IX Reserve Corps (German Empire)
The IX Reserve Corps (German: IX. Reserve-Korps / IX RK) was a corps level command of the German Army in World War I.
| IX Reserve Corps IX. 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 |
| Insignia | |
| Abbreviation | IX RK |
Formation
IX 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 Max von Boehn, brought out of retirement.[2] It was still in existence at the end of the war[3] in the 5th Army, Heeresgruppe Gallwitz on the Western Front.[4]
Structure on formation
On formation in August 1914, IX 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]
The IX Reserve Corps was exceptional as it formed the major part of the North Army so was provided with more Corps Troops than other Reserve Corps: a Foot Artillery Battalion, a Pioneer Regiment and a Field Airship Detachment.
In summary, IX Reserve Corps mobilised with 25 infantry battalions, 5 machine gun companies (30 machine guns), 6 cavalry squadrons, 12 field artillery batteries (72 guns), 4 heavy batteries (16 guns), a Field Airship Detachment and 7 pioneer companies. 17th Reserve Division was slightly stronger than the norm as it included an active infantry brigade.
| Corps | Division | Brigade | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| IX Reserve Corps[10] | 17th Reserve Division | 81st Infantry Brigade | 162nd Infantry Regiment |
| 163rd Infantry Regiment | |||
| 33rd Reserve Infantry Brigade | 75th Reserve Infantry Regiment | ||
| 76th Reserve Infantry Regiment[11] | |||
| 6th Reserve Hussar Regiment | |||
| 17th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment | |||
| 4th Company, 9th Pioneer Battalion | |||
| 17th Reserve Divisional Pontoon Train | |||
| 9th Reserve Medical Company | |||
| 18th Reserve Division | 34th Reserve Infantry Brigade | 31st Reserve Infantry Regiment | |
| 90th Reserve Infantry Regiment[12] | |||
| 35th Reserve Infantry Brigade | 84th Reserve Infantry Regiment[13] | ||
| 86th Reserve Infantry Regiment | |||
| 9th Reserve Jäger Battalion | |||
| 7th Reserve Hussar Regiment | |||
| 18th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment | |||
| 1st Reserve Company, 9th Pioneer Battalion | |||
| 2nd Reserve Company, 9th Pioneer Battalion | |||
| 13th Reserve Medical Company | |||
| Corps Troops | II Battalion, 2nd Guards Foot Artillery Regiment[14][15] | ||
| 31st Pioneer Regiment[16][17] | |||
| 9th Reserve Telephone Detachment | |||
| 5th Field Airship Detachment | |||
| Munition Trains and Columns corresponding to the III Reserve Corps |
Combat chronicle
On mobilisation, IX Reserve Corps was assigned to the North Army, which was held back in Schleswig to defend the German North Sea Coast in case of British landings. It was soon transferred to the Western Front, joining 1st Army in late August.
Commanders
IX Reserve Corps had the following commanders during its existence:[18][19]
| From | Rank | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 2 August 1914 | General der Infanterie | Max von Boehn |
| 2 February 1917 | Generalleutnant | Viktor Kühne |
| 12 March 1917 | Generalleutnant | Karl Dieffenbach |
See also
References
- ^ Cron 2002, p. 86
- ^ The Prussian Machine Accessed: 9 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
- ^ Cron 2002, p. 326
- ^ Without a machine gun company
- ^ Without a machine gun company
- ^ Without a machine gun company
- ^ Cron 2002, p. 142 Four batteries of 10cm guns (4 guns each) with a Park Company
- ^ "Garde-Fußartillerie-Regiment Nr. 2". GenWiki. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
- ^ II Battalion, Guards Pioneer Battalion (1st and 4th Reserve Companies) and II Battalion, 28th Pioneer Battalion (4th Company, 28th Pioneer Battalion and 2nd Reserve Company, Guards Pioneer Battalion).
- ^ Haythornthwaite 1996, p. 202 Upon mobilisation, Pioneer Battalions were split into two new battalions and given the unusual designation of I or II Battalion, Pioneer Battalion n.
- ^ "German War History". Retrieved 22 December 2012.
- ^ . The Prussian Machine. Archived from the original on 11 April 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.
- Haythornthwaite, Philip J. (1996). The World War One Source Book. Arms and Armour. ISBN 1-85409-351-7.
- 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.
- Somersalo, Arne (1928). Taisteluvuosien varrelta : suomalaisen sotilaan muistelmia maailmansodasta (memoirs of a finnish volunteer). Otava.