British I Corps

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British I Corps

The I Corps was a military formation

Command (military formation)

A command in military terminology has several meanings.In referring to military organization it is a collection of military unit or a group of personnel under the control of a single officer....
, specifically a field corps headquarters of the British Army. The corps was in existence during various periods as an active formation in the British Army

British Army

The British Army is the Army branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of Kingdom of England and Kingdom of Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707....
for 80 years, longer than any other corps.

ng World War I

World War I

World War I, or the First World War , was a global military conflict which involved the Great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War I and the Central Powers....
it was part of the original British Expeditionary Force, under the command of Sir Douglas Haig

Douglas Haig

Douglas Haig may refer to:*Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig, British Earl and a Field Marshall during the First World War*Club Atl?tico Douglas Haig, a football club from Argentina...
, and remained on the Western Front

Western Front (World War I)

Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Empire army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France....
throughout the war. It fought at the Battle of Mons

Battle of Mons

The Battle of Mons was the first major action of the British Expeditionary Force in World War I....
in 1914 and alongside the Canadian Corps

Canadian Corps

For other uses of Canadian Corps, see Canadian Corps The Canadian Corps was a World War I corps formed from the Canadian Expeditionary Force in September 1915 after the arrival of the 2nd Canadian Division in France....
at the Battle of Hill 70

Battle of Hill 70

The Battle of Hill 70 was a localized battle of World War I between the Canadian Corps and five divisions of the 6th Army . The battle took place along the Western Front on the outskirts of Lens, Pas-de-Calais in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France between 15 August 1917 and 25 August 1917....
, as well in many other large battles of World War I.
ng World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a Participants in World War II, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II and the Axis powers....
, I Corps' first assignment was again to the British Expeditionary Force

British Expeditionary Force (World War II)

The British Expeditionary warfare was the name given to the British Forces in Europe from 1939?1940 during The Second World War....
where it was commanded by General Dill

John Dill

Field Marshal Sir John Greer Dill, Order of the Bath, Order of St Michael and St George, Distinguished Service Order was a United Kingdom commander in World War I and World War II who played a significant role in the formation of the "special relationship" between the United Kingdom and the United States....
.

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Encyclopedia

The I Corps was a military formation

Command (military formation)

British Army

World War I

During World War I

World War I

Douglas Haig

Western Front (World War I)

Battle of Mons

The Battle of Mons was the first major action of the British Expeditionary Force in World War I....
in 1914 and alongside the Canadian Corps

Canadian Corps

Battle of Hill 70

World War II

During World War II

World War II

British Expeditionary Force (World War II)

The British Expeditionary warfare was the name given to the British Forces in Europe from 1939?1940 during The Second World War....
where it was commanded by General Dill

John Dill

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands....
broke through Allied

Allies of World War II

The Allies of World War II were the countries officially opposed to the Axis powers of World War II during the World War II. Within the ranks of the Allies powers, the British Empire, the Soviet Union, and the United States of America were known as "The Big Three"....
lines. I Corps then remained in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
until the landings in Normandy

Normandy

Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is situated along the coast of France south of the English Channel between Brittany and Picardy and comprises territory in northern France and the Channel Islands....
for Operation Overlord

Operation Overlord

Operation Overlord was the code name for the invasion of Western Front during World War II by Western Allies forces. The operation began with the Normandy Landings on 6 June 1944 , among the largest amphibious warfares ever conducted....
, where, along with XXX Corps, it was a spearhead corps of Second Army

British Second Army

The British Second Army existed in both the First World War and Second World Wars....
of 21st Army Group. After fighting for two months around Caen

Caen

Caen is a commune in France in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados Departments of France and the capital of the Basse-Normandie r?gion in France....
, the Corps was subordinated on 1 August 1944 to First Canadian Army

First Canadian Army

The First Canadian Army was the senior Canadian operational formation in Europe during the Second World War.The Army was formed in early 1942, replacing the existing unnumbered Canadian Corps , as the growing number of Canadian forces in the United Kingdom necessitated an expansion to two corps....
for the remainder of the Normandy campaign and the subsequent operations in the Low Countries

Low Countries

The Low Countries, the historical region of de Nederlanden, are the country on low-lying land around the river delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse River rivers....
and Germany until April 1, 1945,. I Corps Headquarters then took over administration of 21st Army Group's logistics area around the port of Antwerp

Antwerp

||-||-||-||}Antwerp is a city and municipality in Belgium and the capital of the Antwerp in Flanders, one of Belgium's three regions....
, Belgium

Belgium

* A small German-speaking Community of Belgium exists in eastern Wallonia. Belgium's linguistic diversity and related political and cultural conflicts are reflected in the history of Belgium and a complex Communities and regions of Belgium....
until the end of the war. During the North-West Europe campaign it was under the command of Lieutenant General John Crocker

John Crocker

General Sir John Tredinnick Crocker Order of the Bath, Order of the British Empire, Distinguished Service Order, Military Cross was a British Army officer and corps commander during World War II....
.

