The Battle of Donchery was fought on 13 May 1940 when the German 2nd Panzer Division, taking part in the Axis drive on Sedan, pushed the French across the Meuse at Donchery.
On 13 May 1940, Heinz Guderian ordered the 2nd Panzer Division to attack Sedan from the right flank; it was to cross the Msues at Donchery and break through the French positions. Meanwhile, the 1st Panzer Division and the Infantry Regiment Grossdeutschland were sent to make the main attack by crossing the Meuse just north of Sedan and seizing the heights of La Marfee overlooking the city. In total, Guderian could muster 60,000 men, 22,000 vehicles, 771 tanks, and 141 artillery pieces for his offensive, supported by 1,470 aircraft.
In the early hours of 13 May, the 2nd Panzer Division crossed at Donchery, attacking the French bunker positions. However, the 2nd Panzer arrived late due to a delay in passing through the Ardennes, and the French 102nd Fortress Division thus received advance knowledge of the impending German attack. Several panzers were knocked out by French artillery, but a rifle regiment of the 1st Panzer Division crossed the boundary into 2nd Panzer's territory and knocked out several bunkers on their eastern flank before cutting the Donchery-Sedan road. German flamethrower units cleared out French bunkers as assault engineers and the 1st Panzer Division neutralized the guns at Bellevue Castle, ending the artillery attacks on the 2nd Panzer Division's eastern flank. At 10:40 PM, the Germans began regular ferrying missions to reinforce their bridgehead and push on Sedan.