XXII Reserve Corps

XXII Reserve Corps
XXII. 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
Western Front
First Battle of Ypres
Insignia
AbbreviationXXII RK

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

Formation

XXII 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]

Structure on formation

On formation in October 1914, XXII Reserve Corps consisted of two divisions[4] 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)[5]
  • Reserve Jäger Battalions did not have a machine gun company on formation, though some were provided with a machine gun platoon[6]
  • Reserve Cavalry Detachments were much smaller than the Reserve Cavalry Regiments formed on mobilisation[7]
  • 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)[8]

In summary, XXII 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
XXII Reserve Corps 43rd Reserve Division[9] 85th Reserve Infantry Brigade 201st Reserve Infantry Regiment
202nd Reserve Infantry Regiment
86th Reserve Infantry Brigade 203rd Reserve Infantry Regiment
204th Reserve Infantry Regiment
15th Reserve Jäger Battalion[10]
43rd Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
43rd Reserve Cavalry Detachment
43rd Reserve Pioneer Company
44th Reserve Division[11] 87th Reserve Infantry Brigade 205th Reserve Infantry Regiment
206th Reserve Infantry Regiment
88th Reserve Infantry Brigade 207th Reserve Infantry Regiment
208th Reserve Infantry Regiment
16th Reserve Jäger Battalion[12]
44th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
44th Reserve Cavalry Detachment
44th Reserve Pioneer Company

Commanders

XXII Reserve Corps was commanded throughout its existence by General der Kavallerie Eugen von Falkenhayn ,[13][14] Prussian War Minister Erich von Falkenhayn's older brother.[15]

See also

References

  1. ^ Cron 2002, p. 87
  2. ^ Cron 2002, p. 97
  3. ^ Cron 2002, pp. 88–89
  4. ^ AEF GHQ 1920, pp. 455, 459
  5. ^ Busche 1998, pp. 100–102
  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 Reserve Cavalry Regiments consisted of three squadrons
  8. ^ Cron 2002, p. 136
  9. ^ AEF GHQ 1920, p. 454
  10. ^ Busche 1998, p. 132 With a machine gun platoon
  11. ^ AEF GHQ 1920, p. 458
  12. ^ Busche 1998, p. 132 With a machine gun platoon
  13. ^ "German War History". Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  14. ^ "Armee-Reserve-Korps". The Prussian Machine. Archived from the original on April 11, 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  15. ^ "Eugen von Falkenhayn". The Prussian Machine. Archived from the original on July 29, 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.
  • Ellis, John; Cox, Michael (1993). The World War I Databook. Aurum Press Ltd. ISBN 1-85410-766-6.
  • Busche, Hartwig (1998). Formationsgeschichte der Deutschen Infanterie im Ersten Weltkrieg (1914 bis 1918) (in German). Institut für Preußische Historiographie.
  • 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.