The invasion of Isle de France was a complicated but successful British amphibious operation in the Indian Ocean, launched in November 1810 during the Napoleonic Wars.

During the operation, a substantial military force was landed by the Royal Navy at Grand Baie, on the French colony of Isle de France (now Mauritius).

The operation was the culmination of two years of conflict over the island and the neighbouring Île Bourbon between frigate squadrons commanded by Josias Rowley and Jacques Hamelin.

This allowed Rowley to build his forces over the next two months until they were sufficient for a successful invasion, which was led by the recently arrived Admiral Albemarle Bertie.

By the Napoleonic Wars, millions of pounds worth of goods crossed the ocean's trade routes every year, mostly in heavily guarded convoys of East Indiamen.

[2] The British response to Hamelin's deployment was provided by Admiral Bertie, who collected a squadron of ships from those available at the Cape of Good Hope and placed them under the command of Commodore Rowley.

The ensuing Battle of Grand Port was a disaster for the British, as two frigates were wrecked on the reefs and two others captured with their entire crews: only the very seriously wounded, including Captain Nesbit Willoughby, were repatriated to Île Bourbon.

[5] With his squadron reduced to a single frigate, Rowley sent urgent messages to the British bases at Madras and Cape Town requesting reinforcements.

Unable to make the lengthy cruises needed to disrupt the Indian Ocean trade routes, they were forced to remain in harbour as Rowley was heavily reinforced during September and October 1810,[7] and eventually the senior naval officer, Captain Jean Dornal de Guy, had his four frigates, Manche, Astrée, Bellone and Minerve, moored in Port-Louis and their crew disembarked to reinforce the garrison of the town.

[11] The chosen point was at Grand Baie, on the northwestern coastline approximately 12 miles (19 km) north of the island's capital Port Napoleon.

This vanguard would storm ashore and advance rapidly towards the capital closely supported by a naval brigade and Royal Marines units, followed by the main body of the army of 5,293 soldiers.

The army's orders were to seize Port Napoleon and capture Governor Charles Decaen, action which, it was hoped, would be sufficient to force the surrender of the entire island.

On Rodriguez the invasion plans were finalised, HMS Staunch sent to reconnoitre the northern coastline of Isle de France to seek a suitable beach.

Over 500 volunteers agreed to join his army, the majority of them Irishmen, who were promised French assistance in obtaining Ireland's independence from British rule.

[14] At Grand Baie, the remainder of the invasion force were coming ashore, so that the entire army had landed by midday, although Abercromby himself elected to stay with Beaver on HMS Nisus and follow the advance from offshore.

[17] The surrender of Isle de France marked the final British operation of the campaign and the capture of the last French territory east of Africa.

Discovering that the island was in British hands, Roquebert attempted to return to France but was chased by the frigates stationed on Mauritius and captured at the action of 20 May 1811.