I Reserve Corps (German Empire)

I Reserve Corps
I. 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

Eastern Front
Gumbinnen
Tannenberg
1st Masurian Lakes

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

Formation

I 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 Generalleutnant Otto von Below.[2] It was still in existence at the end of the war[3] in the 3rd Army, Heeresgruppe Deutscher Kronprinz on the Western Front.[4]

Structure on formation

On formation in August 1914, I 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, I Reserve Corps mobilised with 26 infantry battalions, 11 machine gun companies (66 machine guns), 6 cavalry squadrons, 12 field artillery batteries (72 guns) and 2 pioneer companies. 1st Reserve Division was particularly strong in machine gun formations as the 1st, 3rd and 18th Reserve Infantry Regiments all had two machine gun companies. 36th Reserve Division was formed by units drawn from the XVII Corps District.[10] It included one active Infantry Regiment (54th).

Corps Division Brigade Units
I Reserve Corps[11] 1st Reserve Division 1st Reserve Infantry Brigade 1st Reserve Infantry Regiment[12]
3rd Reserve Infantry Regiment[13]
42nd Reserve Infantry Brigade 18th Reserve Infantry Regiment[14]
59th Reserve Infantry Regiment
1st Reserve Jäger Battalion
1st Reserve Uhlan Regiment
1st Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
4th Company, 2nd Pioneer Battalion
1st Reserve Divisional Pontoon Train
1st Reserve Medical Company
36th Reserve Division 69th Reserve Infantry Brigade 21st Reserve Infantry Regiment
61st Reserve Infantry Regiment
2nd Reserve Jäger Battalion
70th Reserve Infantry Brigade 54th Infantry Regiment
5th Reserve Infantry Regiment
1st Reserve Hussar Regiment
36th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
1st Reserve Company, 2nd Pioneer Battalion
36th Reserve Divisional Pontoon Train
15th Reserve Medical Company
Corps Troops 1st Reserve Telephone Detachment
Munition Trains and Columns corresponding to the
III Reserve Corps

Combat chronicle

On mobilisation, I Reserve Corps was assigned to the 8th Army on the Eastern Front, intended to defend East Prussia while the rest of the German Army executed the Schlieffen Plan offensive against France.

Commanders

I Reserve Corps had the following commanders during its existence:[15][16]

From Rank Name
2 August 1914 Generalleutnant Otto von Below[17]
30 August 1914 General der Infanterie
28 November 1914 Generalleutnant Kurt von Morgen[18]
24 August 1918 Generalleutnant Richard Wellmann[19]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Cron 2002, p. 86
  2. ↑ The Prussian Machine Accessed: 3 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. 72
  11. ↑ Cron 2002, pp. 324–325
  12. ↑ With two machine gun companies
  13. ↑ With two machine gun companies
  14. ↑ With two machine gun companies
  15. ↑ "German War History". Retrieved 21 December 2012.
  16. ↑ "Armee-Reserve-Korps". The Prussian Machine. Archived from the original on 20 December 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
  17. ↑ Promoted. "Otto von Below". The Prussian Machine. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
  18. ↑ Took over command of XIV Corps from Wellman. "Kurt von Morgen". The Prussian Machine. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
  19. ↑ Relinquished command of XIV Corps to von Morgen. "Richard Wellmann". The Prussian Machine. Retrieved 21 December 2012.

Bibliography

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