"This book is a historical game-changer that pulls no punches."

Loopholes, Journal for the Pillbox Study Group - Number 88

"...a must for WW2 historians..."

Ordnance Society Newsletter - No.144, January 2024

In recent years there have hardly been any finds in Normandy more astonishing than those of UK author Gary Sterne. It all began when he found a map in a pocket of a US Army veteran´s uniform - a map that led him to the forgotten German Maisy Battery battlefield.

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Lars Gyllenhaal

Featured in

Fortress Study Group, September 2019

Online article: 'Out of the Shadows: Omaha Beach Revelations at Maisy Battery' as featured by

FRANCE TODAY magazine, 29th May 2019 – words by Gillian Thornton

Interview article (covering 4 pages)with Gary Sterne `Digging up the truth`

WDYTYA?,July 2019

As featured on WW2 Today

WW2 Today

The author has my unreserved admiration as it is perfectly clear just how much time and effort he has invested into this volume which completes the story of the 2nd and 5th US Army Rangers at Pointe Du Hoc.

The Armourer, May 2019

The level of detail to which Sterne goes to is quite incredible. There are literally pages and pages of documents (in their original format) with a superb collection of maps as issued for planning and photographs from training and the operation. These all help build his case and prove his points with great clarity and skill but can be wearisome to read through, especially as Sterne then refers to key sections expecting the reader to have read them.

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Army Rumour Service (ARRSE)

This book is extremely interesting and chock full of great documents! I think it is a must have for any and all WW2 D-Day ‘fans’ and researchers, no matter. Very much recommended !!!

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Flyin' and Ridin' Blog, Francois A. Dumas

For the first time ever this follow-up book now offers complete Rangers history for the seven months prior to D-Day and does so using period documents, many of which have only recently been released from TOP SECRET status in US Archives. The author fills in the gaps that many have only guessed at concerning the Rangers' real missions on D-Day, he explains why a battalion commander was removed hours before the landings, why the Rangers were not briefed on their actual D-Day missions and the extraordinary role that Lt. Col. Rudder played at Pointe du Hoc. This book is a historical game-changer that pulls no punches.

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In The Footsteps

The author has carried out extensive research during a four year period and from this epic research has produced a warts and all account of the preparation by the Rangers for their part in D-Day and the results of that preparation in attacking the assigned targets. Inevitably, this has produced many new insights
and overturned a number of previously accepted historical views. No punches have been pulled and this will become a standard work to benefit future historians, containing very detailed primary source material that has just become available after some 70 years of restriction as TOP SECRET material.

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Firetrench

This book “D-Day Cover up at Pointe du Hoc (Volume 2)” has to be reviewed with its companion volume “Allied Intelligence and the cover up at Pointe du Hoc (Volume 1)”. Both offer consuming research and evidence of what really happened at Pointe du Hoc and how that differs from the accepted history that has been promulgated for so many years. In fact the two volumes define how easy it is to allow history to become ‘lazy’ and for those of us who retell that history on the battlefields to become part of that ‘lazy’ history storytelling.
With the advantage of recent document releases by the US authorities the author has been able trace the facts and remove the myths of the assault by the US Rangers. In no way does he belittle the undoubted bravery and heroism of the soldiers who scaled the cliffs and took the position. However he demonstrates that much of the plan was formulated to neutralise German guns that were known to be absent, and the failure to focus on the more important objectives of interdiction of German counter attacks and dealing with the Maisy battery complex. In doing so the author looks critically at the leadership of 2nd Ranger Battalion and offers credible reasons why the whole plan was not delivered. Both volumes contain a staggering amount of detail backed by copies and transcripts of prime sources that really provide the foundation for the author’s conclusions.
In the text he criticises my profession for repeating the simplistic and undemanding storyline of Pointe du Hoc with all its post war desire for heroes. Armed with the depth of research in these two volumes I am henceforth very happy to put the record straight when I am in Normandy. In fact the real story that has been uncovered is actually much more interesting that which held sway before. These volumes are highly recommended.
Michael McCarthy. Battlefield Guide

Michael McCarthy