St. Anthony's Church

The Roman Catholic church on Burgemeester de Raadtsingel with the parsonage next to it. Ensign Metz of the Machine Gun Company of the 2nd Battalion of the 1st Bicycle Infantry Regiment (MC-II-1 R.W.) entered the church on May 12, 1940, after reportedly observing light signals. It was suspected that Germans were inside the church, prompting Ensign Metz to climb the tower. There are different accounts of this incident. One of them suggests that the Ensign engaged in combat with a German in the tower, while another report claims he was shot off the roof and the church tower was subsequently targeted by a piece of Anti-Tank Gun (PAG) positioned on the Singel street. It appears likely that Ensign Metz was killed by friendly fire because the Germans failed to reach the church on the 12th of May. The church and the parsonage caught fire due to this Dutch fire and were completely destroyed. Ensign Metz’s body was found next to the church. Both buildings were reconstructed after the battles in May 1940 and still stand today.