The XVIII Reserve Corps () was a corps level command of the German Army in World War I.
Formation XVIII 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 Generalleutnant Kuno von Steuben, formerly of the Prussian War Academy.The Prussian Machine Accessed: 3 March 2012 It was still in existence at the end of the war in the 18th Army, Heeresgruppe Deutscher Kronprinz on the Western Front.
Structure on formation On formation in August 1914, XVIII 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, XVIII Reserve Corps mobilised with 24 infantry battalions, 5 machine gun companies (30 machine guns), 6 cavalry squadrons, 12 field artillery batteries (72 guns) and 3 pioneer companies. It included one active Infantry Regiment (168th).
Corps Division Brigade Units XVIII Reserve Corps 21st Reserve Division 41st Reserve Infantry Brigade 80th Reserve Infantry Regiment 87th Reserve Infantry RegimentWithout a machine gun company 42nd Reserve Infantry Brigade 81st Reserve Infantry RegimentWithout a machine gun company 88th Reserve Infantry Regiment 7th Reserve Dragoon Regiment 21st Reserve Field Artillery Regiment 4th Company, 11th Pioneer Battalion 21st Reserve Divisional Pontoon Train 17th Reserve Medical Company 25th Reserve Division 49th Reserve Infantry Brigade 116th Reserve Infantry Regiment 118th Reserve Infantry RegimentWithout a machine gun company 50th Reserve Infantry Brigade 168th Infantry Regiment 83rd Reserve Infantry Regiment 4th Reserve Dragoon Regiment 25th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment 1st Reserve Company, 11th Pioneer Battalion 2nd Reserve Company, 11th Pioneer Battalion 25th Reserve Divisional Pontoon Train 18th Reserve Medical Company Corps Troops 18th Reserve Telephone Detachment Munition Trains and Columns corresponding to theIII Reserve Corps
Combat chronicle On mobilisation, XVIII Reserve Corps was assigned to the 4th Army forming part of the centre of the forces for the Schlieffen Plan offensive in August 1914.
Commanders XVIII Reserve Corps had the following commanders during its existence: From Rank Name 2 August 1914 Generalleutnant Kuno von SteubenPromoted 19 August 1914 General der Infanterie5 June 1917 Generalleutnant Karl von Wenninger11 September 1917 Generalleutnant Ludwig Sieger
See also
German Army order of battle (1914) German Army order of battle, Western Front (1918)
References
Bibliography