X Reserve Corps (German Empire)

X Reserve Corps
X. Reserve-Korps

Flag of the Staff of a Generalkommando (1871–1918)
Active 2 August 1914 - post November 1918
Country  German Empire
Type Corps
Size Approximately 38,000 (on formation)
Engagements

World War I

Battle of the Frontiers

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

Formation

X Reserve Corps was formed on the outbreak of the war in August 1914[1] as part of the mobilisation of the Army. It was initially commanded by General der Infanterie Günther Graf von Kirchbach, formerly President of the Military Tribunal.[2] It was still in existence at the end of the war[3] in the 4th Army, Heeresgruppe Kronprinz Rupprecht on the Western Front.[4]

Structure on formation

On formation in August 1914, X Reserve Corps consisted of two divisions, made up of reserve units. In general, Reserve Corps and Reserve Divisions were weaker than their active counterparts

Reserve Infantry Regiments did not always have three battalions nor necessarily contain a machine gun company[5]
Reserve Jäger Battalions did not have a machine gun company on formation[6]
Reserve Cavalry Regiments consisted of just three squadrons[7]
Reserve Field Artillery Regiments usually consisted of two abteilungen of three batteries each[8]
Corps Troops generally consisted of a Telephone Detachment and four sections of munition columns and trains [9]

In summary, X Reserve Corps mobilised with 25 infantry battalions, 9 machine gun companies (54 machine guns), 6 cavalry squadrons, 12 field artillery batteries (72 guns) and 3 pioneer companies.

Despite its name, 2nd Guards Reserve Division was not formed by units drawn predominantly from the Guards Corps[10] but from II Corps District[11] (divisional cavalry), VII Corps District[12] (26th Reserve Infantry Brigade) and X Corps District[13] (38th Reserve Infantry Brigade, field artillery regiment and pioneers).

Corps Division Brigade Units
X Reserve Corps[14] 2nd Guards Reserve Division 26th Reserve Infantry Brigade 15th Reserve Infantry Regiment[15]
55th Reserve Infantry Regiment[16]
38th Reserve Infantry Brigade 77th Reserve Infantry Regiment[17]
91st Reserve Infantry Regiment[18]
10th Reserve Jäger Battalion[19]
2nd Reserve Uhlan Regiment
20th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
4th Company, 10th Pioneer Battalion
2nd Guards Reserve Divisional Pontoon Train
2nd Guards Reserve Medical Company
19th Reserve Division 37th Reserve Infantry Brigade 73rd Reserve Infantry Regiment
78th Reserve Infantry Regiment
39th Reserve Infantry Brigade 74th Reserve Infantry Regiment
92nd Reserve Infantry Regiment
III Battalion, 79th Reserve Infantry Regiment[20]
6th Reserve Dragoon Regiment
19th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
1st Reserve Company, 10th Pioneer Battalion
2nd Reserve Company, 10th Pioneer Battalion
19th Reserve Divisional Pontoon Train
10th Reserve Medical Company
Corps Troops 10th Reserve Telephone Detachment
Munition Trains and Columns corresponding to the
III Reserve Corps

Combat chronicle

On mobilisation, X Reserve Corps was assigned to the 2nd Army as part of the right wing of the forces that invaded France and Belgium as part of the Schlieffen Plan offensive in August 1914.

Commanders

X Reserve Corps had the following commanders during its existence:[21][22]

From Rank Name
2 August 1914 General der Infanterie Günther Graf von Kirchbach
30 August 1914 General der Infanterie Johannes von Eben[23]
11 June 1915 Generalleutnant Robert Kosch[24]
18 August 1916 General der Infanterie
28 August 1916 Generalleutnant Georg Fuchs
15 October 1916 General der Infanterie Magnus von Eberhardt
6 August 1918 Generalleutnant Arthur von Gabain

See also

References

  1. ↑ Cron 2002, p. 86
  2. ↑ The Prussian Machine Accessed: 2 March 2012
  3. ↑ Cron 2002, pp. 88–89
  4. ↑ Ellis & Cox 1993, pp. 186–187
  5. ↑ Cron 2002, p. 111 About a third of Reserve Infantry Regiments formed in August 1914 lacked a machine gun company
  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 Most active cavalry regiments had four squadrons, some were raised to six squadrons
  8. ↑ Cron 2002, p. 134 Active Divisions had a Field Artillery Brigade of two regiments
  9. ↑ Cron 2002, p. 86 Active Corps Troops included a battalion of heavy howitzers (Foot Artillery), an Aviation Detachment, a Telephone Detachment, a Corps Pontoon Train, a searchlight section, 2 munition column sections, one Foot Artillery munitions column section and two Train sections
  10. ↑ War Office 1918, p. 4
  11. ↑ War Office 1918, p. 241
  12. ↑ War Office 1918, p. 246
  13. ↑ War Office 1918, p. 249
  14. ↑ Cron 2002, p. 308
  15. ↑ Busche 1998, p. 14 Raised in Minden (HQ and I Battalion), Bielefeld (II) and Detmold (III)
  16. ↑ Busche 1998, p. 22 Just two Battalions. Raised in Soest (HQ and I Battalion) and Paderborn (II)
  17. ↑ Busche 1998, p. 27 Raised in Hildesheim (HQ, I and III Battalions) and Hamelin (II)
  18. ↑ Busche 1998, p. 30 Raised in Göttingen (HQ, I and II Battalions) and Hamelin (III)
  19. ↑ Busche 1998, p. 98 Raised in Goslar
  20. ↑ With a machine gun company. HQ, I and II Battalions of 79th Reserve Infantry Regiment was on Borkum.
  21. ↑ "German War History". Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  22. ↑ "Armee-Reserve-Korps". The Prussian Machine. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  23. ↑ Promoted to General der Infanterie on the same date. "Johannes von Eben". The Prussian Machine. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  24. ↑ Promoted. "Robert Kosch". The Prussian Machine. Retrieved 22 December 2012.

Bibliography

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