Abbreviations

Discussion in 'Service Records' started by Gaudet, Nov 6, 2007.

  1. Gaudet

    Gaudet Junior Member

    I've been working on a webpage of Commonwealth/Canadian Military abbreviations and acronyms. Many thanks goes out to various military forums. This is a living document so if there are any corrections or additions to be made, please let me know...

    Canadian & Commonwealth Military Abbreviations and Acronyms
     
  2. Bodston

    Bodston Little Willy

    I've been working on a webpage of Commonwealth/Canadian Military abbreviations and acronyms.

    Wow, there is a lot of work in there. Abb's are a bane of my life.
     
  3. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Blimey Gaudet, that looks like a heck of a piece of work, and seriously useful too. Well done that man.
    (If you'd like, feel free to post the list in full here)

    Cheers,
    Adam.
     
  4. Gaudet

    Gaudet Junior Member

    Thanks Von Poop... I am actually tracking hits on the website so I am trying to keep them contained. I will also be making updates to the list over the next few weeks. The list continued to grow and I figured I should at least share it.
     
  5. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    List of WW2 abbreviations from the National Archives.
    The following article was originally one of a set of memoranda available only on paper in The National Archives' reading rooms. It may have been compiled many years ago and could be out of date. It was designed to act as a signpost to records of interest on a particular historical subject. Please feel free to add any appropriate information and update the following details.

    Second World War Diaries Abbreviations - Your Archives

    Cheers,
    Adam.

    As It's a Wiki style open-edit document I've taken the liberty of including it in it's entirety here in case it ever disappears:

    The format was becoming oversize so I've uploaded the list as a word document

    View attachment military abbreviations.doc (not currently up to date!)

