As liberated zones emerged in peripheral areas, Canadian troops reported the first direct encounters with local civilians, many of whom emerged from shelters amid the rubble to offer cautious support. However, the day's progress slowed as German forces exploited terrain for ambushes, complicating assaults and forcing tactical pauses. The fighting exacted a heavy toll, with the 8th Brigade suffering approximately 200 casualties in the engagements.^[1]

Perimeter Consolidation (20–21 September)

On 20 September, the 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade focused on clearing the southern suburbs of Boulogne, advancing through heavily defended areas to secure the outer perimeter. The North Nova Scotia Highlanders, supported by elements of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa, pushed forward to capture the village of Herquelingue and nearby strongpoints, overcoming concealed German positions with infantry assaults and engineer support. By late afternoon, the 9th Brigade linked up with the 8th Brigade in the central sector, establishing a continuous line that isolated the German garrison from external reinforcement.^[1]^[9] Concurrently, naval gunfire provided critical support, with the monitor HMS Roberts bombarding the citadel and inner fortifications, firing over 1,000 shells to suppress defensive fire and damage key structures. This barrage, coordinated with ground advances, allowed infantry to consolidate gains without facing uncoordinated counterattacks from the fortified heights. The effort marked a tactical shift away from armored vehicles, which were increasingly ineffective in the narrow, rubble-strewn streets, toward infantry patrols and engineer-led demolitions to methodically clear obstacles.^[4]^[9] By 21 September, operations emphasized mopping up residual resistance in the docks and probing Fort de la Crèche, a major coastal battery on the northern edge of the perimeter. The 8th Brigade's North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment and Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, aided by Le Régiment de la Chaudière, conducted close-quarters sweeps, using Bangalore torpedoes deployed by the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division's engineers to breach fortified walls and bunkers. These explosives enabled troops to penetrate defended positions, capturing or neutralizing pockets of German defenders entrenched amid the port facilities. German attempts to breakout from the tightening encirclement were foiled by vigilant patrols and rapid artillery response, preventing any significant relief for the isolated forces within the city.^[1]^[4] These actions achieved incremental gains that completed the full encirclement of Boulogne by the end of 21 September, severing all supply lines to the German 343rd Infantry Division garrison and compelling them to withdraw into the inner fortress and citadel. Building on the central sector footholds secured the previous day, the consolidated perimeter—spanning from the southern suburbs to the northern forts—ensured the defenders faced mounting shortages of ammunition and provisions.^[9]^[4]

Final Push (22 September)

On 22 September 1944, the sixth day of Operation Wellhit, the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division launched a coordinated assault by the 8th and 9th Infantry Brigades on the remaining German strongholds in Boulogne-sur-Mer, targeting the old town and Fort de la Crèche to break the final defensive lines. The 8th Brigade advanced into the old town with support from specialized armoured vehicles, while 8th Brigade elements assaulted Fort de la Crèche and adjacent positions. Heavy utilization of Churchill Crocodile flamethrower tanks incinerated entrenched German positions, projecting flames up to 100 meters to flush out defenders from bunkers and casemates, complemented by Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers (AVREs) that employed 40-pound petard explosives to breach fortified walls and obstacles.^[9]^[4] By midday, Canadian forces had overwhelmed key defenses, with the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada subduing the garrison at Fort de la Crèche using a captured German artillery piece following intense close-quarters combat, securing the site and capturing approximately 500 prisoners. In the harbor basin, infantry from the 9th Brigade, supported by the Fort Garry Horse tank regiment, overran German rearguard positions, while pioneers raised the Canadian flag over the port facilities as a symbol of advancing control. The storming of residual pockets near the citadel, building on the prior encirclement, saw the North Shore Regiment clear fortified outbuildings through determined bayonet charges, further eroding the German perimeter.^[9]^[2]^[4] Final resistance devolved into desperate hand-to-hand fighting within the extensive tunnel networks and concrete bunkers beneath Fort de la Crèche and the old town, where German troops, isolated and low on ammunition, engaged in brutal melee combat against Canadian infantry. The Queen's Own Rifles played a pivotal role in these clearances, methodically eliminating holdouts in the subterranean complexes using grenades and small arms after flamethrower support had neutralized surface threats.^[9]^[4] The momentum shifted decisively toward the Allies as German defenses fell into total disarray, with communications severed and morale collapsing under sustained pressure; by evening, white flags began appearing across the harbor and outlying positions, signaling the breakdown of organized resistance.^[9]^[4]

