XXXX Reserve Corps

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

XXXX Reserve Corps
XXXX. Reserve-Korps
Flag of the Staff of a Generalkommando (1871–1918)
ActiveDecember 1914 - posts November 1918
Country German Empire
TypeCorps
SizeApproximately 26,000 (on formation)
EngagementsWorld War I

Formation

XXXX Reserve Corps was formed in December 1914.[1] It was part of the second wave of new Corps formed in the early stages of World War I consisting of XXXVIII - XXXXI[2] Reserve Corps of 75th - 82nd Reserve Divisions (plus 8th Bavarian Reserve Division). The personnel was predominantly made up of kriegsfreiwillige (wartime volunteers) who did not wait to be called up.[3] It was still in existence at the end of the war[4] in the 6th Army, Heeresgruppe Kronprinz Rupprecht on the Western Front.[5]

Structure on formation

On formation in December 1914, XXXX Reserve Corps consisted of two divisions.[6] but was weaker than an Active Corps

  • the divisions were organised as triangular rather than square divisions with three infantry regiments rather than four, but had a brigade of two field artillery regiments
  • Reserve Infantry Regiments consisted of three battalions but lacked a machine gun company[7]
  • Reserve Cavalry Detachments were much smaller than the Reserve Cavalry Regiments formed on mobilisation[8]
  • Reserve Field Artillery Regiments consisted of two abteilungen (1 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)[9]

In summary, XXXX Reserve Corps mobilised with 18 infantry battalions, 2 cavalry detachments, 24 field artillery batteries (96 guns), 2 cyclist companies and 2 pioneer companies.

Corps Division Brigade Units
XXXX Reserve Corps 79th Reserve Division[10] 79th Reserve Infantry Brigade 261st Reserve Infantry Regiment
262nd Reserve Infantry Regiment
263rd Reserve Infantry Regiment
79th Reserve Field Artillery Brigade 63rd Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
64th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
79th Reserve Cavalry Detachment
79th Reserve Cyclist Company
79th Reserve Pioneer Company
80th Reserve Division[11] 80th Reserve Infantry Brigade 264th Reserve Infantry Regiment
265th Reserve Infantry Regiment
266th Reserve Infantry Regiment
80th Reserve Field Artillery Brigade 65th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
66th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
80th Reserve Cavalry Detachment
80th Reserve Cyclist Company
80th Reserve Pioneer Company

Commanders

XXXX Reserve Corps had the following commanders during its existence:[12][13]

FromRankName
24 December 1914General der InfanterieKarl Litzmann
6 August 1918GeneralleutnantPaul Grünert

See also

References
  1. Cron 2002, p. 87
  2. In German military nomenclature, "40" was rendered as "XXXX" in Roman numerals rather than the more conventional "XL".
  3. Cron 2002, p. 97
  4. Cron 2002, pp. 88–89
  5. Ellis & Cox 1993, pp. 186–187
  6. AEF GHQ 1920, pp. 538, 542
  7. Busche 1998, pp. 118–119
  8. Cron 2002, p. 128 Reserve Cavalry Regiments consisted of three squadrons
  9. Cron 2002, p. 136
  10. AEF GHQ 1920, p. 537
  11. AEF GHQ 1920, p. 541
  12. "German War History". Retrieved 23 December 2012.
  13. "Armee-Reserve-Korps". The Prussian Machine. Archived from the original on 11 April 2012. Retrieved 23 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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