XVIII Corps (United Kingdom)

This article is about the United Kingdom Army unit. For other units of the same name, see XVIII Corps.

The XVIII Corps was a British infantry formation during World War I. It was reactivated, briefly, in Cyprus during World War II as part of a military deception.

XVIII Corps
XVIII Corps formation badge.
Active	World War I
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Field corps
Part of	Fifth Army
Engagements	World War I[1] Battles of the Hindenburg Line Battle of Passchendaele Battle of the Somme (1918)

History

British XVIII Corps was formed in France in January 1917 under Lieutenant General Sir Ivor Maxse.^[1]

From its formation, XVIII Corps Cavalry Regiment was provided by A and B Squadrons, South Irish Horse and B Squadron, 1/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry. In May 1917, F Squadron South Irish Horse replaced the Herts Yeomanry, and XVIII Corps Cavalry Regiment was also known as 2nd South Irish Horse. It was dissolved in August 1917 when the South Irish Horse went to be retrained as infantry.^[2]

XVIII Corps pursued the German forces to the Hindenberg Line and was then merged into VIII Corps in July 1918.^[1]

In 1941, during World War 2, the XVII Corps was briefly reactivated as a fictional unit, as part of the Cyprus Defence Plan deception. However, it was later renamed XXV Corps.^[3]

General officers commanding

Commanders included:

• 15 January 1917 – 22 July 1918 Lieutenant-General Sir Ivor Maxse^[4]
• 22 June – 2 July 1918 Lieutenant-General Sir Aylmer Hunter-Weston