Sedan Military History:

Sedan is a town steeped in military history:

13 May 1940 - Panzrgruppe Von Kleist consisting of 1st, 2nd and 10th Panzer divisions and Infantry Regiment Gross Deutsheland, force a crossing at Sedan - after the largest aerial bombardment so far in history. Relatively small groups of German infantry successfully break through the French positions and reach the commanding position of the Marfe wood. The following day French and RAF aircraft unsuccessfully attempt to destroy the German pontoon bridges, with staggering Allied losses. The subsequent German breakout succeeds in cutting the Anglo-French armies in two, which eventually culminates in the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force at Dunkirk.

10 November 1918 - The last attack of WWI is launched by the French across the Meuse - 5km from Sedan.

August 1914 - A German attack succeeds in crossing the Meuse at Sedan and reaches the commanding position of the Marfe woods. A French counter-attack fails to push the Germans back across the Meuse and the Germans progress southwards.

September 1870 - The French Army is encircled and pushed back to the Chateau of Sedan. This leads to the surrender of the French Army, the subsequent siege of Paris, and the eventual fall of the second Republic.

1641 - Sedan is an independent principality. A French army of 10,000 men arrives at the ‘heights’ above Sedan. It is defeated by the much smaller Sedanais army. A year later the principality of Sedan has accept the inevitability of joining France.

1536 - Sedan Chateau is extended with the addition of bastions.

1424 - Construction of the Sedan Chateau begins.

The U.S. Memorial -

Situated near Sedan, the memorial marks the furthest point of the American advance in World War One after the horror of Verdun reached it’s limit near Sedan.

Les Braves -

One of several memorials commemorating the last cavalry charge on French soil. In 1870 the French North African Cavalry tried to charge through the Prussian lines - suffering tragic losses.

Website - including all content - © Richard Tucker 2009