XIV Reserve Corps (German Empire)
| XIV Reserve Corps XIV. 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 |
| Insignia | |
| Abbreviation | XIV RK |
The XIV Reserve Corps (German: XIV. Reserve-Korps / XIV RK) was a corps level command of the German Army in World War I.
Formation
[edit]XIV 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 Artillerie Richard von Schubert, brought out of retirement.[2] It was still in existence at the end of the war[3] in the 17th Army, Heeresgruppe Kronprinz Rupprecht on the Western Front.[4]
Structure on formation
[edit]On formation in August 1914, XIV 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, XIV Reserve Corps mobilised with 26 infantry battalions, 7 machine gun companies (42 machine guns), 6 cavalry squadrons, 12 field artillery batteries (72 guns) and 3 pioneer companies. 26th Reserve Division was formed by units drawn from the XIII Corps District (Württemberg).[10] It included one active Infantry Regiment (180th).
| Corps | Division | Brigade | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| XIV Reserve Corps[11] | 26th Reserve Division | 51st Reserve Infantry Brigade | 180th Infantry Regiment |
| 121st Reserve Infantry Regiment | |||
| 52nd Reserve Infantry Brigade | 119th Reserve Infantry Regiment | ||
| 120th Reserve Infantry Regiment | |||
| Württemberg Reserve Dragoon Regiment | |||
| 26th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment | |||
| 4th Company, 13th Pioneer Battalion | |||
| 26th Reserve Divisional Pontoon Train | |||
| Württemberg Reserve Medical Company | |||
| 28th Reserve Division | 55th Reserve Infantry Brigade | 40th Reserve Infantry Regiment[12] | |
| 109th Reserve Infantry Regiment | |||
| 8th Reserve Jäger Battalion | |||
| 56th Reserve Infantry Brigade | 110th Reserve Infantry Regiment | ||
| 111th Reserve Infantry Regiment | |||
| 14th Reserve Jäger Battalion | |||
| 8th Reserve Dragoon Regiment | |||
| 29th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment | |||
| 1st Reserve Company, 13th Pioneer Battalion | |||
| 2nd Reserve Company, 13th Pioneer Battalion | |||
| 28th Reserve Divisional Pontoon Train | |||
| 14th Reserve Medical Company | |||
| Corps Troops | 14th Reserve Telephone Detachment | ||
| Munition Trains and Columns corresponding to the III Reserve Corps |
Combat chronicle
[edit]On mobilisation, XIV Reserve Corps was assigned to the 7th Army forming part of the right wing of the forces for the Schlieffen Plan offensive in August 1914.
Commanders
[edit]XIV Reserve Corps had the following commanders during its existence:[13]
| From | Rank | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 2 August 1914 | General der Artillerie | Richard von Schubert[14] |
| 14 September 1914 | Generalleutnant | Hermann von Stein |
| 29 October 1916 | Generalleutnant | Georg Fuchs[15] |
| 11 March 1917 | Generalleutnant | Otto von Moser |
| 8 February 1918 | Generalleutnant | Arthur von Lindequist |
| 15 June 1918 | Generalleutnant | Richard Wellmann[16] |
| 24 August 1918 | Generalleutnant | Kurt von Morgen[17] |
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ Cron 2002, p. 86
- ^ The Prussian Machine Accessed: 3 March 2012
- ^ Cron 2002, pp. 88–89
- ^ Ellis & Cox 1993, pp. 186–187
- ^ Cron 2002, p. 111 About a third of Reserve Infantry Regiments formed in August 1914 lacked a machine gun company
- ^ Cron 2002, p. 116 Active Jäger Battalions had a machine gun company with the exceptions of the 1st and 2nd Bavarian Jäger Battalions
- ^ Cron 2002, p. 128 Most active cavalry regiments had four squadrons, some were raised to six squadrons
- ^ Cron 2002, p. 134 Active Divisions had a Field Artillery Brigade of two regiments
- ^ 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
- ^ War Office 1918, pp. 56, 60
- ^ Cron 2002, pp. 321–322
- ^ Without a machine gun company
- ^ German War History Accessed: 13 April 2012
- ^ The Prussian Machine Accessed: 13 April 2012 Subsequently commander of 8th Army
- ^ The Prussian Machine Accessed: 13 April 2012 Subsequently commander of Armee-Abteilung C
- ^ Replaced von Morgen in command of I Corps. "Richard Wellmann". The Prussian Machine. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
- ^ Replaced by Wellmann in command of I Corps. "Kurt von Morgen". The Prussian Machine. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
Bibliography
[edit]- 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. ISBN 1-85410-766-6.
- 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. 1995 [1918]. ISBN 1-870423-95-X.
Further reading
[edit]- 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. 1989 [1920]. ISBN 0-948130-87-3.