The personnel was predominantly made up of kriegsfreiwillige (wartime volunteers) who did not wait to be called up.

[3] On formation in October 1914, XXVII Reserve Corps consisted of two divisions.

Formed of Saxon and Württemberg units in the early stages of the First World War, the Corps appeared on the Western Front in Belgium in October 1914.

It was assigned to the 4th Army, commanded by Generalfeldmarschall Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg, with which it participated in the First Battle of Ypres.

It took part in the German spring offensive from March 1918 and continued to be engaged on the Western Front for the remainder of the War.