    • 107 (etc) RAC Regiments, Royal Armoured Corps
    • 10H 10th Royal Hussars (Prince of Wales's Own)
    • 11H 11th Hussars (Prince Albert's Own)
    • 12L 12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's)
    • 13/18H 13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own)
    • 14/20H 14th/20th King's Hussars
    • 15/19H 15th/19th King's Royal Hussars
    • 16/5L 16th/5th Lancers
    • 17/21L 17th/21st Lancers
    • 1b Pound(s)
    • 2 sub Second Subaltern
    • 22 DGNS 22nd Dragoons
    • 23H 23rd Hussars
    • 24L 24th Lancers
    • 25 DGNS 25th Dragoons
    • 27L 27th Lancers
    • 2IC Second in command
    • 3 DG 3rd Carabiniers (Prince of Wales Dragoon Guards)
    • 3H 3rd King's Own Hussars
    • 4/7 DG 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards
    • 48(etc) R TKS - Battalions, Royal Tank Regiment
    • 48(etc) RECCE REGT Regiments Reconnaissance Corps
    • 4H 4th Queen's Own Hussars
    • 5DG 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards
    • 7H 7th Queen's Own Hussars
    • 8H 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars
    • 9L 9th Queen's Royal Lancers
    • A & SH Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's)
    • A per Anti-personnel
    • AA Anti-aircraft or Army Act
    • AA Army Act or anti-aircraft
    • AAC Army Air Corps
    • AAD Advance ammunition dept
    • AAI - Allied Armies Italy.
    • AB Army book
    • ABCA Army Bureau of Currrent Affairs
    • ACK Acknowledge
    • ACC Army Catering Corps
    • accn Accommodation
    • ACG Army Chaplain General
    • ACI Army Council Instruction
    • ack Acknowledge, acknowledged or acknowledgment
    • ACV Armoured command vehicle
    • AD CORPS Army Dental Corps
    • ADC Aide de Campe
    • addrsd Addressed
    • ADGB Air Defence of Great Britain
    • adjt Adjutant
    • adm Administration or administrative
    • ADS Advanced dressing station
    • adv Advance or advanced
    • AEAF Allied Expeditionary Air Force
    • AEC Army Educational Corps
    • AF Army form
    • AFHQ Allied Forces Headquarters
    • AFV Armoured fighting vehicle(s)
    • AG Adjutant General
    • AG Anti-gas
    • AGRA Army Group, Royal Artillery
    • AGRE Army Group, Royal Engineers
    • AHQ Army Headquarters (India)
    • airtps Airborne troops
    • AL sec Air liaison section
    • ALFSEA Allied Land Forces South East Asia
    • ALG Advanced landing ground
    • ALO Air liaison officer
    • amb Ambulance
    • AMGOT Allied Military Government of Occupied Territories
    • amn Ammunition
    • AMQ Assistant Quartermaster General
    • annx Annexure
    • AO Army Order
    • AOC Air Officer commanding
    • AOD Advanced ordnance depot
    • AP Ammunition point or armour piercing
    • AP Armour piercing or ammunition point
    • APIS Army photographic interpretation section
    • APO Army post office
    • approx Approximately or approximate
    • appx Appendix
    • APS Army Postal Service
    • APTC Army Physical Training Corps
    • ARG Armoured replacement group
    • ARH Ammunition railhead
    • armd Armoured
    • armd C Armoured car
    • ARO Army routine order
    • ARP Air raid precautions or ammunition refilling point
    • ARP Ammunition refilling point or air raid precautions
    • art wks coy Artizan works company
    • arty Artillery
    • arty R Artillery reconnaissance
    • ASD Ammunition sub-depot
    • aslt Assault
    • ASSU Air support signal unit
    • AT Animal transport
    • ATC Air Training Corps
    • ATI Army Training Instruction
    • Atk Anti-tank
    • ATM Army Training Memorandum
    • Atps Army Troops
    • ATS Auxiliary Territorial Service
    • att Attach, attached or attachment
    • Aust Australia or Australian
    • aux Auxiliary or auxiliaries
    • AVRE Assault vehicle, Royal Engineers
    • AWD Advanced workshop detachment
    • B sup airfd Base supply airfield
    • B wksp Base workshop
    • BAD Base ammunition depot
    • BAOR British Army of the Rhine
    • BAYS Queen's Bays (2nd Dragoon Guards)
    • BBP Bulk breaking point
    • BC Battery commander
    • BD Base depot or bomb disposal
    • BD Bomb disposal or base depot
    • bde Brigade
    • bdr Bombardier
    • bdy Boundary
    • BED HERTS Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment
    • BEF British Expeditionary Force
    • BGS Brigadier General Staff
    • BMA Beach maintenance area
    • BMM British Military Mission
    • bn Battalion
    • BOD Base ordnance depot
    • bomrep Bombing report
    • BORDER Border Regiment
    • BOWO Brigade Ordnance Warrant Officer
    • BQMS Battery quarter-master-serjeant
    • br Bridge or bridging
    • BRA Brigadier Royal Artillery
    • BRAC Brigadier Royal Artillery (Canada)
    • BRECKNOCK Brecknockshire Battalion, South Wales Borderers (TA)
    • Brit British
    • BSD Base supply depot
    • BSM Battery-serjeant-major
    • bty Battery
    • BU Bath unit
    • BUCKS Buckinghamshire Battalion, Oxfordshire & Buckingham
    • BUFFS Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment)
    • BW Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)
    • C comd Chief Commander
    • C contr Chief Controller
    • C tps Corps troops
    • CA Civil affairs or coast artillery
