VIII Army Corps VIII. Armee-Korps | |
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![]() Flag of the Staff of a Generalkommando (1871–1918) | |
Active | 21 June 1815 –1919 |
Country | ![]() ![]() |
Type | Corps |
Size | Approximately 44,000 (on mobilisation in 1914) |
Garrison/HQ | Koblenz/Castorpfaffen Straße 31 |
Shoulder strap piping | Light Blue |
Engagements | Austro-Prussian War |
Insignia | |
Abbreviation | VIII AK |
The VIII Army Corps / VIII AK (German : VIII. Armee-Korps) was a corps level command of the Prussian and then the Imperial German Armies from the 19th Century to World War I.
Originating on 21 June 1815 as the General Command for the Grand Duchy of the Lower Rhine and established on 3 April 1820 as VIII Corps. The headquarters was in Koblenz and its catchment area was the Rhine Province and the Principality of Birkenfeld of the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg. [1]
The Corps served in the Austro-Prussian War. During the Franco-Prussian War it was assigned to the 1st Army.
In peacetime the Corps was assigned to the V Army Inspectorate but joined the 4th Army at the start of the First World War. [2] It was still in existence at the end of the war. [3] The Corps was disbanded with the demobilisation of the German Army after World War I.
VIII Corps fought in the Austro-Prussian War in 1866, seeing action in the Battle of Königgrätz.
During the Franco-Prussian War, the Corps formed part of the 1st Army. Initially involved in the battles around Metz (Battle of Gravelotte) and subsequent siege of the fortress. After the capitulation of Metz in October 1870 it took part in the fighting north of Paris in the Battle of Hallue and the siege of the fortress of Péronne. Subsequent battles followed at Amiens and finally at St. Quentin.
The 25 peacetime Corps of the German Army (Guards, I - XXI, I - III Bavarian) had a reasonably standardised organisation. Each consisted of two divisions with usually two infantry brigades, one field artillery brigade and a cavalry brigade each. [4] Each brigade normally consisted of two regiments of the appropriate type, so each Corps normally commanded 8 infantry, 4 field artillery and 4 cavalry regiments. There were exceptions to this rule:
Each Corps also directly controlled a number of other units. This could include one or more
On mobilization on 2 August 1914 the Corps was restructured. 16th Cavalry Brigade was withdrawn to form part of the 3rd Cavalry Division [7] and the 15th Cavalry Brigade was broken up and its regiments assigned to the divisions as reconnaissance units. Divisions received engineer companies and other support units from the Corps headquarters. In summary, VIII Corps mobilised with 24 infantry battalions, 8 machine gun companies (48 machine guns), 8 cavalry squadrons, 24 field artillery batteries (144 guns), 4 heavy artillery batteries (16 guns), 3 pioneer companies and an aviation detachment.
Corps | Division | Brigade | Units |
---|---|---|---|
VIII Corps | 15th Division | 29th Infantry Brigade | 25th Infantry Regiment |
161st Infantry Regiment | |||
80th Infantry Brigade | 65th Infantry Regiment | ||
161st Infantry Regiment | |||
15th Field Artillery Brigade | 59th Field Artillery Regiment | ||
83rd Field Artillery Regiment | |||
8th Cuirassier Regiment | |||
1st Company, 8th Pioneer Battalion | |||
15th Divisional Pontoon Train | |||
1st Medical Company | |||
3rd Medical Company | |||
16th Division | 30th Infantry Brigade | 28th Infantry Regiment | |
68th Fusilier Regiment | |||
31st Infantry Brigade | 29th Infantry Regiment | ||
69th Infantry Regiment | |||
16th Field Artillery Brigade | 23rd Field Artillery Regiment | ||
44th Field Artillery Regiment | |||
7th Hussar Regiment | |||
2nd Company, 8th Pioneer Battalion | |||
3rd Company, 8th Pioneer Battalion | |||
16th Divisional Pontoon Train | |||
2nd Medical Company | |||
Corps Troops | III Battalion, 9th Foot Artillery Regiment [9] | ||
10th Aviation Detachment | |||
8th Corps Pontoon Train | |||
8th Telephone Detachment | |||
8th Pioneer Searchlight Section | |||
Munition Trains and Columns corresponding to II Corps |
On mobilisation, VIII Corps was assigned to the 4th Army forming part of the centre of the forces for the Schlieffen Plan offensive in August 1914. It was still in existence at the end of the war. [10]
The VIII Corps had the following commanders during its existence: [11] [12] [13]
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The IV Army Corps / IV AK was a corps level command of the Prussian and then the Imperial German Armies from the 19th Century to World War I.
The III Army Corps / III AK was a corps level command of the Prussian and then the Imperial German Armies from the 19th century to World War I.
The II Army Corps / II AK was a corps level command of the Prussian and then the Imperial German Armies from the 19th Century to World War I.
The XX Army Corps / XX AK was a corps level command of the German Army before and during World War I.
The XVIII Army Corps / XVIII AK was a corps level command of the German Army before and during World War I.
The XIII Army Corps / XIII AK was a corps of the Imperial German Army. It was, effectively, also the army of the Kingdom of Württemberg, which had been integrated in 1871 into the Prussian Army command structure, as had the armies of most German states. The corps was originally established as the Württemberg Corps Command (Korpskommando) in 1817. It became the XIII Army Corps when it was integrated into the Prussian numbering system on December 18, 1871, shortly after the Franco-Prussian War.
The X Army Corps / X AK was a corps level command of the Prussian and German Armies before and during World War I.
The I Army Corps / I AK was a corps level command of the Prussian and then the Imperial German Armies from the 19th Century to World War I.
The XVI Army Corps / XVI AK was a corps level command of the German Army before and during World War I.
The III Royal Bavarian Army Corps / III Bavarian AK was a corps level command of the Royal Bavarian Army, part of the Imperial German Army, before and during World War I.
The II Royal Bavarian Army Corps / II Bavarian AK was a corps level command of the Royal Bavarian Army, part of the Imperial German Army, before and during World War I.
The XVII Army Corps / XVII AK was a corps level command of the German Army before and during World War I.
The XXI Army Corps / XXI AK was a corps level command of the German Army, before and during World War I.
The XV Army Corps / XV AK was a corps level command of the German Army before and during World War I.
The XI Army Corps / XI AK was a corps level command of the Prussian and German Armies before and during World War I.
The IX Army Corps / IX AK was a corps level command of the Prussian and German Armies before and during World War I.
The VII Army Corps / VII AK was a corps level command of the Prussian and then the Imperial German Armies from the 19th Century to World War I.
The VI Army Corps / VI AK was a corps level command of the Prussian and then the Imperial German Armies from the 19th Century to World War I.
The V Army Corps / V AK was a corps level command of the Prussian and then the Imperial German Armies from the 19th century to World War I.