XVIII Reserve Corps (German Empire)

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

Formation

XVIII 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 Kuno von Steuben, formerly of the Prussian War Academy.[2] It was still in existence at the end of the war[3] in the 18th Army, Heeresgruppe Deutscher Kronprinz on the Western Front.[4]

Structure on formation

On formation in August 1914, XVIII 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, XVIII Reserve Corps mobilised with 24 infantry battalions, 5 machine gun companies (30 machine guns), 6 cavalry squadrons, 12 field artillery batteries (72 guns) and 3 pioneer companies. It included one active Infantry Regiment (168th).

Corps Division Brigade Units
XVIII Reserve Corps[10] 21st Reserve Division 41st Reserve Infantry Brigade 80th Reserve Infantry Regiment
87th Reserve Infantry Regiment[11]
42nd Reserve Infantry Brigade 81st Reserve Infantry Regiment[12]
88th Reserve Infantry Regiment
7th Reserve Dragoon Regiment
21st Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
4th Company, 11th Pioneer Battalion
21st Reserve Divisional Pontoon Train
17th Reserve Medical Company
25th Reserve Division 49th Reserve Infantry Brigade 116th Reserve Infantry Regiment
118th Reserve Infantry Regiment[13]
50th Reserve Infantry Brigade 168th Infantry Regiment
83rd Reserve Infantry Regiment
4th Reserve Dragoon Regiment
25th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
1st Reserve Company, 11th Pioneer Battalion
2nd Reserve Company, 11th Pioneer Battalion
25th Reserve Divisional Pontoon Train
18th Reserve Medical Company
Corps Troops 18th Reserve Telephone Detachment
Munition Trains and Columns corresponding to the
III Reserve Corps

Combat chronicle

On mobilisation, XVIII Reserve Corps was assigned to the 4th Army forming part of the centre of the forces for the Schlieffen Plan offensive in August 1914.

Commanders

XVIII Reserve Corps had the following commanders during its existence:[14][15]

From Rank Name
2 August 1914 Generalleutnant Kuno von Steuben[16]
19 August 1914 General der Infanterie
5 June 1917 Generalleutnant Karl von Wenninger
11 September 1917 Generalleutnant Ludwig Sieger

See also

References

  1. ↑ Cron 2002, p. 86
  2. ↑ The Prussian Machine Archived October 3, 2013, at the Wayback 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. ↑ Cron 2002, pp. 313–314
  11. ↑ Without a machine gun company
  12. ↑ Without a machine gun company
  13. ↑ Without a machine gun company
  14. ↑ "German War History". Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  15. ↑ "Armee-Reserve-Korps". The Prussian Machine. Archived from the original on April 11, 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  16. ↑ Promoted "Kuno von Steuben". The Prussian Machine. Archived from the original on October 3, 2013. Retrieved 22 December 2012.

Bibliography

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