| Unit Name: | I Royal Bavarian Reserve Corps I. Königlich Bayerisches Reserve-Korps |
| Dates: | 2 August 1914 - post November 1918 |
| Country: | |
| Type: | Corps |
| Size: | Approximately 38,000 (on formation) |
| Battles: | World War I |
| Identification Symbol: | I Bavarian RK |
| Identification Symbol Label: | Abbreviation |
The I Royal Bavarian Reserve Corps / I Bavarian RK (German: '''I. Königlich Bayerisches Reserve-Korps''') was a corps level command of the Royal Bavarian Army, part of the Imperial German Army, in World War I.
I Royal Bavarian 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 Karl von Fasbender, brought out of retirement.[1] It was still in existence at the end of the war in the 17th Army, Heeresgruppe Kronprinz Rupprecht on the Western Front.
On formation in August 1914, I Royal Bavarian 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[2]
Reserve Jäger Battalions did not have a machine gun company on formation[3]
Reserve Cavalry Regiments consisted of just three squadrons[4]
Reserve Field Artillery Regiments usually consisted of two abteilungen of three batteries each[5]
Corps Troops generally consisted of a Telephone Detachment and four sections of munition columns and trains [6]
In summary, I Royal Bavarian Reserve Corps mobilised with 25 infantry battalions, 5 machine gun companies (30 machine guns), 6 cavalry squadrons, 12 field artillery batteries (72 guns) and 3 pioneer companies. 5th Bavarian Reserve Division was formed mostly by units drawn from the III Bavarian Corps District.
| Corps | Division | Brigade | Units | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROWSPAN=22 | I Royal Bavarian Reserve Corps | ROWSPAN=9 | 1st Bavarian Reserve Division | ROWSPAN=2 | 1st Bavarian Reserve Infantry Brigade | 1st Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment |
| 2nd Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment | ||||||
| ROWSPAN=2 | 2nd Bavarian Reserve Infantry Brigade | 3rd Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment | ||||
| 12th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment[7] | ||||||
| ROWSPAN=5 | 1st Bavarian Reserve Cavalry Regiment | |||||
| 1st Bavarian Reserve Field Artillery Regiment | ||||||
| 1st Reserve Company, 1st Bavarian Pioneer Battalion | ||||||
| 1st Bavarian Reserve Divisional Pontoon Train | ||||||
| 1st Bavarian Reserve Medical Company | ||||||
| ROWSPAN=11 | 5th Bavarian Reserve Division | ROWSPAN=2 | 9th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Brigade | 6th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment | ||
| 7th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment | ||||||
| ROWSPAN=3 | 11th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Brigade | 10th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment | ||||
| 13th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment | ||||||
| 1st Bavarian Reserve Jäger Battalion | ||||||
| ROWSPAN=6 | 5th Bavarian Reserve Cavalry Regiment | |||||
| 5th Bavarian Reserve Field Artillery Regiment | ||||||
| 4th Company, 2nd Bavarian Pioneer Battalion | ||||||
| 1st Reserve Company, 2nd Bavarian Pioneer Battalion | ||||||
| 5th Bavarian Reserve Divisional Pontoon Train | ||||||
| 5th Bavarian Reserve Medical Company | ||||||
| ROWSPAN=2 | Corps Troops | ROWSPAN=2 | 1st Bavarian Reserve Telephone Detachment | |||
| Munition Trains and Columns corresponding to the III Reserve Corps |
On mobilisation, I Royal Bavarian Reserve Corps was assigned to the predominantly Bavarian 6th Army forming part of the left wing of the forces for the Schlieffen Plan offensive in August 1914.
I Bavarian Reserve Corps had the following commanders during its existence:[8] [9]
| From | Rank | Name | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 August 1914 | Karl von Fasbender | ||
| 8 November 1918 | Paul von Kneußl |