The Cherbourg raid took place from 7 to 16 August 1758 during the Seven Years' War, when a British force was landed on the coast of France by the Royal Navy to attack the town of Cherbourg as part of the British government's policy of "descents" on the French coast. Coming ashore west of the town, near Urville-Nacqueville, on 7 August, the British brushed aside the local defences, entered Cherbourg on 8 August, and spent about a week destroying the harbour works and fortifications, sacking the town and the surrounding parishes, before re-embarking without serious interference on 16 August. The raid caused heavy material loss to the town but had little effect on the wider war; the policy of descents was abandoned after the British disaster at the Battle of Saint Cast a month later.
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