Metz 1944: One More River

by Anthony Kemp

French Text

The author concentrates on the Battle of Metz which was to be decisive for the operations in Lorraine which followed.

The history of the battle is told step by step, constructed from the testimony of numerous veterans giving a unique first hand account of the fighting by the men who were on the ground

Photos taken at the time are juxtaposed with photos taken at the present day and accompanied by documents and artifacts from the veterans themselves.

This is a huge book, in the typical Heimdal fashion, packed with hundreds of photos, maps and graphics. It will be the ultimate book on this important battle

This memorial to the Battle of Metz is a prequel to the earlier publication in 1984 by Heimdal, Memorial Lorraine.

400 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2003

Reviews

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on daily action reports, this book chronicles the challenges Allied Forces experienced trying to break through the German defenses at Metz. The battle lasted longer expected, due in part to supply chain logistics issues that plagued the Allied advance, as well as the Germans mastery of defensiveness engagement.

Better battlefield maps would have helped the reader follow various aspects of the siege on Metz. But the shortage of maps was offset by a large photo collection - significantly more than provided in other books.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

For anyone who is interested in the Third Army, Fifth Division, it's hard to find a more detailed account including pictures, dates, and places. This book is especially helpful to understand what happened at Fort Driant and in the taking of the city of Metz (I was interested because my father was there).