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Although many of the terms coined during the two World Wars are in regular use today, some now have different meanings. This glossary aims to help you understand some of the more common terms and abbreviations used in letters, diaries and documents and includes words in regular use as well as military terms. AA Anti-Aircraft AA & QMG Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General AASC Anti-Aircraft Searchlight Company AASS Anti-Aircraft Searchlight Section AB Able Seaman ABPO Advanced Base Post Office Abri Dugout ACC Army Cyclist Corps ACG Assistant Chaplain General Ack Emma Morning Ack-Ack Anti Aircraft Fire AD or Art. Dpt Artillery Depot ADAPS Assistant Director Army Postal Services ADC Aide de Camp ADGT Assistant Director-General of Transportation ADL Assistant Director of Labour ADLR Assistant Director of Light Railways ADMS Assistant Director Medical Services ADOS Assistant Director Ordnance Services ADRT Assistant Director Railway Traffic ADS Advanced Dressing Station ADTN Assistant Director Transportation ADVS Assistant Director Veterinary Services AEC or A. Emp. Coy Area Employment Company Aeroplane Strips Communication method AF Army Form AFA Army Field Artillery or Australian Field Artillery AG Adjutant General AGS Army Gymnastic Staff AIF Australian Imperial Force AIS Assistant Inspector of Searchlights Ak dum Hurry up AMFO Assistant Military Forwarding Officer AMLO Assistant Military Landing Officer AMO Administrative Medical Officer AMS Assistant Military Secretary ANZAC Australian and New Zealand Army Corps AO Army Order AOC Army Ordnance Corps AOD Army Ordnance Department AP Armour Piercing ammunition APC Army Pay Corps and Assistant Principal Chaplain APM Assistant Provost Marshal APO Army Post Office AQMG Assistant Quartermaster-General Archie Anti Aircraft Fire ARD Alberta Reinforcement Depot ARMW Army Reserve Munition Worker ARP Ammunition Refilling Point ARS Advanced Regulating Station ASC Army Service Corps ASD Army Schools Department ASO Area Searchlight Officer ASP or Amm. Sub. Pk Ammunition Sub-Park AT Army Troops Aunt Sally Ration Delivery AVC Army Veterinary Corps BAC Brigade Ammunition Column Banjo Entrenching Tool Bantam A man under 5"4' tall BAPO Base Army Post Office Battle Bowler steel Helmet BC Battery Commander or Base Commandant BCA Battery Commander’s Assistant Bdmr Bandmaster BG Broad Gauge Railway BGGS Brigadier-General General Staff BGRA Brigadier-General Royal Artillery Big Ack Armstrong Whitworth FK8 Aircraft Billet Accomodation Biscuits A three section mattress Bivouack Camp BL Breech Loading BLC Breech Loading Converted Blighty The UK Blighty One A wound serious enough to need treatment in the UK Blue Cross Gas BM Brigade Major Boche The Germans Boko Plenty Bomb Hand grenade or explosive shell dropped from aircraft Bombardier Fritz Chips (french fries) Bombing Throwing hand grenades or dropping bombs from aircraft BOR British Other Rank Brass Hat High Ranking officer BRCS British Red Cross Society British Warm overcoat Brocks Benefit night bombardment BSM Battery Sergeant-Major Buckshee Free Bull Ring Training camp Bully Beef Corned Beef Bumf Toilet paper Buzzer For signalling Morse code BWI British West Indies Regiment BWM British War Medal C.B. Confined to Barracks. C3 Worthless Cage Prisoner of War Camp Cat walk A narrow path CB Confinement to Barracks or Counter-Battery CBSO Counter-Battery Staff Officer CC Confined to Camp CCCC Cape Colony Cyclist Corps CCD Commander of Coast Defences CCRA Corps Commander Royal Artillery CCS Casualty Clearing Station CDS Corps Dressing Station CE Chief Engineer CEF Canadian Expeditionary Force CEPC Chief Engineer Port Construction CF Chaplain to the Forces CFC Canadian Forestry Commission CGS Chief of General Staff CHA Commander Heavy Artillery Char Tea Chat Louse CHDAVC Convalescent Horse Depot Army Veterinary Corps Cheveux de Frise Barbed wire entanglements Chit Note or receipt. Christmas Tree Order In full kit CID Committee of Imperial Defence CIGS Chief of the Imperial General Staff CLC Chinese Labour Corps CLLE Charger-Loading Lee-Enfield rifle CLLM Charger-Loading Lee-Metford rifle CLRO Corps Light Railway Officer CME Chief Mechanical Engineer CMO Court-Martial Officer CMP Corps of Military Police CO Commanding Officer, Conscientious Objector Coal Box Heavy German shell Coal Scuttle German Stahlhelm Cold Feet Cowardice Cold Meat Ticket Identity disc Comic Cuts Corps Intelligence Summary Conchie Conscientious Objector Cone Illuminate with Searchlights Consolidation Converting captured enemy trenches and infrastructure to be suitable for own use. COO Chief Ordnance Officer Corkscrew A steel post for wire entanglements Corkscrew A manouver used by aircraft to escape from searchlights CP Censorship & Publicity Cpl Corporal CQMS Company Quartermaster Master Sergeant CRA Commanding Royal Artillery Crassier A spoil heap CRCE Chief Railway Construction Engineer CRE Commanding Royal Engineers Cricket Ball No.15 hand grenade CRO Corps Roads Officer CSIC Cadet School Infantry Company CSM Company Sergeant Major CT Communication Trench Cushy An easy task CVBC Cape Volunteer Bearer Corps D of A Director of Artillery D Rlys Director of Railways DA Divisional Artillery DA & QMG Deputy Adjutant and Quartermaster General DAA Director of Army Accounts DAAG Deputy Assistant Adjutant General DAC Divisional Ammunition Column DACG Deputy Assistant Chaplain General DAD Roads Deputy Assistant Director of Roads DAD Sigs Deputy Assistant Director of Signals DADAPS Deputy Assistant Director Army Postal Services DADGR&E Deputy Assistant Director of Graves Registration and Enquires DADGT Deputy Assistant Director-General of Transportation DADL Deputy Assistant Director of Labour DADMS Deputy Assistant Director Medical Services DADOS Deputy Assistant Director Ordnance Services DADPS Deputy Assistant Director Postal Services DADRT Deputy Assistant Director Railway Traffic DADS Deputy Assistant Director Supplies DADT Deputy Assistant Director Transport DADW Deputy Assistant Director of Works DAG Deputy Adjutant General DAH Disorderly action of the heart. DAMS Deputy Assistant Military Secretary DAP Divisional Ammunition Park DAPC Deputy Assistant Principal Chaplain DAPS Director of Army Postal Services DAQMG Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General DBC Director of Barrack Construction DCIGS Deputy Chief of the Imperial General Staff DCM Distinguished Conduct Medal DD S and T Deputy Director Supplies and Transport DD Sigs Deputy Director of Signals DDAPS Deputy Director of Army Postal Services DDGMR Deputy Director-General Military Railways or Movements and Railways DDGT Deputy Director-General of Transportation DDIWT Deputy Director Inland Waterway Transport DDMS Deputy Director Medical Services DDOS Deputy Director Ordnance Services DDRT Deputy Director Railway Traffic DDTN Deputy Director of Transportation DDVS Deputy Director Veterinary Services DDW Deputy Director of Works Dekko to observe DEOS Director of Equipment and Ordnance Stores Derby Men those recruited under the Derby Scheme Devil Dodger the Chaplain DFC Distinguished Flying Cross DFS Director of Financial Services DFW Director of Fortifications and Works DGAMS Director-General, Army Medical Services DGAVS Director-General, Army Veterinary Services DGNS Director-General National Service DGO Divisional Gas Officer DGTF Director-General of the Territorial Force DIL Dangerously