XXIV Reserve Corps (German Empire)

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

XXIV Reserve Corps
XXIV. Reserve-Korps
Flag of the Staff of a Generalkommando (1871–1918)
ActiveOctober 1914 - post November 1918
Country German Empire
TypeCorps
SizeApproximately 32,000 (on formation)
EngagementsWorld War I
Insignia
AbbreviationXXIV RK

Formation

XXIV Reserve Corps was formed in October 1914.[1] It was part of the first wave of new Corps formed at the outset of World War I consisting of XXII - XXVII Reserve Corps of 43rd - 54th Reserve Divisions (plus 6th Bavarian Reserve Division). The personnel was predominantly made up of kriegsfreiwillige (wartime volunteers) who did not wait to be called up.[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 October 1914, XXIV Reserve Corps consisted of two divisions.[5] but was weaker than an Active Corps

  • Reserve Infantry Regiments consisted of three battalions but only had a machine gun platoon (of 2 machine guns) rather than a machine gun company (of 6 machine guns)[6]
  • Reserve Jäger Battalions did not have a machine gun company on formation, though some were provided with a machine gun platoon[7]
  • Reserve Cavalry Detachments were much smaller than the Reserve Cavalry Regiments formed on mobilisation[8]
  • Reserve Field Artillery Regiments consisted of three abteilungen (2 gun and 1 howitzer) of three batteries each, but each battery had just 4 guns (rather than 6 of the Active and the Reserve Regiments formed on mobilisation)[9]

In summary, XXIV Reserve Corps mobilised with 26 infantry battalions, 8 machine gun platoons (16 machine guns), 2 cavalry detachments, 18 field artillery batteries (72 guns) and 2 pioneer companies.

Corps Division Brigade Units
XXIV Reserve Corps 47th Reserve Division[10] 93rd Reserve Infantry Brigade 217th Reserve Infantry Regiment
218th Reserve Infantry Regiment
94th Reserve Infantry Brigade 219th Reserve Infantry Regiment
220th Reserve Infantry Regiment
19th Reserve Jäger Battalion[11]
47th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
47th Reserve Cavalry Detachment
47th Reserve Pioneer Company
48th Reserve Division[12] 95th Reserve Infantry Brigade 221st Reserve Infantry Regiment
222nd Reserve Infantry Regiment
96th Reserve Infantry Brigade 223rd Reserve Infantry Regiment
224th Reserve Infantry Regiment
20th Reserve Jäger Battalion[13]
48th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
48th Reserve Cavalry Detachment
48th Reserve Pioneer Company

Commanders

XXIV Reserve Corps had the following commanders during its existence:[14][15]

FromRankName
25 August 1914General der InfanterieEberhard von Claer
19 September 1914General der InfanterieFriedrich von Gerok[16]
19 February 1918GeneralleutnantFelix Langer

See also

References
  1. Cron 2002, p. 87
  2. Cron 2002, p. 97
  3. Cron 2002, pp. 88–89
  4. Ellis & Cox 1993, pp. 186–187
  5. AEF GHQ 1920, pp. 475,480
  6. Busche 1998, pp. 104–106
  7. Cron 2002, p. 116 Active Jäger Battlions had a machine gun company with the exceptions of the 1st and 2nd Bavarian Jäger Battalions
  8. Cron 2002, p. 128 Reserve Cavalry Regiments consisted of three squadrons
  9. Cron 2002, p. 136
  10. AEF GHQ 1920, p. 474
  11. Busche 1998, p. 132 Without a machine gun platoon
  12. AEF GHQ 1920, p. 479
  13. Busche 1998, p. 133 Without a machine gun platoon
  14. "German War History". Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  15. "Armee-Reserve-Korps". The Prussian Machine. Archived from the original on April 11, 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  16. Promoted to General der Infanterie on the same date. "Friedrich von Gerok". The Prussian Machine. Archived from the original on May 2, 2014. 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.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Ellis, John; Cox, Michael (1993). The World War I Databook. Aurum Press Ltd. ISBN 1-85410-766-6.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Busche, Hartwig (1998). Formationsgeschichte der Deutschen Infanterie im Ersten Weltkrieg (1914 bis 1918) (in German). Institut für Preußische Historiographie.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • 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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