X Corps ( German Empire ) The X Army Corps / X AK ( ) was a corps level command of the Prussia n and German Armies before and during World War I . X Corps was one of three formed in the aftermath of the Austro - Prussian War ( the others being IX Corps and XI Corps ) . The Corps was formed in October 1866 with headquarters in Hannover . The catchment area included the newly annexed Kingdom of Hanover ( thereafter the Province of Hanover ) , the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg and the Duchy of Brunswick . During the Franco - Prussian War it was assigned to the 2nd Army . In peacetime , it was assigned to the III Army Inspectorate . which became the 2nd Army at the start of the First World War . It was still in existence at the end of the war in " Armee - Abteilung " B , " Heeresgruppe Herzog Albrecht von Württemberg " at the extreme southern end of the Western Front . The Corps was disbanded with the demobilisation of the German Army after World War I . Franco - Prussian War . During the Franco - Prussian War of 1870 – 71 the army corps fought under the command of General von Voigts - Rhetz in several battles including the Battle of Mars - la - Tour , Battle of Spicheren , Siege of Metz , Battle of Beaune - la - Rolande , Battle of Orléans and Battle of Le Mans . Peacetime organisation . The 25 peacetime Corps of the German Army ( Guards , I - XXI , I - III Bavarian ) had a reasonably standardised organisation . Each consisted of two divisions with usually two infantry brigades , one field artillery brigade and a cavalry brigade each . Each brigade normally consisted of two regiments of the appropriate type , so each Corps normally commanded 8 infantry , 4 field artillery and 4 cavalry regiments . There were exceptions to this rule : Each Corps also directly controlled a number of other units . This could include one or more World War I . Organisation on mobilisation . On mobilization on 2 August 1914 the Corps was restructured . 19th Cavalry Brigade was withdrawn to form part of the 9th Cavalry Division and the 20th Cavalry Brigade was broken up . The 17th ( Brunswick ) Hussars was raised to a strength of 6 squadrons before being split into two half - regiments of 3 squadrons each ; the half - regiments were assigned as divisional cavalry to 19th and 20th Divisions . Likewise , the 16th ( 2nd Hannover ) Dragoons formed two half - regiments which were assigned as divisional cavalry to 17th and 18th Divisions of IX Corps . Divisions received engineer companies and other support units from the Corps headquarters . In summary , X Corps mobilised with 25 infantry battalions , 9 machine gun companies ( 54 machine guns ) , 6 cavalry squadrons , 24 field artillery batteries ( 144 guns ) , 4 heavy artillery batteries ( 16 guns ) , 3 pioneer companies and an aviation detachment . Combat chronicle . On mobilisation , X Corps was assigned to the 2nd Army forming part of the right wing of the forces for the Schlieffen Plan offensive in August 1914 on the Western Front . It was still in existence at the end of the war in " Armee - Abteilung " B , " Heeresgruppe Herzog Albrecht von Württemberg " at the extreme southern end of the Western Front . Commanders . The X Corps had the following commanders during its existence :