The III Reserve Corps () was a corps level command of the German Army in World War I.
Formation III Reserve Corps was formed on the outbreak of the war in August 1914 as part of the mobilisation of the Army. It was initially commanded by General der Infanterie Hans von Beseler, recalled from retirement.The Prussian Machine Accessed: 29 February 2012 It was still in existence at the end of the war.
Structure on formation On formation in August 1914, III 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 About a third of Reserve Infantry Regiments formed in August 1914 lacked a machine gun company Reserve Jäger Battalions did not have a machine gun company on formation Active Jäger Battalions had a machine gun company with the exceptions of the 1st and 2nd Bavarian Jäger Battalions Reserve Cavalry Regiments consisted of just three squadrons Most active cavalry regiments had four squadrons, some were raised to six squadrons Reserve Field Artillery Regiments usually consisted of two abteilungen of three batteries each Active Divisions had a Field Artillery Brigade of two regiments Corps Troops generally consisted of a Telephone Detachment and four sections of munition columns and trains 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
In summary, III Reserve Corps mobilised with 25 infantry battalions, 7 machine gun companies (42 machine guns), 6 cavalry squadrons, 12 field artillery batteries (72 guns) and 3 pioneer companies.
Corps Division Brigade Units III Reserve Corps 5th Reserve Division 9th Reserve Infantry Brigade 8th Reserve Infantry Regiment 48th Reserve Infantry Regiment 10th Reserve Infantry Brigade 12th Reserve Infantry Regiment 52nd Reserve Infantry Regiment 3rd Reserve Jäger Battalion 2nd Reserve Dragoon Regiment 5th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment 4th Company, 3rd Pioneer Battalion 5th Reserve Divisional Pontoon Train 3rd Reserve Medical Company 6th Reserve Division 11th Reserve Infantry Brigade 20th Reserve Infantry Regiment 24th Reserve Infantry Regiment 12th Reserve Infantry Brigade 26th Reserve Infantry RegimentWithout a machine gun company 35th Reserve Infantry Regiment 3rd Reserve Uhlan Regiment 6th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment 1st Reserve Company, 3rd Pioneer Battalion 2nd Reserve Company, 3rd Pioneer Battalion 6th Reserve Divisional Pontoon Train 16th Reserve Medical Company Corps Troops 3rd Reserve Telephone Detachment 5th & 6th Reserve Munition Column Sections4th Reserve Infantry & 5th Reserve Artillery Munition Columns 5th & 6th Reserve Train Sections4 Reserve Field Hospitals and 7 Reserve Supply Columns 2 Reserve Bakery Columns
Combat chronicle On mobilisation, III Reserve Corps was assigned to the 1st Army on the right wing of the forces that invaded France and Belgium as part of the Schlieffen Plan offensive in August 1914. It was detached from 1st Army to take part in the Siege of Antwerp thereby missing the 1st Army's early battles (Mons, Le Cateau, Marne, Aisne, Arras). With the conclusion of the siege on 10 October 1914, it was assigned to 4th Army and took part in the First Battle of Ypres.
Commanders III Reserve Corps had the following commanders during its existence: From Rank Name 2 August 1914 General der Infanterie Hans von Beseler26 August 1915 General der Infanterie Adolph von Carlowitz8 August 1917 Generalleutnant Alfred von Böckmann5 September 1917 Generalleutnant Anatol Graf von Bredow
See also
German Army order of battle (1914) Order of First Battle of Ypres
References
Bibliography