The big guns on the ships at sea
Fired the first salvos that helped set us free.
Just two hundred houses in this tiny French town
When the death and destruction came raining down.
Thank God not too many French people were still around
The Germans had confiscated their homes and grounds.

The first shell slammed into the commandants house
And killed German Major Wilhelm Krouse.
The cafe,the homes and the old Napoleon watch tower
All vanished in the deadly fire.
The only thing left standing was the church spire
When the shells stopped falling in about an hour.

When the German soldiers crawled out of the rubble
They could see they were in a lot of trouble.
And with no Major Krouse to set them right
They didn't know whether to run or fight.
When the smoke and haze cleared with the morning light
There were British soldiers in plain sight.

A British Captain was leading his troops into town
When from a shelled out building, sniper fire cut him down.
An unarmed medic rushed to the Captains side
Again the snipers fired,this time the medic died.
Another soldier was hit before he could hide
Too advance into this fire was plain suicide.

As the snipers continued to lay down their fire
It was seen coming from the ruined church spire.
Now the man who pulls the lanyard,or fly's the bomber at night
There is nothing personal in the way they fight.
But when a sniper looks at you in their rifle sights
They are going to make it personal by shooting out your lights.

When the soldiers brought the snipers down to the street
They were two French girls that laughed at their feat.
Their lovers were part of the occupying Hun
They were just assuring them of time to run.
A British Sergeant listened awhile,then raised his Sten gun
And shot them dead one by one.

Yes we were liberated June sixth nineteen forty four
And as I stand here in my rebuilt rectory door.
The past returns and I can still see
The British troops that came to set us free.
And the two dead girls they helped bury.
Viva La France,Father Claude,The Church of Peace at"Montigny".
~Elmer Ake~