Of all the campaign maps I have seen published by individual units, corps, or armies, this map of the European Theater by the 228th Field Artillery Group is one of the most visually engaging. It sheds the seriousness exhibited by other operational maps for a lighthearted caricature of operations through France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. The route of the unit is shown in red, and in the negative space are numerous illustrated references to components of the campaign that would have been of particular interest to the artilleryman. The dense and troublesome bocage (hedgerows) can be seen in the French countryside while spotting planes fly overhead and direct the guns below. Local drinks, Cidre and Calvados, are shown adjacent to a peaceful orchard, which may have been a memorable spot for a brief rest by the group. Outside of Paris, a Free French soldier can be seen running a Nazi out of the city with a shotgun, while a nearby mademoiselle offers a smoke. As the route nears Germany, the smashed-up Siegfried Line appears to offer little in the way of defense against the onslaught of artillery. Nazi territory is shown in grey, with an hourglass as a potent metaphor that time has run out for Hitler. The continued existence of the Wehrmacht, the depiction of the front lines, and the question mark after 45 in the title suggest this map was drawn and published before V-E Day, somewhat unusual among unit history maps. From a press photo of an earlier version (not included), the name of the original author can be determined - Corporal L.E. Fox. The 228th Field Artillery Group was comprised of the 9 battalions listed at the top of the map, adjacent to illustrations of their respective guns. The group operated as part of XIX Corps and the First and Fourth United States Armies and was commanded by Colonel John Hinton; each is given credit adjacent to the title cartouche. The map is scarce on the market and listed only once in WorldCat, at Texas A&M University. One further example has been identified at the Amelia Island Museum of History. OCLC# 1366107252. Sheet Width (in) 28.75 Sheet Height (in) 21.9 Condition Description Moderate creasing and wear along old fold lines and along the outer edges of the sheet. A few spots and ink stains visible in the margins, most evident in the upper left. A handful of small stains, about the size of a nickel, seen in the image. Good condition overall. Blank on verso.