Composition of I Corps in World War II

1944
As of 6 June 1944

3rd Infantry Division
Canadian 3rd Infantry Division
6th Airborne Division

As of 7 July 1944

3rd Infantry Division
Canadian 3rd Infantry Division
51st (Highland) Infantry Division
59th (Staffordshire) Infantry Division
6th Airborne Division

As of 1 August 1944 (now part of First Canadian Army)

51st (Highland) Infantry Division
6th Airborne Division (returns to UK 3 September 1944)
49th (West Riding) Infantry Division

British Army of the Rhine

After the defeat of Germany, 21st Army Group became the British Army of the Rhine

British Army of the Rhine

There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine . Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after World War I, and the other after World War II....
(BAOR), and I Corps was transformed into a corps district, with an administrative, rather than combat, role. It was disbanded in 1947.

However, in October 1951 the corps was reactivated to become the principal combat element of the BAOR, with its HQ based in Bielefeld

Bielefeld

Bielefeld is a district-free town in the Regierungsbezirk Detmold in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located at on both the western and eastern slopes of the Teutoburg Forest....
. In March 1952, following the reactivation of 6th Armoured Division, its component formations were:

2nd Infantry Division
6th Armoured Division
7th Armoured Division
11th Armoured Division

Included as part of this was Canada's

Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
contribution to the NATO land forces in Germany. A Canadian mechanised brigade remained part of BAOR until 1970.

In a following 1958-60 reorganisation the Corps was formed into three mixed armour/infantry divisions including five brigade groups, which were in 1965 brought together into three centralised divisions. With the end of National Service manpower across the whole of BAOR dropped from around 77,000 to 55,000.

In the late 1970s the Corps was reorganised as four small five battle group armoured divisions plus a roughly brigade sized infantry 'Field Force'. It then comprised:

1st Armoured Division
2nd Armoured Division
3rd Armoured Division
4th Armoured Division
5th Field Force

Following the 1981-3 reorganisation, the Corps consisted of 1st

British 1st Armoured Division

The 1st Armoured Division is an armored division of the British Army. It saw extensive service during World War II, was disbanded afterward, was reconstituted in 1976, and remains in service today....
and 4th Armoured Divisions

British 4th Infantry Division

HistoryThe 4th Infantry Division is a regular British Army division with a long history having been present at the Peninsular War the Crimean War , World War I , and during the Second World War....
, which would have manned the front line against the anticipated attack by the Soviet 3rd Shock Army

3rd Shock Army (Soviet Union)

The 3rd Army #Shock Armies was a field army of the Red Army formed during the Second World War. The 'Shock' armies were created with the specific structure to engage and destroy significant enemy forces, and were reinforced with more armoured and artillery assets than other combined arms armies....
, plus in an in-depth, reserve role the 3rd Armoured Division

British 3rd Infantry Division

The British 3rd Infantry Division, known at various times as the Iron Division, 3rd Division or as Iron Sides, was originally formed in 1809 by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington for service in the Peninsular War, and was known as the "Fighting 3rd" under Thomas Picton during the Napoleonic Wars....
and finally the 2nd Infantry Division

British 2nd Infantry Division

The British 2nd Division was originally formed in 1809 by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington for service in the Peninsula War. During the World War I it was a permanently established Regular Army division that was amongst the first to be sent to France at the outbreak of the war....
which was tasked with rear-area security.

1st Armoured Division

7th Armoured Brigade
12th Armoured Brigade
22nd Armoured Brigade

3rd Armoured Division
British 3rd Infantry Division

The British 3rd Infantry Division, known at various times as the Iron Division, 3rd Division or as Iron Sides, was originally formed in 1809 by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington for service in the Peninsular War, and was known as the "Fighting 3rd" under Thomas Picton during the Napoleonic Wars....
(HQ St. Sebastian Barracks, Soest)

4th Armoured Brigade
British 4th Armoured Brigade

The 4th Mechanized Brigade is a British Army brigade formed during the Second World War in 1941 , it is currently based in Catterick Garrison, England, forming part of the 1st Armoured Division ....
6th Armoured Brigade
19th Infantry Brigade (in UK)

4th Armoured Division
British 4th Infantry Division

HistoryThe 4th Infantry Division is a regular British Army division with a long history having been present at the Peninsular War the Crimean War , World War I , and during the Second World War....

