VII Reserve Corps

The VII Reserve Corps () was a corps level command of the German Army in World War I.

Formation VII 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 Zwehl, recalled from retirement.The Prussian Machine Accessed: 29 February 2012 It was still in existence at the end of the war in the 1st Army, Heeresgruppe Deutscher Kronprinz on the Western Front.

Structure on formation On formation in August 1914, VII 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, VII Reserve Corps mobilised with 24 infantry battalions, 8 machine gun companies (48 machine guns), 6 cavalry squadrons, 12 field artillery batteries (72 guns) and 3 pioneer companies. 14th Reserve Division was slightly stronger than the norm as it included an active infantry brigade.

Corps Division Brigade Units VII Reserve Corps 13th Reserve Division 25th Reserve Infantry Brigade 13th Reserve Infantry Regiment 56th Reserve Infantry Regiment 28th Reserve Infantry Brigade 39th Reserve Infantry Regiment 57th Reserve Infantry RegimentJust two battalions 7th Reserve Jäger Battalion 5th Reserve Hussar Regiment 13th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment 4th Company, 7th Pioneer Battalion 13th Reserve Divisional Pontoon Train 7th Reserve Medical Company 14th Reserve Division 28th Infantry Brigade 39th Füsilier Regiment 159th Infantry Regiment 27th Reserve Infantry Brigade 16th Reserve Infantry Regiment 53rd Reserve Infantry Regiment 8th Reserve Hussar Regiment 14th Reserve Field Artillery Regiment 1st Reserve Company, 7th Pioneer Battalion 2nd Reserve Company, 7th Pioneer Battalion 21st Reserve Medical Company Corps Troops 7th Reserve Telephone Detachment Munition Trains and Columns corresponding to theIII Reserve Corps

Combat chronicle On mobilisation, VII Reserve Corps was assigned to the 2nd Army forming part of the right wing of the forces that invaded France and Belgium as part of the Schlieffen Plan offensive in August 1914.

Commanders VII Reserve Corps had the following commanders during its existence: From Rank Name General Max von Gallwitz2 August 1914 General der Infanterie Hans von Zwehl17 December 1916 General der Infanterie Franz Freiherr von Soden27 August 1917 Generalleutnant Otto von Garnier3 December 1917 Generalleutnant Richard Wellmann15 June 1918 Generalleutnant Arthur von Lindequist

VII Reserve Corps

Bron en licentie