in the evening of 12 may, 1st and 10th panzer were ready at the northern bank of the meuse river and had taken the part of sedan north of the river "(see also battle of sedan)". the french defenses in the area had been weak prior to the invasion: the maginot line ended some 20 kilometers to the east of sedan at fort no. 505 at la ferté and only the french 55th infantry division was assigned to this sector.