    • CA Coast artillery or civil affairs
    • cam Camouflage or camouflaged
    • CAMBS Cambridgeshire Regiment (TA)
    • CAMERONIANS Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
    • CAMERONS Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
    • capt Captain
    • cas Casualty (ies)
    • CAS Chief of the Air Staff
    • cav Cavalry
    • CB Confinement to barracks or counter-battery
    • CB Counter-battery or confinement to barracks
    • CBO Counter-battery officer
    • CCHA Corps Commander Heay Artillery
    • CCMA Corps Commander Medium Artillery
    • CCP Casualty collecting post
    • CCRA Corps Commander Royal Artillery
    • CCRE Corps Commander, Royal Engineers
    • CCRS / CCRSigs Corp Commander Royal Signals
    • CCS Casualty clearing station
    • CD Coast defence
    • Cda Canada
    • CDI Command driver increment
    • Cdn Canadian
    • cdo Commando
    • CF Chaplain to the forces
    • cfn Craftsman or craftsmen
    • CGS Chief of the General Staff
    • chem Chemical
    • CHESHIRE Cheshire Regiment
    • CID Committee of Imperial Defence
    • CIGS Chief of the Iperial General Staff
    • C-in-C Commander-in-Chief
    • civ Civil or civilian
    • CL Centre line
    • CMF Central Mediterranean Force
    • CMO Chief Medical Officer
    • CMP Corps of Military Police
    • CO Commanding officer
    • col Colonel
    • COLDM GDS Coldstream Guards
    • Coln Column
    • comd Command, commanded, commandant or commander
    • comn Communication
    • comp Composite
    • con R Contact reconnaissance
    • conc Concentrate, concentrated or concentration
    • constr Construct, constructed or construction
    • Contr Controller
    • COO Chief ordnance officer
    • coord Co-ordinate, co-ordinated, co-ordinating or co-ordination
    • COS Chief of Staff
    • COSSAC Chief of Staff to Supreme Allied Commander
    • coy Company
    • cpl Corporal
    • CQMS Company quarter-master-serjeant
    • CRA Commander Royal Artillery
    • CRE Commander Royal Engineers
    • CS Close support
    • CSM Company serjeant-major
    • CSO Chief Staff Officer
    • CTC - Combined Training Centre
    • CV Command vehicle
    • CW Chemical warfare
    • cwt Hundredweight(s)
    • DAAG Deputy Assistant Adjutant General
    • DAAQMG Deputy Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General
    • DADMS Deputy Assistant Director of Medical Services
    • DADOS Deputy Assistant Director of Ordnance Services
    • DADQ Deputy Assistant Director of Quartering
    • DADST Deputy Assistant Director of Supplies and Transport
    • DAG Deputy Adjutant General
    • DAQMG Deputy Assistant and Quartermaster General
    • DAQMG Deputy Assistant Director of Quartering
    • DCIGS Deputy Chief of the Imperial General Staff
    • DCLI Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
    • DDME Deputy Director of Mechanical Engineering
    • DDMI Deputy Director of Military Intelligence
    • DDMO Deputy Director of Military operations
    • DDMS Deputy Director of Medical Services
    • DDMT Deputy Director of Military Training
    • DDST Deputy Director of Supplies and Transport
    • decn Decontamination
    • def Defend, defended, defence or defensive
    • del Deliver, delivered or delivery
    • dep Depot
    • DERBY YEO Derbyshire Yeomanry (TA)
    • derv fuel Diesel engined road vehicle fuel
    • det Detach, detached or detachment
    • DEVON Devonshire Regiment
    • DF Defensive fire or direction finding
    • DF Direction finding or defensive fire
    • DFC Distinguished Flying Cross
    • DID Detail issue depot
    • disP Disposal point
    • dist District
    • div Division or divisional
    • DLI Durham Light Infantry
    • DME Director of Military Engineering
    • DMI Director of Military Intelligence
    • DMO Director of Military Operations
    • DMS Director of Medical Services
    • DMT Director of Military Training
    • DOE - Duration of emergency
    • DORSET Dorsetshire Regiment
    • DP Delivery point
    • DQMG Deputy Quartermaster General
    • DR Despatch rider or motor-cyclist
    • DR Motor-cyclist or despatch rider
    • DRLS Despatch rider letter service
    • DS Dressing station
    • DSM Distinguished Service medal
    • DST Director of Supplies and Transport
    • dvr Driver
    • DWR Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding)
    • DZ Dropping zone
    • E LAN R East Lancashire Regiment
    • E RIDING YEO East Riding Yeomanry (TA)
    • E YORKS East Yorkshire Regiment (Duke or York's Own)
    • EA East Africa, East African or enemy aircraft
    • ech Echelon
    • EF Expeditionary force
    • eg For example
    • EME Electrical mechanical engineer
    • emp Employ, employed or employment
    • engr Engineer
    • ENSA Entertainment National Services Association
    • eqpt Equipment
    • ESO Embarkation staff officer
    • ESSEX Essex Regiment
    • est Establish, established or establishment
    • etc And so on or and the rest
    • evac Evacuate, evacuated or evacuation
    • excl Exclude, excluded, excluding or exclusive
    • F sp Flash spotting
    • FBE Folding boat equipment
    • fd bchy Field butchery and cold storage depot
    • fd bky Field bakery
    • fd Field
    • FDL Ford ward defended locality
    • FDS Field dressing station
