Chapter 2 (Huba Mobilization Plan) — The Royal Hungarian Army 1920 – 1945

CHAPTER 2 — Military Organization and the Armed Forces —

Annex: Huba Mobilization Plan for the I Corps
[Annex III, Darnoy, Organisation der kgl.ung. Honvéd Armee] Hungarian Military Organizational Symbols	The Corps in peace time was both a command and an administrative headquarters, and concurrently the Honvéd Military District with the same number. It was subordinate to the Honvéd Ministry in peace time. It called up reservists, organized recruiting and carried out training. Upon mobilization, it split into the Corps Headquarters with its Artillery Command – subordinated to the Army General Staff – and the Honvéd Military District, which remained under the Honvéd Ministry. (The mobilization plan for the I Corps in principle applied as well for the other corps.) Higher Headquarters (1) The Field Corps command (or Corps Headquarters) was a field unit and subordinate to the Hungarian Army General Staff. The commanding general of the peace time Corps, with his headquarters staff, the artillery, infantry, signal, engineer, etc. staff commanders formed the Field Corps. Under his command were field combat units. (2) What remained behind was the administrative part: the Honvéd Military District, commanded by the deputy corps commander. It carried on the administrative, replacement, and training missions. It also organize the reception and processing of wounded or convalescents personnel. It dispatched replacement drafts, so-called "march" battalions to the Field Corps. (It was sometimes referred to as a depot command). The Honvéd Military District was not considered as part of the field forces, and remained subordinate to the Honvéd Ministry. Infantry (3) The brigade headquarters were known up to 1938 in peace time as "Infantry Commanders" (1./1., 1./2., 1./3., etc.) to hide their existence. [For this same reason, the Bicycle Brigade was known as the "Staff for Special Purposes"]. (4) The Brigades were the field command echelons. The entire peace time staff formed the brigade headquarters in the field. (5) Each peace time Infantry Regiment formed a second Infantry Regiment. Battalions were the basis for mobilization. They were responsible for the preparation and carrying through of a carefully coordinated plan. Battalions were not necessarily mobilized as part of their regiments. (6) Both Infantry Regiments were in all ways identical. The active service personnel was mixed evenly with called-up reserves amongst all the units. (7) The new Infantry Regiments carried the number of their twin regiment plus thirty. (1. + 31., 2. + 32., 15. + 45). (8) The reserve and training battalion staffs were formed by the peace time Infantry Regiments which provided the cadres. They were left behind when the Regiments went into the field. Besides the normal missions of training and administration, these replacement battalion staffs were also responsible for setting up the march battalions which would supply the field forces with replacement personnel. Cavalry (9) Each independent Cavalry Company formed two companies. (10) The two new Cavalry Companies were assigned to the newly-mobilized 1st and 2nd brigades of each Field Corps. (11) The Gendarmerie Cavalry Company existed under this designation to conceal its existence in peace time. Upon mobilization, it formed the Cavalry Company of the 3rd Brigade of each Field Corps. (12) Each peace time independent Cavalry Company formed its own (third) company to continue the training program and to provide it with replacements. Artillery (13) The Artillery Regiment was known in peace time as an "artillery battalion", and the three artillery battalions were known as (1st, 2nd, 3rd) "deputy artillery commanders". In peace time, the regiment headquarters was charged with all administrative and training in the Corps. In the field, the artillery regiment headquarters was not a command echelon, but was a small staff assigned directly to the brigade headquarters. The heavy artillery battery (with two 149mm howitzers) and the calibration battery each formed a small training and replacement battery. (14) The three "deputy artillery commanders" were mobilized into regular field Artillery Battalions. The "deputy artillery commander" formed three reserve battalion staffs with one training and reserve battery each, which were to provide replacement personnel as well as the cadre for additional future artillery battalions. Antiaircraft (15) Initially, (until 1939), each Corps Antiaircraft Battalion formed one Field Corps battalion, one replacement battalion (with only one battery), and various home air defense batteries. (16) The Field Corps Antiaircraft battalion consisted of the combat elements of the peace time battalion. (17) Although foreseen in the mobilization plan, it was only after 1939 that enough material was available to equip one medium Antiaircraft (40mm) battery for each independent brigade. (18) Each Antiaircraft Battalion also raised various batteries and half-batteries for home defense. These units were not considered as part of the field forces. Signals (19) The peace time Signal Battalion was to raise signal companies for the independent brigades, Corps Troops, and GHQ Troops. It also raised a training and replacement battalion. (20) Signal companies raised by the mobilization order were assigned to the Field Corps (one signal, two construction, and one operations company). (21) Each brigade received a mixed signal company. (22) The Signal Battalion also formed various GHQ signal companies. Combat Engineers Conversion from a peace time to a wartime organization was a major problem for the engineer forces. Although plans foresaw seven brigade Combat Engineer Battalions, (I. – VII.) and three river forces Engineer Battalions (1. – 3.), in actual fact these ten units had not as yet been completely formed in 1938. (23) Each peace time Engineer Battalion, (basically a training unit with various training companies), was to raise one Corps Engineer Battalion, three brigade Combat Engineer Companies, one company for the mobile forces, as well as two training and replacement battalion staffs. (24) The Engineer Battalions raised independent Engineer Companies for the mobile forces. The companies were horse-drawn, bicycle mounted, or motorized. They also provided the cadre for the Military Labor units. Services The service units were all mobilization units. The field headquarters and field units of service formations were raised by the Support Commands. Mobilization of the logistics services was only possible by wholesale requisitioning from the civilian sector. Indeed, 90% of the authorized field organizational logistics equipment had to come from the civilian sector! Personnel requirements were filled by Reserve officers and NCO's; enlisted slots were filled overwhelmingly from the 3rd Reserve and even untrained older men. Ammunition supply and ordnance units were largely filled up from ammunition and ordnance depots. Medical units, (field hygiene, surgical, laboratory, ambulance, field hospitals, etc.), and religious services personnel, were raised by the military hospitals (1. – 11.). Veterinary units were raised by the Corps, and spread out throughout Hungary. Specialized units, such as field bakeries, supply companies, supply columns, etc., were also raised by the Honvéd Military Districts. Some 95% of Hungary's military logistics organization was horse-drawn. The corresponding peace time organizations raised the specialized logistics services for the combat arms, necessary units. These specialized organizations existed only as depot units until well into 1939. Military Labor units were also the responsibility of the Honvéd Military Districts. Field/Military Police and Traffic Control units were raised by the Royal Hungarian Gendarmerie (i.e., the State Police). Miscellaneous specialized units were raised by the Royal Hungarian Railways, the Royal Hungarian Mail, state road construction departments, etc.