11th Armoured Brigade
20th Armoured Brigade
33rd Armoured Brigade
33rd Armoured Brigade (United Kingdom)

HistoryThe 33rd Armoured Brigade was a Second World War British Army independent brigade,Formed in the UK on 17 March 1944 by redesignation of British 33rd Tank Brigade....

2nd Infantry Division

15th Infantry Brigade
24th Infantry Brigade
49th Infantry Brigade

Artillery Division (HQ Ripon Barracks, Bielefeld)

With the end of the Cold War

Cold War

The Cold War was the continuing state of conflict, tension and competition that existed between a number of world powers, including the United States, the Soviet Union, People's Republic of China, France, United Kingdom and those countries' respective allies from the mid-1940s to the early 1990s....
, I (BR) Corps was redesignated in 1992 as a NATO Rapid Reaction Corps under SACEUR

Supreme Allied Commander

Supreme Allied Commander is the title held by the most senior commander within certain multinational military alliances. It originated as a term used by the Western Allies during World War II, and is currently used only within NATO....
and renamed as Headquarters Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps

Headquarters Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps

The Headquarters Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, was created on 2 October 1992 in Bielefeld based on the former British I Corps . It was originally created as the rapid reaction corps sized land force of the Reaction Forces Concept that emerged after the end of the Cold War, with a mission to redeploy and reinforce within Allied Command Europe...
. HQ ARRC moved to Rheindahlen in 1994.

General Officers Commanding

This list is incomplete

Lieutenant-General Sir D. Haig
Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig

Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig, Order of the Thistle, Order of the Bath, Order of Merit, Royal Victorian Order, Order of the Indian Empire, Aide de Camp was a United Kingdom soldier and senior commander during World War I....
, (1914)
Lieutenant-General Sir H. de la P. Gough, (1916)
General Sir John Dill
John Dill

Field Marshal Sir John Greer Dill, Order of the Bath, Order of St Michael and St George, Distinguished Service Order was a United Kingdom commander in World War I and World War II who played a significant role in the formation of the "special relationship" between the United Kingdom and the United States....
, (1939-1940)
Lieutenant-General Michael Barker, (1940)
Lieutenant-General Harold Alexander, (1940)
Lieutenant-General Lawrence Carr, (1940-1941)
Lieutenant-General Henry Beresford Dennitts Willcox, (1941-1942)
Lieutenant-General Frederick Morgan
Frederick Morgan

The name Frederick Morgan may refer to:* Frederick E. Morgan , British Army World War II general* Frederick Morgan , English painter...
, (1942-1943)
Lieutenant-General Stanley George Savige, (1943-1944)
Lieutenant-General John Crocker
John Crocker

General Sir John Tredinnick Crocker Order of the Bath, Order of the British Empire, Distinguished Service Order, Military Cross was a British Army officer and corps commander during World War II....
, (1944-1945)
Lieutenant-General Sir S.C. Kirkman, (1945)
Lieutenant-General Gwilym Ivor Thomas, (1945-1947)
Lieutenant-General A.D. Ward
Alfred Dudley Ward

General Sir Alfred Dudley Ward, Order of the Bath, Order of the British Empire, Distinguished Service Order, , was a British Army officer during the World War II and later Governor of Gibraltar....
, (1951-1952)
Lieutenant-General A.J.H. Cassels, (1953-1954)
Lieutenant-General Sir R.E. Goodwin, (1963-1966)
Lieutenant-General Sir M.A.H. Butler, (1968-1970)
Lieutenant-General Sir J.A.T. Sharp, (1970-1971)
Lieutenant-General Sir R.C. Gibbs, (1972-1974)
Lieutenant-General Sir J.W. Harman, (1974-1976)
Lieutenant-General Sir R.E. Worsley, (1976-1978)
Lieutenant-General Sir N.T. Bagnall, (1980-1983)
Lieutenant-General Sir B.L.G. Kenny, (1985-1987)
Lieutenant-General Sir P.A. Inge
Peter Inge, Baron Inge

Field Marshal Peter Anthony Inge, Baron Inge Order of the Garter, Order of the Bath, Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, Deputy Lieutenant was the Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army, between 1992 and 1994....
, (1987-1989)
Lieutenant-General Sir C.R.L. Guthrie
Charles Guthrie, Baron Guthrie of Craigiebank

General Charles Ronald Llewelyn Guthrie, Baron Guthrie of Craigiebank, Order of the Bath, Royal Victorian Order, Order of the British Empire, Deputy Lieutenant was Chief of the Defence Staff between 1997 and 2001 and Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army, between 1994 and 1997....
, (1989-1991)
Lieutenant-General Jeremy John George Mackenzie, (1991-1992)