    • FF Field force or fire fighting
    • FF Fire fighting or field force
    • FF YEO Fife and Forfar Yeomanry (TA)
    • FGCM Field general court-martial
    • fit Flight
    • FMA Forward maintenance area
    • fmn Formation
    • FOO Forward Observation Officer
    • FORESTERS Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire
    • freq Frequency
    • FS Field service or field security
    • FSPB Field service pocket book
    • FSS Fixed signal service
    • FSU Field surgical unit
    • ft Foot or feet
    • FTU Field transfusion unit
    • FUP Forming up place
    • fus Fusilier(s)
    • fwd Forward or forwarded
    • gal Gallon
    • GCM General court-martial
    • gd Guard
    • gdsm Guardsman or guardsmen
    • gdsn Guardsman or guardsmen
    • gen General
    • GHQ General Headquarters
    • GLAS H Glasgow Highlanders (TA)
    • GLIDER P REGT Glider Pilot Regiment
    • GLOSTERS Gloucestershire Regiment
    • gnr Gunner
    • GOC General Officer Commanding
    • GOC-in-C General Officer Commanding-in-Chief
    • GORDONS Gordons Highlanders
    • gp Group
    • GREEN HOWARDS Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales Own
    • GREN GDS Grenadier Guards
    • GREYS Royal Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons)
    • grn Garrison
    • GRO General routine order
    • GS General service or general staff
    • GSC General Service Corps
    • GSO General Staff Officer
    • GSO General staff officer (with Arabic or Roman enumeration appended to show grade)
    • GT coy General transport company
    • HAA Heavy Anti-Aircraft
    • HALLAMSHallamshire Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment (TA)
    • HAMPS Hampshire Regiment
    • HD Home Defence or horse drawn
    • HD Horse drawn or home defence
    • HE High explosive
    • HEREFORD Herefordshire Regiment (TA)
    • HERTS Hertfordshire Regiment (TA)
    • HF Harrassing fire or high frequency
    • HF High frequency or harrassing fire
    • HG Home Guard
    • HIGHLAND R Highland Regiment
    • HLI Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment)
    • hosp Hospital
    • how Hozitzer
    • HP High power or horse power
    • HP Horse power or high power
    • HQ Headquarter(s)
    • hr Hour
    • HT High tension or horsed transport
    • HT Horsed transport or high tension
    • hy Heavy
    • hyg Hygiene
    • IA Indian Army
    • IA Indian Army
    • IAC Indian Armoured Corps
    • IAMC Indian Army Medical Corps
    • IC In charge or internal combustion
    • IC Internal combustion or in charge of
    • IDC Imperial Defence College
    • ie Namely or that is to say
    • ie That is to say or namely
    • IEF Indian Expeditionary Force
    • IG Irish Guards
    • IMS Indian Medical Service
    • in inch
    • incl Include, included, including or inclusive
    • Ind India or Indian
    • indep Independent
    • inf Infantry
    • infm Inform, informed or information
    • INNISKS Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
    • INNS OF COURT Inns of Court Regiment
    • instr Instruct, instructed, instruction or instructor
    • INT CORPS Intelligence Corps
    • int Intelligence
    • intercomm Intercommunication
    • IO Intelligence officer
    • IOO Inspecting ordnance officer
    • IS Internal security
    • It Lieutenant or light
    • It Light or lieutenant
    • IWT Inland water transport
    • J comd Junior Commander
    • junc Junction
    • KAR King's African Rifles
    • KDG 1st King's Dragoon Guards
    • KENSINGTONS Kensington Regiment (TA)
    • KINGS King's Regiment (Liverpool)
    • KING'S OWN King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)
    • KOSB King's Own Scottish Borderers
    • KOYLI King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
    • KRRC King's Royal Rifle Corps
    • KSLI King's Shropshire Light Infantry
    • L bdr Lance-bombardier
    • L cpl Lance corporal
    • L of C Line, or lines of communication
    • L sjt Lance serjeant
    • LAA Light Anti-Aircraft
    • lab Laboratory or labour
    • LAD Light aid detachment
    • Ldg Landing
    • LEICESTERS Leicestershire Regiment
    • LF Lancashire Fusiliers
    • LG Life Guards
    • LINCOLNS Lincolnshire Regiment
    • LIR London Irish Rifles (TA)
    • LIVPL SCOT Liverpool Scottish (TA)
    • LMG Light machine gun
    • LO Liaison officer
    • LOND SCOT London Scottish (TA)
    • lor Lorried or lorryborne
    • lor Lorryborne or lorried
    • LOTHIANS Lothians and Border Yeomanry (TA)
    • LOVATS Lovat Scouts (TA)
    • LOWLAND RLowland Regiment
    • LOYALS Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire)
    • LT Line telegraphy or low tension
    • LT Low tension or line telegraphy
    • LZ Landing zone
    • MA Military assistant or Military Attache
    • MAC Motor ambulance convoy
    • mag Magazine or magnetic
    • mag Magnetic or magazine
    • maint Maintain, maintained or maintenance
    • maj Major
    • MANCH Manchester Regiment
    • MC Military Cross
    • MC Motor-cycle or movement control
    • MC Movement control or motor-cycle
    • mech Mechanic, mechanical or mechanized
    • med Medium or medical
    • MEF Middle East Force
    • MELF Middle East Land Forces
    • met Meteorological or meteorology
