I Corps (United Kingdom)

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I Corps
Active	World War I World War II Cold War 1951-1994
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Army
Type	Field corps

The I Corps was a military formation, 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 for 80 years, longer than any other corps.

1 World Wars I and II
2 British Army of the Rhine
3 General Officers Commanding-in-Chief
4 References and Sources

[edit] World Wars I and II

During World War I it was part of the original British Expeditionary Force, under the command of Sir Douglas Haig, and remained on the Western Front throughout the war. It fought at the Battle of Mons in 1914 and alongside the Canadian Corps at the Battle of Hill 70, as well in many other large battles of World War I.

During World War II, its first assignment was again to the British Expeditionary Force where it was commanded by General Dill. Along with virtually the whole of that force, it was evacuated from Dunkirk after the Germans broke through Allied lines. I Corps then remained in the United Kingdom until the landings in Normandy for Operation Overlord. It was assigned to Second Army in 21st Army Group for most of the campaign in France, the Low Countries and Germany, under the command of Lieutenant General John Crocker. It was then subordinated to First Canadian Army until April 1, 1945,^[1] the I Corps Headquarters then took over administration of 21st Army Group's logistics area around the port of Antwerp, Belgium until the end of the war.

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[edit] British Army of the Rhine

After the defeat of Germany, 21st Army Group became the British Army of the Rhine (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. In March 1952, following the reactivation of 6th Armoured Division, its component formations were:

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:

Following the 1981-3 reorganisation, the Corps consisted of 1st and 4th Armoured Divisions, which would have manned the front line against the anticipated attack by the Soviet 3rd Shock Army, plus in an in-depth, reserve role the 3rd Armoured Division and finally the 2nd Infantry Division which was tasked with rear-area security.

1st Armoured Division
3rd Armoured Division (HQ St. Sebastian Barracks, Soest)
- 4th Armoured Brigade
- 6th Armoured Brigade
- 19th Infantry Brigade (in UK)
4th Armoured Division
2nd Infantry Division
Artillery Division (HQ Ripon Barracks, Bielefeld)

With the end of the Cold War, I (BR) Corps was redesignated in 1992 as a NATO Rapid Reaction Corps under SACEUR and renamed as Headquarters Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps. HQ ARRC moved to Rheindahlen in 1994.