page_title: XIX Army Corps
section_title: 14 May 1940
hierarchical_section_title: XIX Army Corps / Operational history / Western campaign / 14 May 1940
caption_attribution_description: For documentary purposes the German Federal Archive often retained the original image captions, which may be erroneous, biased, obsolete or politically extreme. M108/9 14.5.1940 1. Panzer Reg. geht auf Pontonbrücke in Floing über die Maas, bei Sedan [Heeresfilmstelle Spandau-Ruhleben] English: "M108/9 14 May 1940 1st Panzer Regiment crosses pontoon bridge over the Meuse at Floing, near Sedan [Army film office, Spandau-Ruhleben]" Information added by Wikimedia users.English: "Floing, France.- Crossing the Meuse on a pontoon bridge by members of the 1st Panzer Regiment and French prisoners of war; ambulance Panzer behind"
context_page_description: The XIX Army Corps was an armored corps of the German Wehrmacht between 1 July 1939 and 16 November 1940, when the unit was renamed Panzer Group 2 and later 2nd Panzer Army. It took part in the Invasion of Poland and the Battle of France.
  It was formed in Vienna on 1 July 1939, the same day as the 2nd Panzer Division, but was not assigned to any single military district. Commanded by General der Panzertruppe Heinz Guderian, it was stationed in Pomerania prior to taking part in the invasion of Poland. It was officially tasked with constructing fortifications in preparation for an attack from Polish forces, though in fact German preparations for the invasion were already well advanced. Subordinated within Army Group North and supplemented by the 3rd Panzer, 2nd Infantry, and 20th Infantry Divisions, XIX Army Corps was tasked to strike southwards towards the Vistula river and thereby prevent any eastwards retreat of Polish troops to its west. Operations began on 1 September 1939, beginning World War II in Europe.
context_section_description: On the 14th, the bulk of the heavy detachments of XIX Army Corps began crossing the Meuse river under the cover of the infantry and recon units holding the bridgeheads. 1st Panzer Division broke through to Chémery-sur-Bar in the early morning of May 14. XIX Army Corps took thousands of Allied soldiers POW in the process. Here, while holding a victory parade, 1st Panzer Division came under fire by friendly Luftwaffe pilots, who bombarded the German infantry in a friendly fire incident, causing several fatalities. When informed of a possible French counterattack with heavy tanks, Guderian accelerated the river crossing by XIX Army Corps' own tanks. 1st Panzer Division, including both 1st and 2nd Panzer Brigades, crossed near Floing and made an attack towards the Stonne heights, whereas 2nd Panzer Division crossed at Donchery.
  The French armored attack was repelled at Bulson and Chémery and Bulson fell into the hands of Großdeutschland. 1st Panzer Brigade's attack towards Stonne primarily served to cover the river crossing of 2nd Panzer Brigade that was to immediately follow 1st Panzer Brigade's own disembarkment, but the Stonne heights were very important in the grand scheme as well - they could serve as an ideal staging ground for a well-organized Allied counter-attack towards the bridgeheads and thus had to be taken by the Germans before the French could formulate a successful reaction to the river crossing. Because of the ongoing river crossings of 1st, 2nd and 10th Panzer Divisions across the Meuse river, XIX Army Corps was a high-priority target for nearby Allied air forces.
  Throughout the day, the German anti aircraft units scored 150 downed Allied aircraft. The regiment's commander, one Oberst Von Hippel, would later be awarded the Knight's Cross for the anti air unit's performance. Also on the 14th was visit by Army Group A's supreme commander, Gerd von Rundstedt, to XIX Army Corps.
  1st and 2nd Panzer Divisions were to turn to their right after crossing the river to cross the vital Ardennes Canal. As most of the French units, although in retreat, were still on the eastern bank of the canal, this would mark XIX Army Corps' total breakthrough through the French army's line. XIX Army Corps operated in tight cooperation with XLI Army Corps under the leadership of Georg-Hans Reinhardt, which had also forced its own initial Meuse crossing on 13 May. Both units reached the Ardennes Canal by evening, and 1st Panzer Division had mostly crossed it by nightfall, attacking Singly and Vendresse. 10th Panzer Division and Großdeutschland were tasked with attacking and then holding the Stonne heights. Hermann Balck also reported in a 1979 interview that after the Sedan breakthrough, a meeting between regimental and brigade commanders of 1st Panzer Brigade fell under friendly fire by Luftwaffe pilots, causing several fatalities. Balck himself was still en route to the meeting. While Balck reports that "an armored brigade commander and two regimental commanders have been killed", it is unclear what incident he refers to. At 21:00 in the evening, the corps leadership gave out Korpsbefehl Nr. 5 to determine the operations for the following day. The 2nd Panzer Division on the left was instructed to advance over Boulzicourt, the 1st Panzer Division was to capture Singly, and the 10th Panzer Division, supported by Großdeutschland, would support and defend the corps' southern flank.
caption: 14 May 1940: Parts of 1st Panzer Regiment cross a pontoon bridge over the Meuse at Floing, near Sedan. Also pictured are French prisoners of war (in Adrian helmets).
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