III Cavalry Corps (German Empire)


The III Cavalry Corps was a formation of the German Army in World War I. The corps was formed on mobilization of the German Army in August 1914 and disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I.

III Cavalry Corps

Initially on the Western Front with 7th, 8th and Bavarian Cavalry Divisions preceding 6th Army. Transferred to the East on 9 September 1914 and assigned to 9th Army with just 8th Cavalry Division. Redesignated 20 November 1916 as 57th Corps .

57th Corps

57th Corps was formed on 20 November 1916 by the redesignation of III Cavalry Corps. 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 .
By the end of the war, the Corps was serving on the Western Front as part of Armee-Abteilung C with the following composition:
Initially, the Corps simply consisted of 3 Cavalry Divisions 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.
On formation in August 1914, the Corps consisted of:
Each cavalry division consisted of 3 cavalry brigades, a horse artillery Abteilung, a machine gun detachment, 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, 1 cyclist company and a motorised vehicle column.

Designations

The corps was continually redesignated depending upon its role from time to time.
DesignationFromTo
Senior Cavalry Command 32 August 191423 September 1914
Corps Frommel24 September 19142 January 1915
Cavalry Corps Frommel2 January 191514 May 1915
Army Group FrommelMay 19151 August 1915
Cavalry Corps Frommel6 August 19157 September 1915
Corps Frommel8 September 191518 November 1916
57th Corps 20 November 1916End of the war

Commanders

III Cavalry Corps / 57th Corps had the following commanders during its existence:
CommanderFromTo
General der Kavallerie Rudolf Ritter von Frommel2 August 19147 April 1918
Generalleutnant Bernhard von Hartz7 April 1918End of the war