Surrender and Aftermath

German Capitulation

Following the fall of the citadel in the final assault on 22 September 1944, Generalleutnant Ferdinand Heim, commander of the German garrison at Boulogne-sur-Mer, initiated unconditional surrender around 1630 hours. The capitulation was mediated by Canadian officers, including Brigadier J.M. Rockingham of the 9th Infantry Brigade, who accepted Heim's formal surrender at Le Portel after direct communication via loudspeakers urging the Germans to yield to prevent further destruction of the port facilities.^[1]^[4] The terms of surrender required the full capitulation of all German forces in the Boulogne pocket, encompassing 9,517 troops and naval elements such as coastal batteries and vessels in the harbor, with no provisions for prisoner exchanges or conditional releases. Emphasis was placed on minimizing additional damage to the harbor infrastructure, as Allied forces had prioritized its intact capture to support logistics; however, prior German sabotage had already rendered much of the port unusable. Heim personally ordered a cease-fire to isolated units, including a battery on the harbor breakwater, ensuring the end of organized resistance.^[1]^[10] In the handover process, German troops laid down their arms and assembled as prisoners under Canadian supervision, with white flags raised over key positions like Le Portel. Canadian engineers immediately commenced mine clearance and obstacle removal in the harbor and surrounding areas to facilitate eventual Allied use, though systematic repairs delayed full reopening until 12 October. The capitulation symbolized the end of four years of German occupation, as civilians emerged from hiding to welcome the Canadian liberators with expressions of relief and gratitude for restoring freedom to the city.^[1]^[3]

Casualties and Strategic Outcomes

The Canadian 3rd Infantry Division suffered 634 casualties (killed, wounded, and missing) during Operation Wellhit.^[9] German losses were significantly higher, with around 500 killed or wounded and 9,517 captured, including 250 officers and wounded personnel.^[1]^[11] Tactically, the operation exacted a high toll due to Boulogne's formidable fortifications, including concrete strongpoints and elevated defenses, yet it concluded in six days from 17 to 22 September 1944.^[4] The integration of specialized armor—such as flail tanks for mine clearance, Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers (AVREs) for breaching, and flame-throwing Churchill Crocodiles—proved crucial in minimizing direct infantry assaults and exposure to defensive fire.^[4] Strategically, the capture enabled repairs to Boulogne's harbor, rendering it partially operational by 12 October 1944 and bolstering Allied supply lines strained by overextended advances.^[4] This outcome facilitated the broader Northwest Europe campaign by securing the Channel coast, thereby supporting the clearance of the Scheldt Estuary and the push toward the Rhine River.^[9] The battle reinforced the value of combined arms tactics, where coordinated infantry, armor, artillery, and air support overwhelmed entrenched defenders despite challenging terrain.^[4] In comparison to Operation Astonia at Le Havre, Wellhit demonstrated more measured planning and reduced collateral damage, though both highlighted the efficacy of heavy preliminary bombardments in port assaults.^[4]

Post-Liberation Developments

Following the capture of Boulogne-sur-Mer on 22 September 1944, Canadian Civil Affairs detachments coordinated the return of approximately 8,000 civilians who had been evacuated from the city in the days prior to Operation Wellhit, providing initial support for food distribution and medical aid amid widespread devastation from aerial bombings and artillery fire.^[1] The urban center suffered extensive damage, with much of the infrastructure reduced to rubble due to the intense pre-assault bombardments by RAF Bomber Command and subsequent ground fighting.^[2] Relief operations were managed primarily by Canadian military units, supplemented by international organizations including the Red Cross, which assisted in addressing immediate humanitarian needs such as shelter and sanitation for the displaced population.^[12] Rehabilitation of the port facilities began immediately after the German surrender, focusing on removing demolitions, sunken vessels, and obstructions placed by the retreating garrison under Lieutenant-General Ferdinand Heim.^[3] Allied engineers from No. 2 Port Construction and Repair Group cleared debris and neutralized hazards, enabling partial operations by 12 October 1944, when the harbor could first accommodate supply shipments.^[1] By late October, gasoline supplies were being pumped into Boulogne via the PLUTO pipeline system, underscoring the port's restored strategic value for sustaining Allied logistics along the Channel coast.^[1] The 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, having secured Boulogne, rapidly redeployed elements of its 8th and 9th Brigades to Calais for Operation Undergo, which successfully captured that port by 1 October 1944.^[7] Following this, the division shifted eastward to address the Breskens pocket during Operation Switchback in early October, contributing to the broader effort to open the Scheldt Estuary and Antwerp harbor.^[13] Participating units received the battle honour "Boulogne, 1944," recognizing their role in the liberation.^[1] In the post-war era, Boulogne's reconstruction emphasized rapid economic recovery, with the harbor—France's primary fishing port—rebuilt through French government initiatives supported by banking institutions like the Banque de Paris et des Pays-Bas.^[6] Modernization efforts in the 1950s further expanded port capacity, transforming the site into a key commercial hub while preserving elements of its wartime history through commemorative plaques and annual veteran events tied to broader Remembrance Day observances.^[14]