Great book. Written by the wartime Mayor of St. Mere Eglise, it gives his perspective of the D-Day invasions and the liberation of his town. Beautifully and eloquently written. First published in 1945, one of the very first books written on the events of June 6, 1944. Highly recommend it.
Updated review: Sainte Mere Eglise: First American Bridgehead in France June 6 1944 by Alexandre Renaud, wartime Mayor of St. Mere Eglise. This book was presented to my family by M. Renaud's son Maurice Renaud, so how could I not help love it. But putting bias beside, it is a beautifully written book recounting the D-Day invasion as the French people of St. Mere Eglise saw it. There are some inaccuracies because the book was published in 1945 on the year anniversary, but those are negligible when you consider the point of view it is coming from. M. Renaud, a veteran of WWI, writes with almost a poetic style that brings a great deal of the book into reality. For anyone interested in D-Day I would highly recommend reading this book, if anything for the historical sake of it. The Renuads of Normandy did so much for our troops during the war, and the following years, and they continue to do so to this day. The relationship the town of St. Mere Eglise has with the 82nd Airborne is a truly unique and wonderful one.