National Reserve Corps
The National Reserve Corps is the part-time reserve corps of the Royal Netherlands Army responsible primarily for defending and supporting the Netherlands at home.
Last updated August 31, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
The National Reserve Corps, known in Dutch as the Korps Nationale Reserve and commonly abbreviated Natres or NATRES, is a specialized reserve corps within the Royal Netherlands Army. It is not a commercial brand or independent company, but the public-facing identity of a military organization whose personnel serve mainly part time while remaining fully integrated into the Dutch armed forces. Reservists may also serve full time temporarily, replace regular personnel, or volunteer for individual assignments outside their normal duties. The corps focuses on territorial defence and domestic military support. Its responsibilities include guarding strategically important sites such as bridges and power facilities, assisting civil authorities during emergencies, supporting disaster relief during events such as floods and fires, and providing ceremonial services and guards of honour. It can also reinforce regular Army units during exercises and missions. Its infantry battalions are organized regionally and operate under the Netherlands' operational brigades, giving the corps a nationwide footprint while keeping its principal mission inside Dutch territory. The modern corps was established on 14 April 1948, after the Second World War. The Netherlands needed a rapidly deployable home-defence capability at a time when many regular forces were committed in Indonesia and the perceived Soviet threat was increasing. The organization grew into a versatile element of the Royal Netherlands Army during the Cold War and received formal corps status. Women began entering the National Reserve Corps during the 1980s. Its historical roots reach further back. Dutch authorities had long relied on armed volunteer citizens, including local shooter guilds from the medieval period and organized militias associated with William I, Prince of Orange, in the sixteenth century. Those militias were dissolved in 1908. During the First World War, the Voluntary Landstorm was created on 4 August 1914 in response to external threats; it numbered approximately 6,000 personnel by the end of the war. In the interwar period, Prime Minister Hendrikus Colijn supported an expansion, and the organization had approximately 98,000 members at the beginning of the Second World War. The end of the Cold War changed the strategic environment and the wider Army. Dutch conscription was suspended, the regular force was reduced, and the Army increasingly took part in peacekeeping and peace-enforcement operations abroad. These changes increased the relevance of a reserve formation dedicated to national resilience and domestic assistance. Natres personnel are generally not deployed abroad as formed infantry units because their core responsibility is the homeland. Individual non-commissioned officers, officers, specialists, or replacements may nevertheless volunteer for overseas service. The corps has undertaken prominent domestic assignments. Two infantry battalions assisted during the 1995 flooding in Limburg. In 2014 it carried out what was described as its largest assignment to that point by helping secure the Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague. In the same year, personnel secured the international morgue used for identifying passengers killed when Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down. The corps also maintains a fanfare organization and a museum in Harskamp, preserving and presenting its institutional history.
History
The National Reserve Corps belongs to a long Dutch tradition of organizing armed citizens for local defence and public order. Medieval shooter guilds performed related functions, while militias were organized in the sixteenth century under the influence of William I, Prince of Orange. These militias were dissolved in 1908, but the need for volunteer-based national defence returned as international tensions increased before the First World War. On 4 August 1914, the Netherlands formed the Voluntary Landstorm. By the end of the First World War it had about 6,000 members. During the unstable interwar period, Prime Minister Hendrikus Colijn decided to extend the force's service and organization. At the beginning of the Second World War, its strength was approximately 98,000 personnel. This earlier formation provided an important historical precedent for later Dutch reserve structures, although the modern National Reserve Corps was established after the war. The National Reserve was founded on 14 April 1948. The postwar government wanted a force that could be mobilized quickly to protect Dutch territory. This requirement was especially significant because much of the Netherlands' regular military capability was committed in Indonesia, while the emerging confrontation with the Soviet Union created a new security concern in Europe. Over the Cold War, the reserve organization became a flexible component of the Royal Netherlands Army and acquired corps status. During the 1980s, women began entering the corps. The organization subsequently adapted to major changes in Dutch defence policy after the Cold War. Conscription was suspended, the regular Army was reduced, and Dutch forces became more active in international peacekeeping and peace-enforcement operations. In this environment, the National Reserve Corps retained a distinct homeland mission: maintaining a trained pool of personnel who could support national defence, public safety, emergency response, and the regular Army. The corps is organized around regional infantry battalions subordinated to operational brigades. The 10 Infantry Battalion BB KNR operates in Groningen, Friesland, Drenthe, Overijssel, Utrecht, and Flevoland under the 43 Mechanised Brigade. The 20 Infantry Battalion BB KNR serves North Holland, South Holland, and Gelderland under the 11 Airmobile Brigade. The 30 Infantry Battalion BB KNR serves Zeeland, North Brabant, and Limburg under the 13 Light Brigade. Corps staff and the reservist department are based at Royal Netherlands Army headquarters. The organization also includes the National Reserve Corps Fanfare and maintains a museum in Harskamp. Its operational history demonstrates the breadth of its domestic role. Two battalions supported the response to the Limburg floods in 1995. In 2014, the corps took part in security arrangements for the Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague and protected the international morgue used for identifying victims of the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. Formed infantry battalions and personnel assigned to homeland duties are generally not sent abroad, although individual reservists, particularly officers, non-commissioned officers, specialists, or replacement personnel, may volunteer for overseas deployment.
- 2014
Nuclear Security Summit assignment
[1]The corps supported security for the Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague in what was identified as its largest assignment at that time.
- 2014
MH17 identification-site security
[1]Reservists secured the international morgue used to identify victims of the MH17 disaster.
- 1995
Limburg flood assistance
[1]Two infantry battalions assisted during severe flooding in Limburg.
- 1980
Women begin entering the corps
[1]The first women entered the National Reserve Corps during the 1980s.
- 1948
National Reserve established
[1]The postwar National Reserve was established on 14 April to provide a rapidly deployable force for defence and security within the Netherlands.
- 1914
Voluntary Landstorm established
[1]The Voluntary Landstorm was created on 4 August in response to the international threat surrounding the First World War.
- 1908
Traditional militias dissolved
[1]The earlier Dutch militia system associated with armed citizen defence was dissolved, ending a historic institutional predecessor to later reserve formations.
Products and positioning
A nationwide, part-time military reserve capability that connects the Royal Netherlands Army with Dutch civil society and provides trained personnel for territorial defence, security, emergencies, and ceremonial duties.
Military reserve units
Regional reserve infantry battalions
The corps' principal operational formations are three regionally organized infantry battalions. The 10th, 20th, and 30th battalions cover Dutch provinces and report through the 43 Mechanised Brigade, 11 Airmobile Brigade, and 13 Light Brigade respectively. Their duties include territorial defence, site security, civil-assistance tasks, and support to exercises and domestic operations.
Ceremonial military music
National Reserve Corps Fanfare
The corps maintains its own fanfare organization, supporting ceremonial events and representing the identity and traditions of the National Reserve Corps.
Military heritage
National Reserve Corps Museum
The corps has a museum in Harskamp dedicated to preserving and presenting its history, traditions, and role within the Royal Netherlands Army.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/national-reserve-corps · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled