VIII Reserve Corps (German Empire)

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

VIII Reserve Corps
VIII. 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
AbbreviationVIII RK

Formation

VIII 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 Wilhelm Freiherr von Egloffstein.[2] It was still in existence at the end of the war[3] in the 7th Army, Heeresgruppe Deutscher Kronprinz on the Western Front.[4]

Structure on formation

On formation in August 1914, VIII 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, VIII Reserve Corps mobilised with 21 infantry battalions, 4 machine gun companies (24 machine guns), 6 cavalry squadrons, 12 field artillery batteries (72 guns) and 3 pioneer companies.

Corps Division Brigade Units
VIII Reserve Corps[10] 15th Reserve Division 30th Reserve Infantry Brigade 25th Reserve Infantry Regiment
69th Reserve Infantry Regiment[11]
32nd Reserve Infantry Brigade 17th Reserve Infantry Regiment[12]
30th Reserve Infantry Regiment[13]
5th Reserve Uhlan Regiment
15th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
4th Company, 8th Pioneer Battalion
15th Reserve Divisional Pontoon Train
8th Reserve Medical Company
16th Reserve Division 29th Reserve Infantry Brigade 29th Reserve Infantry Regiment
65th Reserve Infantry Regiment[14]
31st Reserve Infantry Brigade 28th Reserve Infantry Regiment[15]
68th Reserve Infantry Regiment
2nd Reserve Schwere Reiter Regiment
16th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
1st Reserve Company, 8th Pioneer Battalion
2nd Reserve Company, 8th Pioneer Battalion
12th Reserve Medical Company
Corps Troops 8th Reserve Telephone Detachment
Munition Trains and Columns corresponding to the
III Reserve Corps

Combat chronicle

On mobilisation, VIII 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

VIII Reserve Corps had the following commanders during its existence:[16][17]

FromRankName
2 August 1914General der InfanterieWilhelm Freiherr von Egloffstein
2 January 1915GeneralleutnantPaul Fleck
7 September 1916GeneralleutnantGeorg Wichura[18]
22 March 1917General der Infanterie

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. Cron 2002, p. 313
  11. Just two battalions, no machine gun company
  12. Just two battalions, no machine gun company
  13. Just two battalions
  14. Without a machine gun company
  15. Without a machine gun company
  16. "German War History". Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  17. "Armee-Reserve-Korps". The Prussian Machine. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  18. Promoted. "Georg Wichura". The Prussian Machine. 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.
  • 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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