The Need for Organisational Resilience Chapter 5

more challenging, cumbersome and slow. Hence, the bridgeheads on the west bank of the

Meuse remained vulnerable for some time. Their opposition was formidable. X Corps (French 2 nd Army under Huntzinger) was

made available to counterattack along the Chéhéry–Bulson–Haraucourt axis (10-12km south

of Sedan), to strike at the Meuse bridgeheads. Their preparation to thrust the Germans back across the Meuse took shape on morning of May 13 th , roughly 24 hours before the Germans

managed to get their first units to the opposite side of the Meuse. Despite that, valuable time

was wasted. Delays in bringing up X Corps, hesitation and procrastination took its toll. A

clear picture of unfolding events was hampered by refugees and units flooding back from the

Meuse front. A striking example of how obscure levels of hierarchy and depth of

communication constrained the ability respond quickly, refers to the mobilisation of

counterattacks by the French 55th division (Lafontaine):

May 13 th , 19:00 hours: Telephone discussion between Grandsard and Lafontaine

about attachment of additional infantry and tanks for a counterattack.

19:30 hours: Telephone discussion between Grandsard and Lafontaine about moving command post of 55 th Division.

After 19:30 hours: Movement of 55 th ’s command post. Lafontaine meets Labarthe in

Chemery.

After 19:30 hours: Lieutenant Colonel Cachou, who was the deputy Chief of Staff of

the Xth Corps, meets Labarthe in Chémery. Approves Labarthe’s decision not to move

north.

After 19:30 hours: Cachou meets Lafontaine east of Chémery. Informs him of

Labarthe’s decision.

After 19:30 hours: Lafontaine calls Grandsard to discuss counterattack.

22:00-23:00 hours: Lafontaine definitely learns of the 205 th Regiment and 4 th Tank Battalion’s being attached to 55 th Division.

24:00 hours: Lafontaine departs for Xth Corps command post.

01:30 hours: Chaligne learns that counterattack would consist of two infantry

regiments and two tank battalions.

03:00 hours: Lafontaine returns to Chémery without having reached Xth Corps.

04:15 hours: Lafontaine issues order for counterattack (Doughty 1990, 260)

It takes the French a staggering 9 hours to mobilise a counterattack. By then, the

situation on the ground had already changed considerably. Along the Meuse, some German

13 | P a g e