VI Reserve Corps (German Empire)

VI Reserve Corps VI. Reserve-Korps
Flag of the Staff of a Generalkommando (1871–1918)
Active	2 August 1914 - post November 1918
Country	German Empire
Branch	Imperial German Army
Type	Corps
Size	Approximately 38,000 (on formation)
Engagements	World War I Battle of the Frontiers
Insignia
Abbreviation	VI RK

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

Formation

VI 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 Konrad von Goßler, brought out of retirement. ^[2] It was still in existence at the end of the war ^[3] in the 1st Army, Heeresgruppe Deutscher Kronprinz on the Western Front. ^[4]

Structure on formation

On formation in August 1914, VI 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, VI Reserve Corps mobilised with 23 infantry battalions, 8 machine gun companies (48 machine guns), 6 cavalry squadrons, 12 field artillery batteries (72 guns) and 3 pioneer companies. 11th Reserve Division was slightly stronger than the norm as it included an active infantry brigade.

Corps	Division	Brigade	Units
VI Reserve Corps [10]	11th Reserve Division	23rd Infantry Brigade	22nd Infantry Regiment
			156th Infantry Regiment
		21st Reserve Infantry Brigade	10th Reserve Infantry Regiment
			11th Reserve Infantry Regiment
			4th Reserve Hussar Regiment
			11th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
			4th Company, 6th Pioneer Battalion
			11th Reserve Divisional Pontoon Train
			6th Reserve Medical Company
	12th Reserve Division	22nd Reserve Infantry Brigade	23rd Reserve Infantry Regiment [11]
			38th Reserve Infantry Regiment
			6th Reserve Jäger Battalion
		23rd Reserve Infantry Brigade	22nd Reserve Infantry Regiment
			51st Reserve Infantry Regiment [12]
			4th Reserve Uhlan Regiment
			12th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment
			1st Reserve Company, 6th Pioneer Battalion
			2nd Reserve Company, 6th Pioneer Battalion
			20th Reserve Medical Company
	Corps Troops		6th Reserve Telephone Detachment
			Munition Trains and Columns corresponding to the III Reserve Corps

Combat chronicle

On mobilisation, VI Reserve Corps was assigned to the 5th Army forming part of the centre of the forces for the Schlieffen Plan offensive in August 1914.

Commanders

VI Reserve Corps had the following commanders during its existence: ^{[13] [14]}

From	Rank	Name
2 August 1914	General der Infanterie	Konrad von Goßler [15]
10 February 1917	Generalleutnant	Kurt von dem Borne [16]
18 April 1918	General der Infanterie

See also

• Germany portal

• German Army order of battle (1914)
• German Army order of battle, Western Front (1918)

References

1. Cron 2002 , p. 86
2. The Prussian Machine Accessed: 3 March 2012
3. Cron 2002 , pp. 88–89
4. Ellis & Cox 1993 , pp. 186–187
5. Cron 2002 , p. 111 About a third of Reserve Infantry Regiments formed in August 1914 lacked a machine gun company
6. Cron 2002 , p. 116 Active Jäger Battalions had a machine gun company with the exceptions of the 1st and 2nd Bavarian Jäger Battalions
7. Cron 2002 , p. 128 Most active cavalry regiments had four squadrons, some were raised to six squadrons
8. Cron 2002 , p. 134 Active Divisions had a Field Artillery Brigade of two regiments
9. 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
10. Cron 2002 , p. 316
11. Just two battalions
12. Just two battalions
13. "German War History" . Retrieved 22 December 2012.
14. "Armee-Reserve-Korps". The Prussian Machine. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
15. Retired. "Konrad von Goßler". The Prussian Machine. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
16. Promoted. "Kurt von dem Borne". 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 Ltd. ISBN   1-85410-766-6.
• 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.