| Unit Name: | XVIII Reserve Corps XVIII. Reserve-Korps |
| Dates: | 2 August 1914 - post November 1918 |
| Type: | Corps |
| Size: | Approximately 38,000 (on formation) |
| Battles: | World War I |
| Identification Symbol: | XVIII RK |
| Identification Symbol Label: | Abbreviation |
The XVIII Reserve Corps (de|'''XVIII. Reserve-Korps / XVIII RK''') was a corps level command of the German Army in World War I.
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.[1] It was still in existence at the end of the war in the 18th Army, Heeresgruppe Deutscher Kronprinz on the Western Front.
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[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, 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 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROWSPAN=21 | XVIII Reserve Corps | ROWSPAN=9 | 21st Reserve Division | ROWSPAN=2 | 41st Reserve Infantry Brigade | 80th Reserve Infantry Regiment |
| 87th Reserve Infantry Regiment[7] | ||||||
| ROWSPAN=2 | 42nd Reserve Infantry Brigade | 81st Reserve Infantry Regiment[8] | ||||
| 88th Reserve Infantry Regiment | ||||||
| ROWSPAN=5 | 7th Reserve Dragoon Regiment | |||||
| 21st Reserve Field Artillery Regiment | ||||||
| 4th Company, 11th Pioneer Battalion | ||||||
| 21st Reserve Divisional Pontoon Train | ||||||
| 17th Reserve Medical Company | ||||||
| ROWSPAN=10 | 25th Reserve Division | ROWSPAN=2 | 49th Reserve Infantry Brigade | 116th Reserve Infantry Regiment | ||
| 118th Reserve Infantry Regiment[9] | ||||||
| ROWSPAN=2 | 50th Reserve Infantry Brigade | 168th Infantry Regiment | ||||
| 83rd Reserve Infantry Regiment | ||||||
| ROWSPAN=6 | 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 | ||||||
| ROWSPAN=2 | Corps Troops | ROWSPAN=2 | 18th Reserve Telephone Detachment | |||
| Munition Trains and Columns corresponding to the III Reserve Corps |
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.
XVIII Reserve Corps had the following commanders during its existence:[10] [11]
| From | Rank | Name | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 August 1914 | Kuno von Steuben[12] | ||
| 19 August 1914 | General der Infanterie | ||
| 5 June 1917 | Karl von Wenninger | ||
| 11 September 1917 | Ludwig Sieger |