XXV Reserve Corps (German Empire)

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

XXV Reserve Corps
XXV. 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
AbbreviationXXV RK

Formation

XXV 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 3rd Army, Heeresgruppe Deutscher Kronprinz on the Western Front.[4]

Structure on formation

On formation in October 1914, XXV 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, XXV Reserve Corps mobilised with 26 infantry battalions, 10 machine gun platoons (20 machine guns), 2 cavalry detachments, 18 field artillery batteries (72 guns) and 2 pioneer companies.

Corps Division Brigade Units
XXV Reserve Corps 49th Reserve Division[10] 97th Reserve Infantry Brigade 225th Reserve Infantry Regiment
226th Reserve Infantry Regiment
98th Reserve Infantry Brigade 227th Reserve Infantry Regiment
228th Reserve Infantry Regiment
21st Reserve Jäger Battalion[11]
49th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
49th Reserve Cavalry Detachment
49th Reserve Pioneer Company
50th Reserve Division[12] 99th Reserve Infantry Brigade 229th Reserve Infantry Regiment
230th Reserve Infantry Regiment
100th Reserve Infantry Brigade 231st Reserve Infantry Regiment
232nd Reserve Infantry Regiment
22nd Reserve Jäger Battalion[13]
50th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
50th Reserve Cavalry Detachment
50th Reserve Pioneer Company

Commanders

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

FromRankName
25 August 1914General der InfanterieReinhard von Scheffer-Boyadel
3 September 1916GeneralleutnantKarl Suren
18 November 1916GeneralleutnantManfred von Richthofen
8 March 1917GeneralleutnantKonstanz von Heineccius
23 November 1917General der InfanterieHorst Edler von der Planitz
20 December 1917GeneralleutnantWilhelm Groener
25 February 1918General der InfanterieArnold von Winckler

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. 486,494
  6. Busche 1998, pp. 106–108
  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. 485
  11. Busche 1998, p. 133 With a machine gun platoon
  12. AEF GHQ 1920, p. 493
  13. Busche 1998, p. 133 With a machine gun platoon
  14. "German War History". Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  15. "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.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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