Rochefort Expedition, 1757

The raid on Rochefort (also known as the descent on Rochefort) was a failed British amphibious assault which attempted to capture the French port of Rochefort in September 1757 during the Seven Years' War. The raid pioneered a new tactic of "descents" on the French coast, championed by William Pitt who had taken office a few months earlier. After a number of delays the expedition reached the French coast, capturing the offshore island of Île d'Aix. With the army commander Sir John Mordaunt refusing to attempt a landing, the British force sailed for home. The raid ended in failure, but it was followed by several similar operations in the subsequent years.