    • MFO Military forwarding officer
    • MFPS Mobile field photographic section
    • MG Machine gun
    • MGA Major General in charge of Administration
    • MGGS Major General - General Staff
    • MGO Master General of the Ordinance
    • mi2h Miles in two hours
    • mih Miles in the hour
    • mil Military
    • min Minute
    • mk Mark
    • MLBU Mobile laundry and bath unit
    • MMG Medium machine gun
    • MO Medical officer
    • mob Mobile or mobilization
    • MON Monmouthshire Regiment (TA)
    • mot Motor or motorized
    • mov Movement
    • MP Meeting point or military police
    • MP Military police or meeting point
    • mph Miles per hour
    • MPSC Military Provost Staff Corps
    • msg Message
    • MT Mechanical transport
    • mtd Mounted
    • mtn Mountain
    • MTP Military Training Pamphlet
    • MX Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own)
    • N STAFFS North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's)
    • N YEO Northamptonshire Yeomanry
    • NAAFI Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (sacrilege to leave this out)
    • NCC Non-Combatant Corps
    • NCO Non-commissioned officer
    • NF Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
    • Nfld Newfoundland
    • NIH North Irish Horse
    • NORFOLK Royal Norfolk Regiment
    • NORTHAMPTONS Northamptonshire Regiment
    • NOTTS YEO Nottinghamshire Yeomanry (TA)
    • NZ New Zealand
    • OBD Ordnance Beach detachment
    • OC Officer commanding
    • OCTU Officer Cadet Training Unit
    • offr Officer
    • OIC Officer-in-charge (of)
    • OO Operation order or ordnance officer
    • OP-Ack Observation Post Assistant.
    • OP Observation post
    • op Operate, operated, operation, operational or operator
    • OR Other rank(s)
    • ord Ordnance
    • org Organize, organized or organization
    • OXF BUCKS Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
    • oz Ounce(s)
    • PAD Passive air defence
    • para Parachute or pargraph
    • para Paragraph or parachute- more usually pct -parachutist or parachute
    • Para Paratrooper
    • PARA REGT Parachute Regiment
    • pet Petrol
    • Ph Photograph or photographic
    • ph R Photographic reconnaissance
    • photogrid Gridded vertical air photograph
    • photogrid Photograph, vertical air, gridded
    • photogrod Vertical air photograph, gridded
    • Pk Park
    • pl Platoon
    • PM Provost marshal
    • PMA Personal Military Assistant
    • pmr Paymaster
    • Pnr Corps Pioneer Corps
    • pnr Pioneer
    • PO Post Office
    • POL Petrol, oil and lubricants
    • posn Position
    • POW Prisoner of War
    • PP Petrol point
    • pr Pounder
    • PRH Petrol railhead
    • pro Provost
    • PRP Petrol refilling point
    • pt Point
    • pte Private
    • PW Prisoner(s) of war
    • QAIMNS Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service
    • QM Quarter-master
    • QMG Quartermaster General
    • QMS Quarter-master-serjeant
    • QUEENS Queens Royal Regiment (West S Surrey)
    • R and O Railhead or roadhead, supply officer
    • R and O Roadhead or railhead, supply officer
    • R BERKS Royal Berkshire Regiment (Princess Charlotte of Wales's)
    • R IR F Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's)
    • R Sigs Royal Corps of Signals
    • R SUSSEX Royal Sussex Regiment
    • R TKS - Royal Tank Regiment
    • R WILTS YEO Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry (TA)
    • RA Royal Regiment of Artillery
    • RAC Royal Armoured Corps
    • RAChD Royal Army Chaplains' Department
    • RADC Royal Army Dental Corps
    • RAMC Royal Army Medical Corps
    • RAOC Royal Army Ordnance Corps
    • RAP Regimental aid post
    • RAPC Royal Army Pay Corps
    • RARO Regular Army Reserve of officers
    • RASC Royal Army Service Corps
    • RAVC Royal Army Veterinary Corps
    • RB Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)
    • rd Road
    • RDI Relief driver increment
    • RE Corps of Royal Engineers
    • rec Recover, recovered or recovery
    • recce Reconnaissance or reconnoitre
    • Ref reference
    • reg Regulate, regulated, regulating or regulation
    • Regiment
    • Regiment)
    • regt Regiment or regimental
    • REME Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
    • rep Represent, represented or representative
    • res Reserve(s)
    • RF Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)
    • rfn Rifleman or riflemen
    • rft HU Reinforcement holding unit
    • rft Reinforcement
    • rft SU Reinforcement sub-units
    • RGA Royal Garrison of Artillery
    • RGH Royal Gloucestershire Hussars (TA)
    • RH Railhead
    • RHA Royal Horse Artillery
    • RHG Royal Horse Guards (The Blues)
    • RHMA Railhead or roadhead, maintenance area
    • RHMA Roadhead or railhead, maintenance area
    • rly Railway
    • RMA Rear maintenance area
    • RMA Royal Military Accademy
    • RMC Royal Military College (Sandhurst)
    • RN Royal Navy
    • RO Routine order
    • ROO Railhead or roadhead, ordnance officer
    • ROO Roadhead or railhead, ordnance officer
    • ROYALS 1st Royal Dragoons
    • RP Refilling point, regimental police or Rules of Procedure
    • RP Regimental police, refilling point or Rules of Procedure