Ill List Dispersal Unit A camp soldiers or airmen are posted to to process their discharge from the services. DIWD Director Inland Waterways and Docks Dixie An oval cooking pot DIY Derbyshire Imperial Yeomanry DLR Director of Light Railways DM Director of Mobilisation DMO Director of Military Operations DMS Director of Medical Services, also Deputy Military Secretary DMT Director of Military Training DNTO Divisional Naval Transport Officer Dog and Maggott bread and cheese Doggo in hiding DORA Defence of the Realm Act DORE District Office Royal Engineers DOS Director of Ordnance Services DP Drill Purpose DPS Director of Personal Services DPW Director of Prisoners of War DQMG Deputy Quartermaster-General DR Despatch Rider DRF Depression Range-Finder DRG&E Director of Graves Registration and Enquires DRLS Despatch Rider Letter Service DRO Director of Recruiting and Organisation DRT Director Railway Traffic DSC Distinguished Service Cross DSD Director of Staff Duties DSM Distinguished Service Medal DSO Distinguished Service Order DSQ Director of Supplies and Quartering DTM Director of Transport and Movements DTMO Divisional Trench Mortar Officer DTN Director of Transportation Dud A shell that fails to explode Duff Not up to standard DW Director of Works E&M Electrical and Mechanical EBSVR East Bengal State Volunteer Rifles EEF Egyptian Expeditionary Force EFC Expeditionary Force Canteen EinC Engineer in Chief ELC Egyptian Labour Corps Elephant Iron Corrugated iron used in dugout roofs. Emma Gee A Machine Gun EMO Embarkation Medical Officer Enteric fever Typhoid. Estaminet A small cafe F.A.P. First Aid Post FANY First Aid Nursing Yeomanry FAO Forward Area Officer (Light Railways) FAU Friends Ambulance Unit FGCM Field General Courts Martial Fini Kaput Gone or finished Fishpond A type of Radar used by the Royal Air Force from mid 1944 onwards. Fizzer A disciplinary charge Flag Wagger A signaller Flak anti aircraft fire or gun FLC Fijian Labour Corps FOO Forward Observation Officer Fosse Slag Heap FP Field Punishment FPO Field Post Office FSC Field Survey Company FSL Field Searchlight FSM Field Service Manual FSR Field Service Regulations Funk To be nervous afraid or depressed FWD Four Wheel Drive GCM General Courts Martial GHQ General Headquarters Glasshouse Prison GMP Garrison Military Police Go West To be killed lost or stolen GOC General Officer Commanding GOCinC General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Goggle-eyed Booger with the Tit British PH gas helmet Gone for a Burton To be killed Gooseberry Barbed wire entanglement or reel GRC Graves Registration Commission Green Cross Phosgene Gas GRO General Routine Order GRU Graves Registration Unit GS General Service and General Staff GSO General Staff Officer GSW Gunshot Wound HA Heavy Artillery HAR Heavy Artillery Reserve Hard tack British army biscuit Harness Infantry webbing Harry Tate an RE8 aircraft Hate Bombardment HBMGC Heavy Branch Machine Gun Corps (later Tank Corps) HE High Explosive Hom Forty A French railway carriage HPD Home Postal Depot HS Home Service HSC Hospital Ship Case HT Horse Transport Huntley and Palmer Twin Lewis Guns mounted on an aircraft Hussif Housewife, a sewing kit. HV High Velocity IA Indian Army IAF Independent Air Force ICT inflammation of the connective tissue, medical diagnosis IE Illegal enlistment IFF Identification Friend or Foe IGC Inspector-General of Communications IGT Inspector-General of Transportation IHL Imprisonment with Hard Labour Inquiry Bureau The Inquiry Bureau was run by the Red Cross and helped families seeking news of the missing. Interior economy repairing personal equipment IO Intelligence Officer IOM Inspector of Ordnance Machinery IOR Indian Other Rank IS Inspector of Searchlights