III Reserve Corps III. Reserve-Korps
Flag of the Staff of a Generalkommando (1871–1918)
Active	2 August 1914 - post November 1918
Country	German Empire
Type	Corps
Size	Approximately 38,000 (on formation)
Engagements	World War I Battle of the Frontiers Siege of Antwerp First Battle of Ypres
Insignia
Abbreviation	III RK

TheIII Reserve Corps (German:III. Reserve-Korps / III RK) was acorps level command of theGermanArmy inWorld War I.

III Reserve Corps was formed on the outbreak of the war in August 1914^[1] as part of the mobilisation of the Army. It was initially commanded byGeneral der InfanterieHans von Beseler, recalled from retirement.^[2] It was still in existence at the end of the war.^[3]

On formation in August 1914, III 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^[4]

Reserve Jäger Battalions did not have a machine gun company on formation^[5]

Reserve Cavalry Regiments consisted of just three squadrons^[6]

Reserve Field Artillery Regiments usually consisted of twoabteilungen of three batteries each^[7]

Corps Troops generally consisted of a Telephone Detachment and four sections of munition columns and trains^[8]

In summary, III Reserve Corps mobilised with 25 infantry battalions, 7 machine gun companies (42 machine guns), 6 cavalry squadrons, 12 field artillery batteries (72 guns) and 3pioneer companies.

On mobilisation, III Reserve Corps was assigned to the1st Army on the right wing of the forces that invadedFrance andBelgium as part of theSchlieffen Plan offensive in August 1914. It was detached from 1st Army to take part in theSiege of Antwerp thereby missing the 1st Army's early battles (Mons,Le Cateau,Marne,Aisne,Arras). With the conclusion of the siege on 10 October 1914, it was assigned to4th Army and took part in theFirst Battle of Ypres.

III Reserve Corps had the following commanders during its existence:^[13][14]

• German Army order of battle (1914)
• Order of First Battle of Ypres

• Cron, Hermann (2002).Imperial German Army 1914-18: Organisation, Structure, Orders-of-Battle [first published: 1937]. Helion & Co.ISBN 1-874622-70-1.
• Ellis, John; Cox, Michael (1993).The World War I Databook. Aurum Press Ltd.ISBN 1-85410-766-6.
• Histories of Two Hundred and Fifty-One Divisions of the German Army which Participated in the War (1914-1918), compiled from records of Intelligence section of the General Staff, American Expeditionary Forces, at General Headquarters, Chaumont, France 1919. The London Stamp Exchange Ltd. 1989 [1920].ISBN 0-948130-87-3.
• The German Forces in the Field; 7th Revision, 11th November 1918; Compiled by the General Staff, War Office. Imperial War Museum, London and The Battery Press, Inc (1995). 1918.ISBN 1-870423-95-X.{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)

• Corps of Germany in World War I
• Military units and formations established in 1914
• Military units and formations disestablished in 1918

• Use dmy dates from April 2018
• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
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