Armies of Second Line (Reserve or Territorial Armies)
Most nations will also mobilize an “Army of Second Line,” mainly composed of Reserve Divisions of Infantry. Some of these Divisions may be inserted in the Army Corps of the First-Line Force, as in France and Austria; others may be added independently to some of the Armies, as in the German Army in 1866 and 1870; in some cases they may be formed into a separate Reserve Army, either for support of the Armies in the Field, or for special operations in a separate theatre. The main work, however, of the “Second-Line” Force will be to defend the Lines of Communication, and provide troops for Sieges, for Garrisons, and for Coast Defence. It will also have to guard the railways at home, keep order in the cities, guard frontiers, and take charge of prisoners. Germany provides an Army of Third Line, called the Landwehr or Home Defence Army, for the latter purposes.
Until late years no country but Prussia had an Army of Reserve, or a “Territorial Army.” Its formation to replace loose levies, or “National Guards,” has been a great step in organization for war. The latter, being practically improvised bodies, were deficient in discipline and cohesion, even if inspired by patriotism and courage. Territorial Forces, on the contrary, are to some extent organized, at least with “cadres”—that is, in skeleton—the officers for them being allotted beforehand; their personnel, too, will consist to some extent of men who have had more or less training; their arms and equipment can be provided in peace. The process, therefore, of mobilizing a Territorial Force will be far less hasty and confused than in the case of new levies. At the same time, “Second-Line Armies” are never so well organized as those of First Line. They comprise an undue proportion of Infantry to the other Arms, and will be weak in Cavalry, guns, and Engineers; their Administrative Services will be mainly improvised; they will be officered by old regular officers, or non-professional younger ones; the men will have been some years away from the ranks, and their training will be rusty. The formation, too, of Reserve Units will generally have to be postponed until the heavy work of mobilizing and concentrating the First-Line Army is completed. In German opinion the Reserve Army is not fit to be placed in first line at the beginning of a war.
The British Territorial Force differs from all others in being completely organized with a correct proportion of all Arms and Services, and provided in peace with Subordinate Commanders and their Staff, besides being trained annually.
Reserves
In addition to the above Reserve Forces, all foreign nations possess a last resource in the shape of a great number of men, many of whom, however, have received no training at all. Being totally unorganized, they could only be used as reserve men to fill the depôts of the organized Forces, and should not rightly be counted in to swell the numbers of available troops.
It may be of interest to glance at the actual forces which Germany could produce for war, as her army may be taken as the best developed example of the modern national armies of Europe.
A. Army of First Line: 23 Army Corps and 14 Cavalry Divisions, with their Depôts.
B. Reserve Army, of Second Line: 48 Infantry Divisions, formed by Cadres taken from the Standing Army in peace, and filled by men who have passed through the Army into the Reserve.
C. Landwehr Army, of Third Line: 30 to 40 Brigades of Infantry—that is, 1 per Division, or perhaps only 1 per Army Corps, of the Standing Army.
Cadres for B and C are formed as follows: