1st Army Corps (Armed Forces of South Russia)

The 1st Army Corps (Russian: 1-й армейский корпус) was one of the main formations of the Armed Forces of South Russia (Russian: Вооружённых Сил Юга России, ВСЮР; VSUR) during the Russian Civil War. Formed in November 1918, it was first established as part of a reorganization of the White movement's Volunteer Army.

1st Army Corps
Active1918–1920
CountryRussia
Allegiance White movement
BranchArmed Forces of South Russia
SizeCorps
Engagements

History

On 16 April 1920, it was organized from the remnants of the Volunteer Army (known as the Volunteer Corps) in Crimea when Pyotr Wrangel reorganized the White forces in Crimea, known as the Russian Army, into numbered army corps. The Volunteer Corps included all non-Cossack units evacuated from Novorossiysk by the end of March.

Order of Battle

The 1st Army Corps was the strongest of the four army corps,[1] and was commanded by Alexander Kutepov. It included:[2]

  • the Kornilov Division
  • the Drozdovsky Division
  • the Markov Division
  • the small Separate Cavalry Brigade (redesignated the 2nd Cavalry Division on 28 April)
  • the 1st Separate Heavy Artillery Battalion
  • the 1st Separate Positional Artillery Battalion (formed from the headquarters of the Alekseyev Artillery Brigade)
  • a Separate sapper company
  • the 5th Separate Telegraph Company.

July
Troops of the 1st Army corps embarking aboard the transport Saratov during the evacuation of Crimea, November 1920

On 7 July, the 6th Infantry Division joined the corps, and the 2nd Cavalry Division was transferred to the Cavalry Corps.

September

On 4 September, it became part of the new 1st Army when Wrangel split the Russian Army into two armies. Kutepov took command of the 1st Army, and Pyotr Pisaryev became corps commander.

Operational History

During its attacks in northern Taurida, the corps lost 23% of its strength in three days.[2]

Known commanders
  • Lieutenant General Boris Kasanovich (15 November 1918 − 13 January 1919)
  • Lieutenant General Alexander Kutepov (13 January 1919 − August 1920)
  • Lieutenant General Pyotr Pisaryev (August 1920 − December 1920)
  • Lieutenant General Vladimir Vitkovsky (from 8 December 1920)

References

Citations
  1. Kenez 1977, p. 264.
  2. Volkov 2000, p. 6.

Bibliography
  • Kenez, Peter (1977). Civil War in South Russia, 1919-1920: The Defeat of the Whites. Berkeley, California: University of California Press. ISBN 9780520033467.
  • Volkov, Sergei Vladimirovich (2000). Белое движение в России: организационная структура [The White Movement in Russia: Organizational Structure] (in Russian). Moscow.

Sources

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