    • RP Rules of Procedure, refilling point or regimental police
    • rpg(pm) Rounds per gun (per minute)
    • rptd Repeated
    • RQMS Regimental quarter-master-serjeant
    • RS Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment)
    • RSD Returned stores depot
    • RSF Royal Scots Fusiliers
    • RSM Regimental serjeant-major
    • RT Radio – telephony
    • RTO - Railway traffic order
    • RTU - Returned to unit
    • RUR - Royal Ulster Rifles
    • RV Rendezvous
    • RW Royal Warrant for Pay and Promotion
    • RWF Royal Welch Fusiliers
    • RWK Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment
    • S comd Senior Commander or Southern Command (more usually SComd)
    • S contr Senior Controller
    • S LAN R South Lancs Regiment (The Prince of Wales's Volunteers)
    • S rg Sound ranging
    • S sjt Staff serjeant
    • S STAFFORDS South Staffordshire Regiment
    • S sup O Senior supply officer
    • SA Small arms, South Africa or South African
    • SA South Africa, South African or small arms
    • SAA Small arms ammunition
    • Sab Saboteur
    • sal Salvage or salvaged
    • SAS REGT Special Air Service Regiment
    • SASC Small Arms School Corps
    • SB Stretcher bearer
    • SBG Small box girder
    • SBS Special Boat Section Special Boat Service Special Boat Service
    • SDP Supply dropping point
    • SEAC South east Asia Command
    • SEAFORTH Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs The Duke of Albany's)
    • SEALF South East Asia Land Forces
    • sec Second or section
    • sec Section or second
    • SG Scots Guards
    • sgt Sergeant
    • SHAEF Supreme Headquarters - Allied Expeditionary Force
    • SHAPE Supreme Headquarters - Allied Powers Europe
    • SHARPSHOOTERS County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) (TA)
    • shelrep Shelling report
    • sig Signal
    • sigmn Signalman or signalmen
    • sitrep Situation report
    • sjt Serjeant
    • SL Searchlight or start line
    • SL Start line or searchlight
    • SLA Supply loading airfield
    • SLP Supply landing point
    • SMC Sten machine carbine
    • SME School of Military Training
    • SMO Senior medical officer
    • SO Staff officer
    • SOM LI Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's)
    • SOS - Signed on strength (always followed by date)
    • SP Self-propelled or starting point
    • SP Starting point or self-propelled
    • sp Support or supported
    • spr Sapper
    • SQMS Staff or squadron quarter-master-serjeant
    • sqn Squadron
    • SRH Supply railhead
    • SRO Supplementary Reserve of Officers
    • SSM Staff or squadron serjeant-major
    • sta Station
    • STAFFS YEO Staffordshire Yeomanry (TA)
    • stereo Stereoscope or stereoscopic
    • stn Station
    • str Seater or strength
    • str Strength or seater
    • strat R Strategical reconnaissance
    • Sub Subaltern
    • SUFFOLKSuffolk Regiment
    • Sup P Supply point
    • sup Supply or supplied
    • SURREYS East Surrey Regiment
    • svy Survey
    • SWB South Wales Borderers
    • swbd Switchboard
    • TA Territorial Army
    • tac R Tactical reconnaissance
    • TANS Territorial Army Nursing Service
    • TC Traffic control
    • tcl Tentacle
    • TCV Troop carrying vehicle
    • tech Technical
    • tele Telephone
    • Tfc Traffic
    • TFD – Transferred
    • tg Telegraph or telegraphic
    • tk Tank
    • TMC Thompson machine carbine
    • tn Transportation
    • TO Transport Officer (only when used with bde, bn, etc)
    • TOS - Taken off strength (as above)
    • TP Traffic post
    • tp Troop
    • tpr Trooper
    • tpt Transport
    • tptd Transported
    • tptr Transporter
    • trg Training
    • TYNE SCOT Tyneside Scottish (TA)
    • UK United Kingdom
    • UM Urgent memorandum
    • US – Unservicable
    • USA United States of America
    • UXB Unexploded bomb(s)
    • VC Victoria Cross
    • VCIGS Vice Chief of the Imperial General Staff
    • veh Vehicle
    • vet Veterinary
    • VP Vulnerable point
    • VQMG Vice Quartermaster General
    • VRD Vehicle reserve depot
    • vs Visual signalling
    • vtm Vehicles to the mile
    • W DGNS 2nd County of London Yeomanry (Westminster Dragoons) (TA)
    • W YORKS West Yorks Regiment (The Prince of Wales's Own)
    • WA West Africa or West African
    • WARWICK Royal Warwickshire Regiment
    • WARWICK YEO Warwickshire Yeomanry (TA)
    • WE War establishment
    • wef - With effect from
    • WELCH Welch Regiment
    • WG Welsh Guards
    • wh Wheel or wheeled
    • WILTS Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh's)
    • wksp Workshop
    • WL Wagon Line
    • WO War Office
    • WO Warrant Officer
    • WORC R Worcestershire Regiment
    • WP Water Point
    • wpfg Waterproofing
    • wrls Wireless
    • WS War substantive, warlike stores or wireless set
    • WS Warlike stores, war substantive or wireless set
    • WS Wireless set, war substantive or warlike stores
    • WT Weapon training or wireless telegraphy
    • WT Wireless telegraphy or weapon training
    • WWCP Walking wounded collecting post
    • X rds Cross roads
    • Y&L York and Lancaster Regiment
    • yd Yard
    • YORKS H Yorkshire Hussars (TA)
    • YR Yorkshire Regiment)
     
