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ACTION NORTH OF METZ
While the reconnaissance in force of the Metz defense line was being made, the main force of
XX Corps had been mobilized for an all-out attack. The 7th Armored Division, on Corps order, moved
out in a night attack, and by early morning of the 7th of September, Combat Command "A" had reached
the Moselle at Mondelenge. The reconnaissance by this column found neither a bridge intact nor a
suitable site for an assault crossing. Another armored column, farther south, moved east from Conflans
and ran into heavy artillery fire and increasing infantry resistance in the vicinity of St. Marie. St. Privat
was reached during the morning of the 7th of September, but attempts to penetrate the German positions
on the high ground or the town were repulsed. It became apparent that the German garrison had built up
strong defenses in this area and near Thionville.
In an effort to cut behind the enemy opposition northwest of Metz, Combat Command "A"
pushed south towards Maizieres-les-Metz. This action and is described in the Operational Reports, XX
Corps, as follows:
"The attack on Maizieres-Les-Metz met artillery fire from three directions and bogged down
from strong resistance in the north side of town on 9 September and the forces secured their positions.
In an attempt to penetrate the German positions further west, the southern column of CCA was not able
to get beyond St. Privat. The 2nd Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division, following CCA on the
morning of 8 September attacked in the zone Amanvillers-Verneville straight east for the high ground
near Plappeville, while the armor continued to press their attack north for the same objective. On 8 and
9 September this attack made little progress against concrete fortifications defended by determined Nazi
officer candidates. A combined attack by the 2nd Infantry Regiment and an armored task force struck at
the critical Amanvilers-St. Privat area. The 1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, in spite of heavy
casualties, reached Amanvillers at 1900 hours, 9 September, after five hours of severe fighting against
artillery and infantry resistance. The armored task force advanced just beyond St. Privat, but at the cost
of 10 tank casualties. From prisoners taken during this attack XX Corps received its first detailed
information about the fortified area in its sector, which included probably the strongest fortified
positions in the Metz area.
"From 10 to 14 in September, an attempt was made to continue this attack on the northwest
defenses of Metz. CCA continued the attack to penetrate the line at Maizieres and Mirange-Silvange.
The 2nd Infantry Regiment attacked continuously in an attempt to get beyond Amanvilers and to reach
the wooded draw east of Verneville. Amanvilers changed hands many times as a result of the frantic
attacks by the Officer Candidate School personnel and a vast amount of enemy artillery fire. On the
morning of 11 September CCR, disengaged at Gravelotte and placed under the command of CCA,
struck between CCA and a 2nd Infantry Regiment in an attempt to pierce through the line of forts
barring entry into Metz. After reaching the ridge line north of Mirange-Silvange at Bromeau, CCR was
unable to advance further in the face of point-blank fire from the ridge line of the Bois-de-Feves
(Canrobert Forts), 1000 yards to the front. The battle of the northwest on the fortress ring of Metz was
pressed vigorously until 14 September, with heavy casualties of men and equipment. Fighter-bombers
and heavy artillery failed to reduce the concrete emplacements, and the Officer Candidate School troops
manning the sector counterattacked any thrust at defense positions. The attacking forces occupied
positions 1000 yards from the fortress ring, when on Corps order, the main effort was directed to the
south of Metz."
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