XVII Reserve Corps (German Empire)

XVII Reserve Corps
XVII. Reserve-Korps
Flag of the Staff of a Generalkommando (1871–1918)
ActiveOctober 1914 – 17 September 1917
Country German Empire
TypeCorps
EngagementsWorld War I
Insignia
AbbreviationXVII RK

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

History

The Corps was formed in October 1914 as the temporary Corps Graudenz or Corps Zastrow[1] named for its commander General der Infanterie Ernst von Zastrow,[2] military governor of Graudenz. On 21 July 1915 it was established as XVII Reserve Corps. The Corps was dissolved on 17 September 1917.[3]

The nucleus of the corps was troops collected at Graudenz Fortress. In mid-November 1914 it consisted of two divisions: Wernitz and Breugel with a strength of 26 battalions, 6 squadrons and 13 batteries.[4]

On February 8, 1915 Zastrow Korps was organized as follows:

Corps Division Brigade Units
Zastrow Corps
Graudenz Corps[5] 		Wernitz Division [6] Ersatz Brigade Grossmann Ersatz Regiment Reinhardt [7]
Ersatz Regiment Wetzel (2 Btl.) [8]
Festungs MG Abteilung 9
Festungs MG Abteilung 8
Ersatz Brigade Windheim Ersatz Regiment Hoebel [9]
Ersatz Regiment Groppe [10]
Festungs MG Abteilung 3
1st Ersatz MG Komp des XX AK
Divisional Units Bicycle Company Culm
Mounted Rgt Cleinow [11]
2d Ersatz Battery/3d Guard Field Artillery Rgt 1
1st Ersatz Battery/ Field Artillery Rgt 71
Field Artillery Ersatz Abt 72
1st Ersatz Battery/ Field Artillery Rgt 79
Ist Battalion/Res Foot Artillery Rgt 17 (Heavy Field Howitzers)
2d Ersatz battery/Foot Artillery Rgt 17 (10-Cm Cannon)
3d Ersatz Co./Pioneer Battalion 26
2d Landwehr Pioneer Co., III AK
Breugel Division [12] Brigade Falkenhayn Landwehr Infantry Rgt 61
Landwehr Infantry Rgt 99
Ersatz Battalion/ Landwehr Infantry Rgt 5
Festungs MG Abt 1
Festungs MG Abt 4
Brigade Pfafferot Landwehr Infantry Rgt 17
Landwehr Infantry Regiment 21
Ersatz Battalion/ Landwehr Infantry Rgt Culm
Festungs MG Abt 7
Festungs MG Abt v. Stulpnagel
Ersatz Festungs MG Abt 2
Divisional Units Bicycle Co. Marienberg
½ Bicycle Co. Graudenz
1st & 2d mob Ersatz Sqs, XVII AK
2d Ersatz Battery/Field Artillery Rgt 36
2d Ersatz Battery/Field Artillery Rgt 73
2d Ersatz Battery/Field Artillery Rgt 79
5th Battery/Foot Artillery Rgt 15 (Heavy Field Howitzers)
¾ Ist Battalion/2d Guard Landwehr Foot Artillery Rgt (Heavy Field Howitzers)
7th Battery/Foot Artillery Rgt 15 (10-Cm Cannon)
4th Co./ Pioneer Btl 26
1st Reserve Co./Pioneer Btl 26

Commanders

Corps Zastrow / XVII Reserve Corps had the following commanders during its existence:[13][14]

From Rank Name
12 September 1914 General der Infanterie Ernst von Zastrow
25 September 1915 Generalleutnant Karl Suren
3 September 1916 General der Infanterie Reinhard von Scheffer-Boyadel

See also

References

  1. ^ Cron 2002, p. 88
  2. ^ The Prussian Machine Archived April 11, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Accessed: 23 March 2012
  3. ^ Cron 2002, p. 89
  4. ^ Der Weltkrieg 1929, Vol. 2, p. 342.
  5. ^ Der Weltkrieg 1929, Vol. 6, p. 454.
  6. ^ Renamed 86th Infantry Division in August 1915
  7. ^ Composed of Ersatz Battalions of Infantry Rgts 18, 148 & 152
  8. ^ Composed of Ersatz Battalions of Res Rgts 34 & 61 and Ldw Rgt 5
  9. ^ Composed of Ersatz Battalions of Infantry Rgts 129, 141 & 175
  10. ^ Composed of Ersatz Battalions of Grenadier Rgts 5 & 8 (2 cos @), Infantry Rgt 59 & Ersatz-Abt/ Jager Btl 2
  11. ^ Composed of 1st Ldw Sq XVII AK, Res Ers Sq XVII AK, 2d mob Ers Sq XX AK
  12. ^ Renamed 85th Landwehr Division on September 13, 1915
  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.

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.
  • Der Weltkrieg 1914 Bis 1918. Berlin: Mittler. 1929.