IX Reserve Corps (German Empire)

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

IX Reserve Corps
IX. Reserve-Korps
Flag of the Staff of a Generalkommando (1871–1918)
Active2 August 1914 - post November 1918
Country German Empire
TypeCorps
SizeApproximately 38,000 (on formation)
EngagementsWorld War I
Battle of the Frontiers
Insignia
AbbreviationIX RK

Formation

IX 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 Max von Boehn, brought out of retirement.[2] It was still in existence at the end of the war[3] in the 5th Army, Heeresgruppe Gallwitz on the Western Front.[4]

Structure on formation

On formation in August 1914, IX 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]

The IX Reserve Corps was exceptional as it formed the major part of the North Army so was provided with more Corps Troops than other Reserve Corps: a Foot Artillery Battalion, a Pioneer Regiment and a Field Airship Detachment.

In summary, IX Reserve Corps mobilised with 25 infantry battalions, 5 machine gun companies (30 machine guns), 6 cavalry squadrons, 12 field artillery batteries (72 guns), 4 heavy batteries (16 guns), a Field Airship Detachment and 7 pioneer companies. 17th Reserve Division was slightly stronger than the norm as it included an active infantry brigade.

Corps Division Brigade Units
IX Reserve Corps[10] 17th Reserve Division 81st Infantry Brigade 162nd Infantry Regiment
163rd Infantry Regiment
33rd Reserve Infantry Brigade 75th Reserve Infantry Regiment
76th Reserve Infantry Regiment[11]
6th Reserve Hussar Regiment
17th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
4th Company, 9th Pioneer Battalion
17th Reserve Divisional Pontoon Train
9th Reserve Medical Company
18th Reserve Division 34th Reserve Infantry Brigade 31st Reserve Infantry Regiment
90th Reserve Infantry Regiment[12]
35th Reserve Infantry Brigade 84th Reserve Infantry Regiment[13]
86th Reserve Infantry Regiment
9th Reserve Jäger Battalion
7th Reserve Hussar Regiment
18th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
1st Reserve Company, 9th Pioneer Battalion
2nd Reserve Company, 9th Pioneer Battalion
13th Reserve Medical Company
Corps Troops II Battalion, 2nd Guards Foot Artillery Regiment[14][15]
31st Pioneer Regiment[16][17]
9th Reserve Telephone Detachment
5th Field Airship Detachment
Munition Trains and Columns corresponding to the
III Reserve Corps

Combat chronicle

On mobilisation, IX Reserve Corps was assigned to the North Army, which was held back in Schleswig to defend the German North Sea Coast in case of British landings. It was soon transferred to the Western Front, joining 1st Army in late August.

Commanders

IX Reserve Corps had the following commanders during its existence:[18][19]

FromRankName
2 August 1914General der InfanterieMax von Boehn
2 February 1917GeneralleutnantViktor Kühne
12 March 1917GeneralleutnantKarl Dieffenbach

See also

References
  1. Cron 2002, p. 86
  2. The Prussian Machine Accessed: 9 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, p. 326
  11. Without a machine gun company
  12. Without a machine gun company
  13. Without a machine gun company
  14. Cron 2002, p. 142 Four batteries of 10cm guns (4 guns each) with a Park Company
  15. "Garde-Fußartillerie-Regiment Nr. 2". GenWiki. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  16. II Battalion, Guards Pioneer Battalion (1st and 4th Reserve Companies) and II Battalion, 28th Pioneer Battalion (4th Company, 28th Pioneer Battalion and 2nd Reserve Company, Guards Pioneer Battalion).
  17. Haythornthwaite 1996, p. 202 Upon mobilisation, Pioneer Battalions were split into two new battalions and given the unusual designation of I or II Battalion, Pioneer Battalion n.
  18. "German War History". Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  19. "Armee-Reserve-Korps". The Prussian Machine. Archived from the original on 11 April 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2012.

Bibliography
  • 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 Ltd. ISBN 1-85410-766-6.
  • Haythornthwaite, Philip J. (1996). The World War One Source Book. Arms and Armour. ISBN 1-85409-351-7.
  • 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 Ltd (1989). 1920. ISBN 0-948130-87-3.
  • 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, Inc (1995). 1918. ISBN 1-870423-95-X.
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