Grande-Synthe

The canton of Grande-Synthe is an administrative division of the Nord department, northern France. Its borders were modified at the French canton reorganisation which came into effect in March 2015. Its seat is in Grande-Synthe. It consists of the following communes:

Grande-Synthe is a railway station in Grande-Synthe, Hauts-de-France, France.

Fort-Mardyck (French pronunciation: [fɔʁ maʁdik]; Dutch: Fort-Mardijk; West Flemish: Fort-Mardyk) is a former commune in the Nord department in northern France. It has been part of the commune of Dunkirk since 9 December 2010. In 2019 it had 3,403 inhabitants.

Petite-Synthe (French pronunciation: [pətit sɛ̃t]; West Flemish: Klein-Sinten) is a former commune of the Nord département in northern France. The commune of Saint-Pol-sur-Mer was created in 1877, by its territory being detached from Petite-Synthe. In 1971 the commune of Dunkerque absorbed Petite-Synthe and Rosendaël. In 1980, a large part of Petite-Synthe was detached from Dunkerque and merged into Grande-Synthe.

Saint-Pol-sur-Mer (French pronunciation: [sɛ̃ pɔl syʁ mɛʁ], literally Saint-Pol on Sea; West Flemish: Sint-Pols; Picard: Saint-Po-dsu-Mér) is a former commune in the Nord department in northern France. Since 9 December 2010, it is part of the commune of Dunkirk. In 2019 it had 20,250 inhabitants. It is the second-largest suburb of the city of Dunkirk, and is almost encircled by it.

Spycker (French: [spikɛʁ]; Dutch: Spijker [ˈspɛikər]; West Flemish: Spyker) is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.

Mardyck (Dutch: Mardijk, West Flemish: Mardyk) is a former commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is an associated commune with Dunkirk since it joined the latter in January 1980.

Brouckerque (French pronunciation: [bʁukɛʁk]; from Dutch: Broekkerke meaning "marsh church") is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.

Armbouts-Cappel (French pronunciation: [aʁmbuts kapɛl]; from Dutch: Armboutskappel) is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is 7 kilometers south of the centre of Dunkirk.

Cappelle-la-Grande (French pronunciation: [kapɛl la ɡʁɑ̃d]; Dutch: Kapelle) is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is very close to Dunkirk.

The raid on Dunkirk was an attack by a British Royal Navy force on the well-defended French anchorage of Dunkirk in the English Channel on 7 July 1800 during the War of the Second Coalition. French Navy forces had been blockaded in their harbours during the conflict, and often the only method of attacking them was through fireships or "cutting-out" expeditions, in which boats would carry boarding parties into the harbour at night, seize ships at anchor and bring them out. The attack on Dunkirk was a combination of both of these types of operation, aimed at a powerful French frigate squadron at anchor in Dunkirk harbour. The assault made use of a variety of experimental weaponry, some of which was tested in combat for the first time with mixed success. Although assault by the heavily armed sloop HMS Dart proved successful, the fireships achieved little and various other British craft involved in the operation had little effect on the eventual outcome. The French response was disorganised and ineffectual, losing one frigate captured. Three others were almost destroyed, only escaping by cutting their anchor cables and fleeing into the coastal shoals where they ran aground. Although all three frigates were refloated and returned to service, the operation had cost the French heavy casualties. The British force suffered minimal losses, although the exact totals are uncertain. Many of the British officers involved were highly praised and rewarded with promotions and prize money.

The arrondissement of Dunkirk (French: Dunkerque, Dutch: Duinkerke) is an arrondissement of France in the Nord department in the Hauts-de-France region. It has 111 communes. Its population is 372,180 (2020), and its area is 1,442.7 km2 (557.0 sq mi). It roughly corresponds to the French Westhoek (part of French Flanders), where traditionally French Flemish is spoken.