I Corps (Netherlands)

{{Expand Dutch|topic=mil|date=February 2019}} [[File:Legeroefening Big Ferro in Duitsland, Nederlandse tanks tijdens oefening, Bestanddeelnr 926-6816.jpg|thumb|Dutch [[M113 armored personnel carrier]]s in action during Exercise Big Ferro in [[West Germany]] in 1973 ]] [[File:Bezoek Hare Majesteit de Koningin aan Nederlandse troep in Seedorf en omstreken , Bestanddeelnr 933-7361.jpg|thumb|MBT [[Leopard 2]], [[Seedorf, Lower Saxony]], in 1986.]] The '''I [[Netherlands]] Corps''' was an [[army corps]] of the [[Royal Netherlands Army]]. It formed after the [[Second World War]] and after the fall of the [[Iron Curtain]] was disestablished.

== World War II (1940) == The I Army Corps (Dutch: ''I. Legerkorps'') was a prior, separate formation of the Royal Netherlands Army mobilized in April 1940 and served as one of the four principal corps of the [[Field Army (Netherlands)|Field Army]] (''Veldleger'') during the [[Battle of the Netherlands]].

The Corps was tasked with the central defence of the [[Fortress Holland]] (''Vesting Holland''). It was commanded by Lieutenant General Baron D. H. van Doorninck.<ref name="Doorninck">{{cite book |last=War Department |title=Handbook on the Netherlands and Netherlands East Indies Armies |year=1942 |publisher=U.S. War Department |page=24 |url=https://archive.org/details/handbookonnether00unit/page/24/mode=2up |access-date=2023-11-20}}</ref>

=== Order of Battle (May 10, 1940) === The structure of the I Army Corps on the eve of the German invasion was as follows:<ref name="Icorps">{{cite web |url=https://dutcharmy1940.art.blog/i-legerkorps/ |title=I. Legerkorps – Dutch Army Order of Battle – May 10th, 1940 |website=Dutch Army 1940 Order of Battle |access-date=2024-06-25}}</ref>

* '''Corps Headquarters''' (Staf I. Legerkorps) * '''Subordinate Divisions''' (Two infantry divisions): ** [[1st_Division_(Netherlands)|1st Division]] (''1e Divisie'') ** [[3rd Division_(Netherlands)|3rd Division]] (''3e Divisie'') * '''Corps Troops''' (Artillery, Engineers, and Support): ** ''1st Motorised Artillery Regiment'' (1e Regiment Motor-Artillerie) ** ''2nd Heavy Artillery Battalion'' (2e Bataljon Zware Artillerie) ** ''1st Anti-Tank Company'' (1e Compagnie Pantserafweergeschut) ** ''1st Anti-Aircraft Machine Gun Company'' (1e Compagnie Luchtdoel Mitrailleurs) ** ''1st Signals Battalion'' (1e Bataljon Verbindingstroepen) ** ''1st Engineer Battalion'' (1e Bataljon Pontonniers) ** ''1st Railway Engineer Company'' (1e Spoorweg Genisten Compagnie) * '''Detached Units:''' ** III Battalion, 4th Regiment Grenadiers (III-4 Regiment Grenadiers) detached to Group Merwede

The Corps was disbanded following the surrender of the Dutch forces in May 1940 and was later reactivated for its Cold War role.

=== Navigation === {{Navbox | name = Dutch Army Divisions 1940 | title = [[Royal Netherlands Army]] Field Army (Veldleger) Structure – May 1940 | state = {{{state|autocollapse}}} | listclass = hlist | groupstyle = background:#f0f0f0; text-align:right; width:20%;

| group2 = [[II Corps (Netherlands)|II Army Corps]] | list2 = * [[2nd Division (Netherlands)|2nd Division]] * 4th Division

| group3 = [[III Corps (Netherlands)|III Army Corps]] * [[5th Division (Netherlands)|5th Division]] * [[6th Division (Netherlands)|6th Division]]

| group5 = Independent Commands | list5 = * [[Light Division (Netherlands)|Light Division]] * [[Peel Division]] }}

== Cold War and NATO (1945–1995) ==

In January 1949, the government agreed to the establishment of an army corps. In the same year, the [[North Atlantic Treaty Organization]] was established. In 1955, after joining [[Federal Republic of Germany (1949-1990)|West Germany]] to NATO, the 1st Army Corps was made responsible for the defense of a part of the [[North German Plain]]. The army corps was part of the [[Northern Army Group]] of NATO. From 1963 onwards, part of the army corps was actually stationed in Germany, namely in [[Seedorf (military camp)|Seedorf]].

The corps's war assignment, as formulated by Commander, [[Northern Army Group]] (COMNORTHAG), would be to:<ref>a-d quoted from Felius, Einde oefening. Infanterist tijdens de Koude Oorlog (Arnhem: Uitgeverij Quintijn, 2002), 305, via Hans Boersma, [http://www.orbat85.nl/order-of-battle/royal-army/1-nl-corps/1-lk.html I (NL) Corps], accessed 4 April 2012</ref>

*Assume responsibility for its corps sector and relieve 1st German Corps forces as soon as possible. *Fight the covering force battle in accordance with COMNORTHAG's concept of operations. *In the main defensive battle: (1) hold and destroy the forces of the enemy's leading armies conventionally as far east as possible, maintaining cohesion with 1 (GE) Corps; (2) in the event of a major penetration affecting 1 (NL) Corps sector, be prepared to hold the area between the roads A7 and B3 and to conduct a counterattack according to COMNORTHAG's concept of operations. *Maintain cohesion with LANDJUT and secure NORTHAG's left flank in the Forward Combat Zone.

