XXII Reserve Corps

The XXII Reserve Corps (German: XXII. Reserve-Korps / XXII RK) was a corps level command of the German Army in World War I.

XXII Reserve Corps
XXII. Reserve-Korps
Flag of the Staff of a Generalkommando (1871–1918)
ActiveOctober 1914 - post November 1918
Country German Empire
TypeCorps
SizeApproximately 32,000 (on formation)
EngagementsWorld War I
Western Front
First Battle of Ypres
Insignia
AbbreviationXXII RK

Formation

XXII Reserve Corps was formed in October 1914.[1] It was part of the first wave of new Corps formed at the outset of World War I consisting of XXII - XXVII Reserve Corps of 43rd - 54th Reserve Divisions (plus 6th Bavarian Reserve Division). The personnel was predominantly made up of kriegsfreiwillige (wartime volunteers) who did not wait to be called up.[2] It was still in existence at the end of the war.[3]

Structure on formation

On formation in October 1914, XXII Reserve Corps consisted of two divisions[4] but was weaker than an Active Corps

  • Reserve Infantry Regiments consisted of three battalions but only had a machine gun platoon (of 2 machine guns) rather than a machine gun company (of 6 machine guns)[5]
  • Reserve Jäger Battalions did not have a machine gun company on formation, though some were provided with a machine gun platoon[6]
  • Reserve Cavalry Detachments were much smaller than the Reserve Cavalry Regiments formed on mobilisation[7]
  • Reserve Field Artillery Regiments consisted of three abteilungen (2 gun and 1 howitzer) of three batteries each, but each battery had just 4 guns (rather than 6 of the Active and the Reserve Regiments formed on mobilisation)[8]

In summary, XXII Reserve Corps mobilised with 26 infantry battalions, 10 machine gun platoons (20 machine guns), 2 cavalry detachments, 18 field artillery batteries (72 guns) and 2 pioneer companies.

Corps Division Brigade Units
XXII Reserve Corps 43rd Reserve Division[9] 85th Reserve Infantry Brigade 201st Reserve Infantry Regiment
202nd Reserve Infantry Regiment
86th Reserve Infantry Brigade 203rd Reserve Infantry Regiment
204th Reserve Infantry Regiment
15th Reserve Jäger Battalion[10]
43rd Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
43rd Reserve Cavalry Detachment
43rd Reserve Pioneer Company
44th Reserve Division[11] 87th Reserve Infantry Brigade 205th Reserve Infantry Regiment
206th Reserve Infantry Regiment
88th Reserve Infantry Brigade 207th Reserve Infantry Regiment
208th Reserve Infantry Regiment
16th Reserve Jäger Battalion[12]
44th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
44th Reserve Cavalry Detachment
44th Reserve Pioneer Company

Combat chronicle

Commanders

XXII Reserve Corps was commanded throughout its existence by General der Kavallerie Eugen von Falkenhayn ,[13][14] Prussian War Minister Erich von Falkenhayn's older brother.[15]

See also

References
  1. Cron 2002, p. 87
  2. Cron 2002, p. 97
  3. Cron 2002, pp. 88–89
  4. AEF GHQ 1920, pp. 455, 459
  5. Busche 1998, pp. 100–102
  6. Cron 2002, p. 116 Active Jäger Battalions had a machine gun company with the exceptions of the 1st and 2nd Bavarian Jäger Battalions
  7. Cron 2002, p. 128 Reserve Cavalry Regiments consisted of three squadrons
  8. Cron 2002, p. 136
  9. AEF GHQ 1920, p. 454
  10. Busche 1998, p. 132 With a machine gun platoon
  11. AEF GHQ 1920, p. 458
  12. Busche 1998, p. 132 With a machine gun platoon
  13. "German War History". Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  14. "Armee-Reserve-Korps". The Prussian Machine. Archived from the original on April 11, 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  15. "Eugen von Falkenhayn". The Prussian Machine. Archived from the original on July 29, 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2012.

Bibliography
  • Cron, Hermann (2002). Imperial German Army 1914-18: Organisation, Structure, Orders-of-Battle [first published: 1937]. Helion & Co. ISBN 1-874622-70-1.
  • Ellis, John; Cox, Michael (1993). The World War I Databook. Aurum Press Ltd. ISBN 1-85410-766-6.
  • Busche, Hartwig (1998). Formationsgeschichte der Deutschen Infanterie im Ersten Weltkrieg (1914 bis 1918) (in German). Institut für Preußische Historiographie.
  • Histories of Two Hundred and Fifty-One Divisions of the German Army which Participated in the War (1914-1918), compiled from records of Intelligence section of the General Staff, American Expeditionary Forces, at General Headquarters, Chaumont, France 1919. The London Stamp Exchange Ltd (1989). 1920. ISBN 0-948130-87-3.
  • The German Forces in the Field; 7th Revision, 11th November 1918; Compiled by the General Staff, War Office. Imperial War Museum, London and The Battery Press, Inc (1995). 1918. ISBN 1-870423-95-X.
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