VII Reserve Corps (German Empire)

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

VII Reserve Corps
VII. 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
AbbreviationVII RK

Formation

VII 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 Hans von Zwehl, recalled from retirement.[2] It was still in existence at the end of the war[3] in the 1st Army, Heeresgruppe Deutscher Kronprinz on the Western Front.[4]

Structure on formation

On formation in August 1914, VII 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, VII Reserve Corps mobilised with 24 infantry battalions, 8 machine gun companies (48 machine guns), 6 cavalry squadrons, 12 field artillery batteries (72 guns) and 3 pioneer companies. 14th Reserve Division was slightly stronger than the norm as it included an active infantry brigade.

Corps Division Brigade Units
VII Reserve Corps[10] 13th Reserve Division 25th Reserve Infantry Brigade 13th Reserve Infantry Regiment
56th Reserve Infantry Regiment
28th Reserve Infantry Brigade 39th Reserve Infantry Regiment
57th Reserve Infantry Regiment[11]
7th Reserve Jäger Battalion
5th Reserve Hussar Regiment
13th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
4th Company, 7th Pioneer Battalion
13th Reserve Divisional Pontoon Train
7th Reserve Medical Company
14th Reserve Division 28th Infantry Brigade 39th Füsilier Regiment
159th Infantry Regiment
27th Reserve Infantry Brigade 16th Reserve Infantry Regiment
53rd Reserve Infantry Regiment
8th Reserve Hussar Regiment
14th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
1st Reserve Company, 7th Pioneer Battalion
2nd Reserve Company, 7th Pioneer Battalion
21st Reserve Medical Company
Corps Troops 7th Reserve Telephone Detachment
Munition Trains and Columns corresponding to the
III Reserve Corps

Combat chronicle

On mobilisation, VII Reserve Corps was assigned to the 2nd Army forming part of the right wing of the forces that invaded France and Belgium as part of the Schlieffen Plan offensive in August 1914.

Commanders

VII Reserve Corps had the following commanders during its existence:[12][13]

FromRankName
2 August 1914General der InfanterieHans von Zwehl
17 December 1916General der InfanterieFranz Freiherr von Soden
27 August 1917GeneralleutnantOtto von Garnier
3 December 1917GeneralleutnantRichard Wellmann
15 June 1918GeneralleutnantArthur von Lindequist

See also

References

  1. Cron 2002, p. 86
  2. The Prussian Machine Accessed: 29 February 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. 308
  11. Just two battalions
  12. "German War History". Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  13. "Armee-Reserve-Korps". The Prussian Machine. Retrieved 22 December 2012.

Bibliography

  • Cron, Hermann (2002) [1937]. Imperial German Army 1914-18: Organisation, Structure, Orders-of-Battle (repr. ed.). Helion & Co. ISBN 1-874622-70-1.
  • Ellis, John; Cox, Michael (1993). The World War I Databook. Aurum Press. ISBN 1-85410-766-6.

Further reading

  • 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 (repr. The London Stamp Exchange ed.). General Staff, American Expeditionary Forces. 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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