XIV Reserve Corps (German Empire)

XIV Reserve Corps
*XIV. Reserve-Korps*
XIV Reserve Corps; XIV. 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	XIV RK

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

Formation

XIV 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 Artillerie Richard von Schubert, brought out of retirement.^[2] It was still in existence at the end of the war^[3] in the 17th Army, Heeresgruppe Kronprinz Rupprecht on the Western Front.^[4]

Structure on formation

On formation in August 1914, XIV 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, XIV Reserve Corps mobilised with 26 infantry battalions, 7 machine gun companies (42 machine guns), 6 cavalry squadrons, 12 field artillery batteries (72 guns) and 3 pioneer companies. 26th Reserve Division was formed by units drawn from the XIII Corps District (Württemberg).^[10] It included one active Infantry Regiment (180th).

Corps	Division	Brigade	Units
XIV Reserve Corps^[11]	26th Reserve Division	51st Reserve Infantry Brigade	180th Infantry Regiment
		51st Reserve Infantry Brigade	121st Reserve Infantry Regiment
		52nd Reserve Infantry Brigade	119th Reserve Infantry Regiment
		52nd Reserve Infantry Brigade	120th Reserve Infantry Regiment
			Württemberg Reserve Dragoon Regiment
			26th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
			4th Company, 13th Pioneer Battalion
			26th Reserve Divisional Pontoon Train
			Württemberg Reserve Medical Company
	28th Reserve Division	55th Reserve Infantry Brigade	40th Reserve Infantry Regiment^[12]
			109th Reserve Infantry Regiment
			8th Reserve Jäger Battalion
		56th Reserve Infantry Brigade	110th Reserve Infantry Regiment
			111th Reserve Infantry Regiment
			14th Reserve Jäger Battalion
			8th Reserve Dragoon Regiment
			29th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
			1st Reserve Company, 13th Pioneer Battalion
			2nd Reserve Company, 13th Pioneer Battalion
			28th Reserve Divisional Pontoon Train
			14th Reserve Medical Company
	Corps Troops		14th Reserve Telephone Detachment
	Corps Troops		Munition Trains and Columns corresponding to the III Reserve Corps

Combat chronicle

On mobilisation, XIV Reserve Corps was assigned to the 7th Army forming part of the right wing of the forces for the Schlieffen Plan offensive in August 1914.

Commanders

XIV Reserve Corps had the following commanders during its existence:^[13]

From	Rank	Name
2 August 1914	General der Artillerie	Richard von Schubert^[14]
14 September 1914	Generalleutnant	Hermann von Stein
29 October 1916	Generalleutnant	Georg Fuchs^[15]
11 March 1917	Generalleutnant	Otto von Moser
8 February 1918	Generalleutnant	Arthur von Lindequist
15 June 1918	Generalleutnant	Richard Wellmann^[16]
24 August 1918	Generalleutnant	Kurt von Morgen^[17]

References

^ Cron 2002, p. 86
^ The Prussian Machine Accessed: 3 March 2012
^ Cron 2002, pp. 88–89
^ Ellis & Cox 1993, pp. 186–187
^ Cron 2002, p. 111 About a third of Reserve Infantry Regiments formed in August 1914 lacked a machine gun company
^ Cron 2002, p. 116 Active Jäger Battalions had a machine gun company with the exceptions of the 1st and 2nd Bavarian Jäger Battalions
^ Cron 2002, p. 128 Most active cavalry regiments had four squadrons, some were raised to six squadrons
^ Cron 2002, p. 134 Active Divisions had a Field Artillery Brigade of two regiments
^ 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
^ War Office 1918, pp. 56, 60
^ Cron 2002, pp. 321–322
^ Without a machine gun company
^ German War History Accessed: 13 April 2012
^ The Prussian Machine Accessed: 13 April 2012 Subsequently commander of 8th Army
^ The Prussian Machine Accessed: 13 April 2012 Subsequently commander of Armee-Abteilung C
^ Replaced von Morgen in command of I Corps. "Richard Wellmann". The Prussian Machine. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
^ Replaced by Wellmann in command of I Corps. "Kurt von Morgen". 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. ISBN 1-85410-766-6.
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. 1995 [1918]. ISBN 1-870423-95-X.