Karl Christof Friedrich von Gerok (26 May 1854 – 18 September 1937 inStuttgart) was an officer ofWürttemberg, general of the infantry of theXXIV Reserve Corps during World War I.[1]
Gerok entered the "Queen Olga" Grenadier Regiment (1st Württemberg) No. 119 on 4 April 1872 as aFahnenjunker; on 11 November 1872 he was namedFähnrich and on 17 October 1873 promoted tosecond lieutenant. On 23 May 1881 he was transferred to the "King Karl" Grenadier Regiment (5th Württemberg) No. 123, with a simultaneous promotion tofirst lieutenant. Until 29 September 1885 he served as regimentaladjutant; he then became adjutant of the 54th Infantry Brigade in Ulm, part of the27th Division, and on 18 August 1888 became acaptain. He was then transferred as a company leader to the "King Wilhelm I" Infantry Regiment (6th Württemberg) No. 124. From 28 December 1893 to 23 February 1897, he functioned as adjutant to theXIII (Royal Württemberg) Army Corps, becoming amajor on 18 June 1895 and then Commander of the 3rd battalion of the "Kaiser Friedrich, King of Prussia" Infantry Regiment (7th Württemberg) No. 125. On his promotion tolieutenant colonel, he was transferred on 7 July 1907 to thestaff of the "Freiherr von Sparr" Infantry (3rd Westphalian) No. 16. On 1 April 1903, he became a member of theReichsmilitärgericht, the highest court of the Army underGerman military law. On 19 July 1904 he resigned from the court and with a simultaneous promotion tocolonel, took command of the "Grand Duke Friedrich of Baden" Infantry Regiment (8th Württemberg) No. 126. On 18 August 1908 he was promoted tomajor general and to command of the 54th Infantry Brigade in Ulm. Following his promotion tolieutenant general on 21 April 1911, he served as commander of the26th division (1st Royal Württemberg). One and a half years later, on 21 September 1912, he was appointedGovernor of Ulm.
Following the outbreak ofWorld War I, Gerok was appointed commander of the54th Reserve Division (2nd Royal Württemberg) on 25 August 1914, and on 30 August promoted to the rank of infantry general. He was succeeded as divisional commander by Infantry General Paul von Schaefer and on 11 September 1914 appointed general in command of theXXIV Reserve Corps. He led them in battle first on theWestern Front in the Battle of Lille (26–28 October 1914) and theFirst Battle of Ypres (30 October–22 November 1914).[2] The corps were then withdrawn and sent to theEastern Front, where they first saw action at theBattle of Łódź. From 13 May until 9 August 1916, they took part in theBattle of Verdun[3] and then moved into theCarpathians, where Gerok also served simultaneously until 24 November 1917 as commander of the Army Group named for him. He led the corps in the battles for terrain inChampagne and atRheims, until 18 February 1918.[4] He was then relieved and once more appointed Governor of Ulm. He carried out this function until 22 May 1918, when he was unassigned until his final dismissal from duty on 10 June 1918. With effect from that date, he was assignedà la suite to the "King Karl" Grenadier Regiment (5th Württemberg) No. 123 by KingWilliam II of Württemberg.
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