  6. Gerry Chester

    Gerry Chester WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Thank you Adam for posting material which I will find most useful during my uncoming visit to the UK - printed all 21 pages!

    Following my speaking engagement at the annual AMPS Conference, in Auburn Indiana it is off to London to stay with my son for about six weeks. His church is near to Westminmster Abbey which is handy for getting to the two war museums - additionally, Kew Gardens is but a hop skip and a jump away. A trip to Northern Ireland for the NIH annual reunion is also on.

    Cheers, Gerry
     
  7. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Adam & Gerry

    I was surprised that neither RTU (Return to unit) or US (unserviceable) appeared in the above list .
    I'm sure there must be many more that we can think of :)

    Ron
     
  8. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    What is BRAC?
    As in "Brigadier Curry left the Brigade to go back to the UK , to become BRAC to 1st Canadian Army".
    page 72 Monty's Marauders by Patrick Delaforce.

    Is it Brigadier Royal Armoured Corps??
     
  9. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Owen

    Dare I answer BIIK (Buggered if I know)

    Sorry................... :)

    Ron
     
  10. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Any that people come up with here I (or the other mods) can edit into the main list ;).
     
    Smudger Jnr likes this.
  11. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Adam

    Some more for you, all from my Army Records:

    SOS Signed on strength (always followed by date)
    TOS Taken off strength (as above)
    WEF With effect from
    DOE Duration of emergency
    TFD Transferred

    Ron
     
  12. PeterG

    PeterG Senior Member

    A few more to add to the list:

    ABCA Army Bureau of Currrent Affairs
    ACG Army Chaplain General
    ADC Aide de Camp
    ADGB Air Defence of Great Britain
    AEAF Allied Expeditionary Air Force
    AFHQ Allied Forces Headquarters
    AG Adjutant General
    AHQ Army Headquarters (India)
    ALFSEA Allied Land Forces South East Asia
    AMGOT Allied Military Government of Occupied Territories
    AMQ Assistant Quartermaster General
    ATC Air Training Corps

    BAOR British Army of the Rhine
    BEF British Expeditionary Force
    BGS Brigadier General Staff
    BMM British Military Mission
    BRA Brigadier Royal Artillery
    BRAC Brigadier Royal Artillery (Canada)

    CAS Chief of the Air Staff
    CCRA Commander, Corps of Royal Artillery
    CCRE Commander, Corps of Royal Engineers
    CCRSigs Commander, Corps of Royal Signals
    CGS Chief of the General Staff
    CID Committee of Imperial Defence
    CIGS Chief of the Imperial General Staff
    C-in-C Commander-in-Chief
    CMF Central Mediterranean Force
    CMO Chief Medical Officer
    COS Chief of Staff
    COSSAC Chief of Staff to Supreme Allied Commander
    CRA Commander Royal Artillery
    CRE Commander Royal Engineers
    CSO Chief Staff Officer

