V Cavalry Corps (German Empire)
German Army formation in WWI
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The V Cavalry Corps (German: Höhere Kavallerie-Kommando 5 / HKK 5 literally: Higher Cavalry Command 5) was a formation of the German Army in World War I.
| V Cavalry Corps (Höhere Kavallerie-Kommando Nr 5) Higher Cavalry Command No. 5 | |
|---|---|
Flag of the Staff of a Generalkommando (1871–1918) | |
| Active | 3 June 1916-1919 |
| Disbanded | 1919 |
| Country |  German Empire |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Cavalry |
| Engagements | World War I |
| Insignia | |
| Abbreviation | HKK 5 |
V Cavalry Corps
During the Courland Offensive a wide gap opened between the Army of the Niemen and 10th Army. Set up by the Army of the Niemen as temporary Cavalry Corps Schmettow, commanded by Generalleutnant Egon Graf von Schmettow. Established 18 August 1915. Redesignated 20 November 1916 as 58th Corps (z.b.V.).[1][2]
58th Corps
58th Corps (z.b.V.)[3] was formed on 20 November 1916 by the redesignation of V Cavalry Corps.[4] 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 (Genkdo z.b.V.).
By the end of the war, the Corps was serving on the Western Front as part of the 5th Army with the following composition:[5]
- 240th Division
- 15th Bavarian Division
- 52nd Division
- 31st Division
Commanders
V Cavalry Corps / 58th Corps had the following commanders during its existence:[6][7][8]
| Commander | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| Generalleutnant Egon Graf von Schmettow | 21 August 1915 | 6 February 1918 |
| Generalleutnant Alfred von Kleist | 6 February 1918 | end of war |
