V Cavalry Corps (German Empire)

V Cavalry Corps
(Höhere Kavallerie-Kommando Nr 5)
Higher Cavalry Command No. 5
Flag of the Staff of a Generalkommando (1871–1918)
Active3 June 1916-1919
Disbanded1919
Country German Empire
BranchArmy
TypeCavalry
EngagementsWorld War I
Insignia
AbbreviationHKK 5

The V Cavalry Corps (German: Höhere Kavallerie-Kommando 5 / HKK 5 literally: Higher Cavalry Command 5) was a formation of the German Army in World War I.

V Cavalry Corps

During the Courland Offensive a wide gap opened between the Army of the Niemen and 10th Army. Set up by the Army of the Niemen as temporary Cavalry Corps Schmettow, commanded by Generalleutnant Egon Graf von Schmettow. Established 18 August 1915. Redesignated 20 November 1916 as 58th Corps (z.b.V.).[1][2]

58th Corps

58th Corps (z.b.V.)[3] was formed on 20 November 1916 by the redesignation of V Cavalry Corps.[4] As the need for large mounted cavalry formations diminished as the war went on, the existing Cavalry Corps increasingly took on the characteristics of a normal Corps Command. This culminated in them being redesignated as "General Commands for Special Use" Generalkommandos zur besonderen Verwendung (Genkdo z.b.V.).

By the end of the war, the Corps was serving on the Western Front as part of the 5th Army with the following composition:[5]

Commanders

V Cavalry Corps / 58th Corps had the following commanders during its existence:[6][7][8]

Commander From To
Generalleutnant Egon Graf von Schmettow 21 August 1915 6 February 1918
Generalleutnant Alfred von Kleist 6 February 1918 end of war

See also

References

  1. ^ General Commands for Special Use Generalkommandos zur besonderen Verwendung (Genkdo z.b.V.)
  2. ^ Cron 2002, p. 95
  3. ^ Note that Corps (z.b.V.) were designated with Arabic, not Roman, numerals.
  4. ^ Cron 2002, p. 89
  5. ^ Ellis & Cox 1993, p. 187
  6. ^ The Prussian Machine, HKK Accessed: 20 May 2012
  7. ^ The Prussian Machine, GenKdo Accessed: 20 May 2012
  8. ^ German War History Accessed: 20 May 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.