Operation Aquatint was the codename for a failed raid by British Commandos on the coast of occupied France during the Second World War.

Prior to the operation, a raid on the French coastal town of Dieppe had placed the German occupying forces on a high state of alert, and this ultimately contributed to Aquatint's failure.

Within minutes of landing, the raiding party was ambushed by a German patrol and forced to try to reach their Motor Torpedo Boat (MTB) transport.

[3] Aquatint was planned for a night in mid September 1942 as a reconnaissance mission near Sainte-Honorine-des-Pertes, a small coastal town near Port en Bessin in Normandy.

[8] His second in command, Captain Geoffrey Appleyard, would remain on board the MTB due to an injury acquired on a previous mission.

The other men on the raid were Captain Graham Hayes, Captain John Burton, Captain Lord Francis Howard, Lieutenant Anthony Hall, Company Sergeant Major Thomas Winter, Sergeant Allen Michael Williams, Private Jan Hollings (Jan Hellings) from the Netherlands, Private Adam Orr (Abraham Opoczynski) a refugee Jewish Commando from Poland, Private Richard Leonard (Richard Lehniger) a refugee Jewish Sudeten German from Czechoslovakia, and Maître Andre Desgranges of the Free French Forces.

The Organization Todt had now started to reinforce gun emplacements with infantry strong points along the French coastline.

The area of Normandy targeted by Operation Aquatint had yet to receive any concrete gun emplacements but there was a network of coastal artillery batteries able to provide interlocking arcs of fire.

Observing the coastline, in the dark they incorrectly identified a valley which they believed was St Honorine, but was actually Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, about one mile to the right of their intended target.

Captain Lord Howard guarded the boat while the rest of the SSRF checked the area to ensure it was safe and they had not been observed landing.

[11] The men in the Goatley boat had managed to get about 100 yards (91 m) out to sea when it was located and engaged by three machine gun posts above the beach.

[13] Of the 11 men who went ashore, three were killed: Major March-Phillips, Sergeant Williams, and Private Leonard;[16][17][18][19] four were captured (the seriously wounded pair Captain Lord Howard and Lieutenant Hall, with Winter and Desgranges); and four others had escaped.

[20][21] Later on 13 September 1942 Captain Lord Howard and Lieutenant Hall were hospitalised because of their injuries, while Winter and Desgranges were taken to Caen for interrogation.

[13] At the time, the Germans were unaware that four commandos—Captain Burton, Privates Hollings and Orr, and Captain Hayes—had managed to evade capture and made it off the beach.

[20] Winter and a Special Air Service officer escaped from the camp in April 1945, disguised as French soldiers.

Desgranges was also able to escape from captivity, travelling via Spain to Britain, where he joined the Special Operations Executive (SOE).

[23] The persons believed responsible for Hayes' betrayal were never punished, as they convinced the authorities they were acting as double agents.