== Structure == {{Location map+ |FRG and West Berlin | width = 575 | float = right | caption = I NL Corps and its assigned German units and Dutch units based or earmarked for rapid deployment to Germany in 1989 | places = {{Location map~|FRG and West Berlin | label = '''I NL Corps''' | position = right | background = white | mark = Green pog.svg | marksize = 12 | lat_deg = 52 | lat_min = 13 | lat_dir = N | lon_deg = 05 | lon_min = 58 | lon_dir = E }} {{Location map~|FRG and West Berlin | label = '''4 Divisie''' | position = right | background = white | mark = Pink pog.svg | marksize = 10 | lat_deg = 52 | lat_min = 21 | lat_dir = N | lon_deg = 5 | lon_min = 37 | lon_dir = E }} {{Location map~|FRG and West Berlin | label = 41 Pantser | position = right | background = white | mark = Pink ff0080 pog.svg | marksize = 8 | lat_deg = 53 | lat_min = 21 | lat_dir = N | lon_deg = 09 | lon_min = 14 | lon_dir = E }} {{Location map~|FRG and West Berlin | label = 42 Pantserinf. | position = right | background = white | mark = Pink pog.svg | marksize = 8 | lat_deg = 53 | lat_min = 0 | lat_dir = N | lon_deg = 6 | lon_min = 34 | lon_dir = E }} {{Location map~|FRG and West Berlin | label = 43 Pantserinf. | position = right | background = white | mark = Pink pog.svg | marksize = 8 | lat_deg = 52 | lat_min = 46 | lat_dir = N | lon_deg = 6 | lon_min = 12 | lon_dir = E }} {{Location map~|FRG and West Berlin | label = '''[[3rd Panzer Division (Bundeswehr)|3 Panzer]]''' | position = left | background = white | mark = Pink ff0080 pog.svg | marksize = 10 | lat_deg = 53 | lat_min = 28 | lat_dir = N | lon_deg = 09 | lon_min = 42 | lon_dir = E }} {{Location map~|FRG and West Berlin | label = 7 PzGren. | position = right | background = white | mark = Pink pog.svg | marksize = 8 | lat_deg = 53 | lat_min = 33 | lat_dir = N | lon_deg = 10 | lon_min = 00 | lon_dir = E }} {{Location map~|FRG and West Berlin | label = 8 Panzer | position = right | background = white | mark = Pink ff0080 pog.svg | marksize = 8 | lat_deg = 53 | lat_min = 15 | lat_dir = N | lon_deg = 10 | lon_min = 24 | lon_dir = E }} {{Location map~|FRG and West Berlin | label = [[Panzerlehrbrigade 9|9 Panzer]] | position = right | background = white | mark = Pink ff0080 pog.svg | marksize = 8 | lat_deg = 52 | lat_min = 59 | lat_dir = N | lon_deg = 10 | lon_min = 05 | lon_dir = E }} {{Location map~|FRG and West Berlin | label = 3 Art. | position = right | background = white | mark = Yellow pog.svg | marksize = 6 | lat_deg = 53 | lat_min = 36 | lat_dir = N | lon_deg = 09 | lon_min = 28 | lon_dir = E }} }}

After the Second World War until July 18, 1995<ref>[http://www.trouw.nl/tr/nl/5009/Archief/archief/article/detail/2704441/1995/08/29/Het-legerkorps-is- dood-lang-leve-het-legerkorps.dhtml Trouw]</ref> the [[Royal Netherlands Army]] had one army corps (1st Army Corps) of three divisions (1st Division "7 December", 4th, and 5th) and army corps troops.

[[First Division "7 December"]] was withdrawn from the East Indies in 1949–1950 and spent the remainder of the [[Cold War]] as part of [[NATO]] [[Northern Army Group]]'s I (Netherlands) Corps as a deterrent against a [[Soviet]] attack on [[West Germany]]. In 1985, it had its headquarters at [[Schaarsbergen]], and divisional troops included the 102nd Reconnaissance Battalion (maintained through the Dutch mobilisation system RIM) at [[Hoogland]].<ref>{{cite book |first1=David C. |last1=Isby |first2=Charles Tustin |last2=Kamps |title=Armies of NATO's Central Front |publisher=Jane's Publishing Company |date=1985 |page=331 |isbn=9780710603418}}</ref>

== See also == *[[NORTHAG wartime structure in 1989]] *[[Belgian Forces in Germany]]

== References == <references/>

== External links == * [http://www.orbat85.nl/order-of-battle/royal-army/1-nl-corps/1-lk.html Webpage on 1st Korps, 1985] * [http://www.gahetna.nl/collectie/archief/pdf/NL-HaNA_2.13.148.ead.pdf Inventaris van het archief van de stafonderdelen van het 1e legerkorps en de daaronder ressorterende divisies, (1945-1947) 1949-1994 (gahetna.nl)] * {{cite web|last1=Alter|first1=Fritz|title=Gliederung und Stationierung der niederländischen Streitkräfte in Deutschland im Jahre 1989|url=http://www.relikte.com/_basis/docs/nlsd-1.pdf|format=PDF|website=Relikte.com|accessdate=15 July 2017|archive-date=22 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170322100041/http://www.relikte.com/_basis/docs/nlsd-1.pdf|url-status=dead}}

[[Category:Military units and formations of the Netherlands]] [[Category:Corps]] [[Category:1952 establishments in the Netherlands]]