IW&D Inland Waterways and Docks IWGC Imperial War Graves Commission IWT Inland Water Transport Jack Johnson A German Shell which burst with black smoke. JAG Judge Advocate General Jam Tins improvised hand grenades Jankers Fatigues performed whilst confined to barracks as a punishment Jump Off the launch of an infantry attack Knife Rest An X shaped wire entanglement used to stop gaps in an emergency KR King’s Regulations L/C or L/Cpl Lance Corporal Lachrymatory A type of gas. LEE London Electrical Engineers LG Lewis Gun LO Liaison Officer LofC Lines of Communication Lorry Hoping Cadging free lifts on ASC transport LR Local Reserve MAC Motor Ambulance Convoy Maconachie Tinned vegitable stew Mafeesh All gone MB Medical Board MC MIlitary Cross MDS Main Dressing Station MEF Mediterranean Expeditionary Force MFD Military Forwarding Department MFO Military Forwarding Officer MFP Military Foot Police MGC Machine Gun Corps MGGS Major General General Staff MGO Master-General of the Ordnance MGRA Major General Royal Artillery MGS Machine Gun School Mitt Hand. MLO Military Landing Officer MM Military Medal MMGC Motor Machine Gun Corps MML Manual of Military Law MMP Military Mounted Police Moaning Minnie Shells fired from the German Minenwrfer MPI Mean Point of Impact MPSC Military Police Staff Corps MS Military Secretary MSM Meritorious Service Medal MT Mechanical Transport Muckim Butter Mufti Civilian clothing MVC Motor Volunteer Corps MVS Mobile Veterinary Section N/F Flares Night Fighter flares NACB National Army Catering Board Napoo Finished NCC Non-Combatant Corps Nickels Propaganda Leaflets Nix Nothing or no NTO Naval Transport Officer Number 9 Sick NYD Not Yet Diagnosed NYDN Not Yet Diagnosed Nervous OC Officer Commanding, Officer Cadet Old Contemptible Original member of the 1914 British Expeditionary Force OP Observation Post OR Other Rank ORS Orderly Room Sergeant OTC Officers Training Corps P & BT Physical and Bayonet Training Packet a wound Padre Chaplain Parnee Water Pave Cobbled roads PB Permanent Base PBI Poor Bloody Infantry PC Principal Chaplain (non Church of England) Picket Metal post for barbed wire or a sentry or patrol Pickled Monkey meat of unknown species served to Prisoners of War in Germany Pill Box Reinforced concrete gun emplacement Pineapple British Mills Bomb or German Trench Mortar Bomb Plum Pudding A heavy trench mortar shell PM Provost Marshal PNTO Principal Naval Transport Officer Pongelow Beer Potato Masher German Stick grenade POW Prisoner of War Pozzy Jam PPCLI Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry psc Passed Staff College Pte. Private PU Permanently Unfit PUO Pyrexia of Unknown Origin (fever) QF Quick Firing QMAAC Queen Mary’s Army Auxiliary Corps QMG Quartermaster General QMS Quartermaster Sergeant Qs Qualified for Staff Quarter to Ten British 9.45" trench mortar Quick Firer A Field Service Post Card R.A.P. Regimental Aid Post. RAF Royal Air Force RAFA Royal Australian Field Artillery RAGA Royal Australian Garrison Artillery RAP Regimental Aid Post Rating Men serving with the Royal Navy who are not Officers. RCE Railway Construction Engineer RCO Railway Control Officer RDC Royal Defence Corps Red Cap Military Policeman Red Hussar A cigarette Red Star Hydrogen sulphide and carbon disulphide gas Registration Checking gun is on target REPS Royal Engineers Postal Section RFA Royal Field Artillery RFC Royal Flying Corps RGA Royal Garrison Artillery RH Railhead RHA Royal Horse Artillery or Reserve Heavy Artillery RM Riding Master or Royal Marines RMA Royal Marine Artillery RMLC Royal Marine Labour Corps RMLI Royal Marine Light Infantry RNAS Royal Naval Air Service RND Royal Naval Division RO Recruiting Officer ROD Railway Operating Division Roger