VIII Reserve Corps (German Empire)

VIII Reserve Corps VIII. Reserve-Korps
Flag of the Staff of a Generalkommando (1871–1918)
Active	2 August 1914 - post November 1918
Country	German Empire
Type	Corps
Size	Approximately 38,000 (on formation)
Engagements	World War I Battle of the Frontiers
Insignia
Abbreviation	VIII RK

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

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]

From	Rank	Name
2 August 1914	General der Infanterie	Wilhelm Freiherr von Egloffstein
2 January 1915	Generalleutnant	Paul Fleck
7 September 1916	Generalleutnant	Georg Wichura[18]
22 March 1917	General der Infanterie

See also

• German Army order of battle (1914)
• German Army order of battle, Western Front (1918)

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.