    DAAQMG Deputy Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General
    DAAG Deputy Assistant Adjutant General
    DAQMG Deputy Assistant and Quartermaster General
    DADMS Deputy Assistant Director of Medical Services
    DADOS Deputy Assistant Director of Ordnance Services
    DADQ Deputy Assistant Director of Quartering
    DADST Deputy Assistant Director of Supplies and Transport
    DAG Deputy Adjutant General
    DAQMG Deputy Assistant Director of Quartering
    DCIGS Deputy Chief of the Imperial General Staff
    DDME Deputy Director of Mechanical Engineering
    DDMI Deputy Director of Military Intelligence
    DDMO Deputy Director of Military operations
    DDMS Deputy Director of Medical Services
    DDMT Deputy Director of Military Training
    DDST Deputy Director of Supplies and Transport
    DFC Distinguished Flying Cross
    DME Director of Military Engineering
    DMI Director of Military Intelligence
    DMO Director of Military Operations
    DMS Director of Medical Services
    DMT Director of Military Training
    DQMG Deputy Quartermaster General
    DSM Distinguished Service medal
    DST Director of Supplies and Transport

    ENSA Entertainment National Services Association

    GOC General Officer Commanding
    GOC-in-C General Officer Commanding-in-Chief
    GSO General Staff Officer

    IA Indian Army
    IAC Indian Armoured Corps
    IAMC Indian Army Medical Corps
    IDC Imperial Defence College
    IEF Indian Expeditionary Force
    IMS Indian Medical Service

    KAR King's African Rifles

    MC Military Cross
    MEF Middle East Force
    MELF Middle East Land Forces
    MGA Major General in charge of Administration
    MGGS Major General - General Staff
    MGO Master General of the Ordinance

    NAAFI Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (sacrilege to leave this out :) )

    OCTU Officer Cadet Training Unit
    [OIC should be corrected to O i/c Officer in Charge]

    PMA Personal Military Assistant
    POW Prisoner of War

    QMG Quartermaster General

    RADC Royal Army Dental Corps
    RARO Regular Army Reserve of officers
    RGA Royal Garrison of Artillery
    RMA Royal Military Accademy
    RMC Royal Military College (Sandhurst)
    RN Royal Navy

    SEAC South East Asia Command
    SEALF South East Asia Land Forces
    SHAEF Supreme Headquarters - Allied Expeditionary Force
    SHAPE Supreme Headquarters - Allied Powers Europe
    SME School of Military Engineering
    SRO Supplementary Reserve of Officers

    VC Victoria Cross
    VCIGS Vice Chief of the Imperial General Staff
    VQMG Vice Quartermaster General

    WO War Office


    Peter G
     
    Owen likes this.
  13. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Thanks Peter, that explains it!
    BRAC Brigadier Royal Artillery (Canada)
    Currie was killed in 1944.
    He was a Gunner.
    CWGC :: Casualty Details

    Name:CURRIE, JOHN CECIL
    Rank:Brigadier
    Regiment/Service:Royal Artillery
    Unit Text:Commands and Staff, H.Q. 4th Armd. Bde.
    Date of Death:26/06/1944
    Awards D S O and 2 Bars, M C

    He came back to Command 4 th Armd Bde in Normandy until his death.
     
  14. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Can anyone add anymore abbreviations?
    Especially those used on Service Records?
    Thanks.
     
  15. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Adam and Co

    Will you be making this thread high profile?

    I believe there will be many people accessing these Abbreviations in the future.

    A great inclusion to the forum site.

    Regards

    Tom
     
  16. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    It's pinned already, but you may well have a good point there Tom.
    I'll add a link to the front page that brings people straight here & hopefully it will continue to expand.

    Edit: - Job done, link to here added to front page (left hand box - 'Military abbreviations)
     
  17. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

  18. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    Adam

    Entries seen on the June '44 war diary against the name of an individual in my Dad's unit.

    To X(II) List - (Admission to Hospital)

    From X(II) List - (Discharge from Hospital)

    Robert
     
  19. airborne medic

    airborne medic Very Senior Member

    Three medical ones....

    AXP Ambulance Exchange Point
    MDS Main Dressing Station
    PoP Plaster of Paris
     
  20. steve oz

    steve oz Junior Member

    Can anyone please tell me what H2 would mean in regards to East yorkshire Yeomanry during the battle of normandy. My grandfather was a despatch rider with ERY (diary posted in Unit Docs). Could it possibly be brigade HQ or similar ? mentioned a couple of time in his diary and has me perplexed.

    Steve
     

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