A gas cylinder ROO Railway Ordnance Officer Rooti Bread Rough House to fight RP Rules of Procedure or Regimental Police or Refilling Point RSM Regimental Sergeant Major RSO Railhead Supply Officer RTC Reserve Training Centre RTE Railway Transport Establishment RTO Railway Transport Officer or Railway Traffic Officer RTU Returned to Unit Rum Jar An earthenware jar the run ration Russian Sap a trench in a tunnel. S.A.A Small Arms Ammunition San Fairy Ann It doesn't matter SANLC South African Native Labour Corps Sap A trench which juts out into No Man's Land often used as a listening post Sapper A qualified soldier of the Royal Engineers Saturday Night Soldier A Territorial Soldier Sausage A Barrage Balloon or a German Mortar Bomb SC Staff Captain SCF Senior Chaplain to the Forces Scoff Food SD Staff Duties SGS Surveyor-General of Supply Sgt. or Sjt. Sergeant (rank) Short Arm Inspection Medical Inspection for venereal disease SIW Self-Inflicted Wound SLR Superintendent of Light Railways SMLE Short Magazine Lee-Enfield rifle Snowdrop RAF Policemen SOS A call for artillery assistance SOS Struck off strength Souvenir To steal SP Strongpoint Square Pushing To go out smartly dressed usually with or seeking a young lady Squarehead A German SR Special Reserve SRS Sound Ranging Section SSM Squadron Sergeant Major (cavalry) Stand to To be on alert when an enemy attack was expected Stinker A sheepskin or goatskin Jerkin aslo known as a Teddy Bear Strafe To machine gun or bombard Stunt A task requiring skill Sweet Fanny Adams or SFA Northing at All Swinging the lead Malingering TAT Temporary Ambulance Train Taube or Tauben British nick name for German aircraft or any type TB Temporary Base TC Tank Corps TCO Train Conducting Officer TDO Telephone Dug-out Teddy Bear A goatkin Jerkin issued in cold weather also known as a Stinker TEE Tyne Electrical Engineers Terrier A territorial soldier TF Territorial Force Third Man Gone too Far Three Blue Lights A highly improbable event Throw a Seven To be killed Ticket Discharge from the Army Ticklers Jam or improvised hand grenades made from jam tins Tin Hat Steel helmet or something that spoiled everything Tin Opener A bayonet TM Trench Mortar TMB Trench Mortar Battery TO Transport Officer Toc Emma A trench mortar Toffee Apple Spherical trench mortar with a shaft attached Toot Sweet Quick TOS Taken on strength Town Major The Officer responsible for billeting arrangements in a specific town TR Training Reserve TRB Training Reserve Brigade TSM Troop Sergeant Major (cavalry) VAD Voluntary Aid Detachment VADGS Voluntary Aid Detachment General Service VC Victoria Cross Very Light A flare often coloured, fired from a Very pistol for signalling Vin Blanc Anglais Whisky VO Veterinary Officer VTC Volunteer Training Corps WAAC Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (later QMAAC) WD War Department WE War Establishment White Star Chlorine and phosgene gas Whizz Bang a 77mm German shell Wind Dangerous Wind direction favourable for an enemy gas attack. Wind up Nervous WIR West India Regiment WO War Office WWCS Walking Wounded Collecting Station Yellow Cross Mustard gas YOC Young Officers Company Ypreite Mustard Gas YS Young Soldier Zero Hour The time sheduled for an attack to begin The free section of The Wartime Memories Project is run by volunteers. This website is paid for out of our own pockets, library subscriptions and from donations made by visitors. The popularity of the site means that it is far exceeding available resources and we currently have a huge backlog of submissions. If you are enjoying the site, please consider making a donation, however small to help with the costs of keeping the site running. 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