I Cavalry Corps (German Empire)
{{infobox military unit
| unit_name=I Cavalry Corps
(Höhere Kavallerie-Kommando Nr 1)
Higher Cavalry Command No. 1
| image=Stab eines Generalkommandos.svg
| caption=Flag of the Staff of a Generalkommando (1871–1918)
| dates=2 August 1914-3 March 1918
| country={{flag|German Empire|1914|23px}}
| branch=Army
| type=Cavalry
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| size=Approximately 13,000 (on mobilisation)
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| battles=World War I
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| disbanded=1919
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| identification_symbol=HKK 1
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The I Cavalry Corps ({{langx|de|Höhere Kavallerie-Kommando 1 / HKK 1}} literally: Higher Cavalry Command 1) was a formation of the German Army in World War I. It was formed on the mobilization of the German Army in August 1914 and disbanded in March 1918.
I Cavalry Corps
The Corps initially served on the Western Front with the Guards and 5th Cavalry Divisions and preceded the 3rd Army.{{harvnb|Cron|2002|p=299}} By 15 September 1914, it was assigned to 2nd Army and comprised the Guards and 2nd Cavalry Divisions.{{harvnb|Ellis|Cox|1993|p=176}} Transferred to the East on 6 November 1914{{harvnb|Cron|2002|p=94}} and attached to the 9th Army. By 8 February 1915, it consisted of the 6th and 9th Cavalry Divisions.{{harvnb|Ellis|Cox|1993|p=189}}
At various times, the Corps was named for its commander as Cavalry Corps Richthofen, Corps Richthofen and Army GroupArmee-Gruppe in the sense of a part of an army formed for a specific task. Heeresgruppe is an Army Group in the sense of a number of armies under a single commander. Richthofen.
It remained with 9th Army until 20 November 1916, when it was redesignated as 56th Corps (z.b.V.).General Commands for Special Use Generalkommandos zur besonderen Verwendung (Genkdo z.b.V.){{harvnb|Cron|2002|p=95}}
56th Corps
56th Corps (z.b.V.)Note that Corps (z.b.V.) were designated with Arabic, not Roman, numerals. was formed on 20 November 1916 by the redesignation of I Cavalry Corps.{{harvnb|Cron|2002|p=89}} As the need for large mounted cavalry formations diminished as the war went on, the existing Cavalry Corps increasingly took on the characteristics of a normal Corps Command. This culminated in them being redesignated as "General Commands for Special Use" Generalkommandos zur besonderen Verwendung (Genkdo z.b.V.). 56th Corps was disbanded on 5 March 1918.[http://www.deutsche-kriegsgeschichte.de/akrkgk.html German War History] Accessed: 13 April 2012
Order of Battle on mobilisation
Initially, the Corps simply consisted of 2 Cavalry Divisions (with 3 Jäger battalions attached) without any Corps troops; in supply and administration matters, the Cavalry Divisions were entirely autonomous. The commander was only concerned with tactics and strategy, hence his title of Senior Cavalry Commander Höherer Kavallerie-Kommandeur.{{harvnb|Cron|2002|p=94}}
On formation in August 1914, the Corps consisted of:{{harvnb|Cron|2002|p=299}}
- Guards Cavalry Division
- 5th Cavalry Division
- 11th Jäger Battalion
- 12th Jäger Battalion
- 13th Jäger Battalion
Each cavalry division consisted of 3 cavalry brigades (6 regiments each of 4 squadrons), a horse artillery Abteilung (3 four-gun batteries), a machine gun detachment (company size, 6 MGs), plus pioneers, signals and a motor vehicle column. A more detailed Table of Organisation and Equipment can be seen here. The Jäger battalions each consisted of 4 light infantry companies, 1 machine gun company (6 MGs), 1 cyclist company and a motorised vehicle column.{{harvnb|Cron|2002|p=116}}
Commanders
I Cavalry Corps / 56th Corps had the following commanders during its existence:[http://home.comcast.net/~jcviser/army/hkk.htm The Prussian Machine, HKK] Accessed: 20 May 2012[http://home.comcast.net/~jcviser/army/genkdo.htm The Prussian Machine, GenKdo] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120630212356/http://home.comcast.net/~jcviser/army/genkdo.htm |date=2012-06-30 }} Accessed: 20 May 2012[http://www.deutsche-kriegsgeschichte.de/akrkgk.html German War History] Accessed: 20 May 2012
| class="wikitable" | ||
| Commander | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| General der Kavallerie Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen
|2 August 1914 |23 September 1916 | ||
| General der Kavallerie Götz Freiherr von König
|23 September 1916 |5 March 1918 |
See also
References
{{reflist}}
Bibliography
- {{cite book
| last = Cron | first = Hermann
| year = 2002
| title = Imperial German Army 1914-18: Organisation, Structure, Orders-of-Battle [first published: 1937]
| publisher = Helion & Co
| isbn = 1-874622-70-1
}}
- {{cite book
| last1 = Ellis | first1 = John
| last2 = Cox | first2 = Michael
| year = 1993
| title = The World War I Databook
| publisher = Aurum Press Ltd
| isbn = 1-85410-766-6
}}
{{German Empire Armies|2nd=y|9th=y}}
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Category:Corps of Germany in World War I
Category:Cavalry corps of Germany
Category:Military units and formations established in 1914
Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1918