Abbreviations
AA | Anti-Aircraft |
AA | Army Act |
AA & QMG | Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General |
AASC | Anti-Aircraft Searchlight Company |
AASS | Anti-Aircraft Searchlight Section |
AB | Army Book |
ABPO | Advanced Base Post Office |
ACG | Assistant Chaplain General |
ACI | Army Council Instruction |
ACC | Army Cyclist Corps |
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 |
AF | Army Form |
AFA | Army Field Artillery; Australian Field Artillery |
AG | Adjutant General |
AGS | Army Gymnastic Staff |
AIF | Australian Imperial Force |
AIS | Assistant Inspector of Searchlights |
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 |
ARMW | Army Reserve Munition Worker |
ARD | Alberta Reinforcement Depot |
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 |
AVC | Army Veterinary Corps |
BAC | Brigade Ammunition Column |
BAPO | Base Army Post Office |
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 |
BL | Breech Loading |
BLC | Breech Loading Converted |
BM | Brigade Major |
BOR | British Other Rank |
BRCS | British Red Cross Society |
BSM | Battery Sergeant-Major |
BWI | British West Indies Regiment |
BWM | British War Medal |
CB | Confinement to Barracks (punishment) and Counter-Battery |
CBSO | Counter-Battery Staff Officer |
CC | Confined to Camp (punishment) |
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 |
CHDAVC | Convalescent Horse Depot Army Veterinary Corps |
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 |
COO | Chief Ordnance Officer |
CP | Censorship & Publicity |
Cpl | Corporal (rank) |
CQMS | Company Quartermaster Master Sergeant |
CRA | Commanding Royal Artillery |
CRCE | Chief Railway Construction Engineer |
CRE | Commanding Royal Engineers |
CRO | Corps Roads Officer |
CSIC | Cadet School Infantry Company |
CSM | Company Sergeant Major |
CT | Communication Trench |
CVBC | Cape Volunteer Bearer Corps |
D of A | Director of Artillery |
DA | Divisional Artillery |
DAA | Director of Army Accounts |
DAAG | Deputy Assistant Adjutant General |
DAC | Divisional Ammunition Column |
DACG | Deputy Assistant Chaplain General |
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 |
DAD Roads | Deputy Assistant Director of Roads |
DAD Sigs | Deputy Assistant Director of Signals |
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 |
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 |
DA & QMG | Deputy Adjutant and Quartermaster General |
DBC | Director of Barrack Construction |
DCIGS | Deputy Chief of the Imperial General Staff |
DCM | Distinguished Conduct Medal |
DDAPS | Deputy Director of Army Postal Services |
DCM | District Court-Martial |
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 |
DD S and T | Deputy Director Supplies and Transport |
DD Sigs | Deputy Director of Signals |
DDTN | Deputy Director of Transportation |
DDVS | Deputy Director Veterinary Services |
DDW | Deputy Director of Works |
DEOS | Director of Equipment and Ordnance Stores |
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 |
DIWD | Director Inland Waterways and Docks |
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 |
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 |
DR | Despatch Rider |
DRF | Depression Range-Finder |
DRG&E | Director of Graves Registration and Enquires |
DRLS | Despatch Rider Letter Service |
D Rlys | Director of Railways |
DRO | Director of Recruiting and Organisation |
DRT | Director Railway Traffic |
DSC | Distinguished Service Cross (a naval decoration) |
DSD | Director of Staff Duties |
DSM | Distinguished Service Medal (a naval decoration) |
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 |
DW | Director of Works |
EBSVR | East Bengal State Volunteer Rifles |
EEF | Egyptian Expeditionary Force |
EFC | Expeditionary Force Canteen |
EinC | Engineer in Chief |
ELC | Egyptian Labour Corps |
E&M | Electrical and Mechanical |
EMO | Embarkation Medical Officer |
FANY | First Aid Nursing Yeomanry |
FAO | Forward Area Officer (Light Railways) |
FAU | Friends Ambulance Unit |
FGCM | Field General Court-Martial |
FLC | Fijian Labour Contingent (later Corps) |
FOO | Forward Observation Officer |
FP | Field Punishment |
FPO | Field Post Office |
FSC | Field Survey Company |
FSL | Field Searchlight |
FSM | Field Service Manual |
FSR | Field Service Regulations |
FWD | Four Wheel Drive |
GCM | General Court-Martial |
GHQ | General Headquarters |
GMP | Garrison Military Police |
GOC | General Officer Commanding |
GOCinC | General Officer Commanding-in-Chief |
GRC | Graves Registration Commission |
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 |
HBMGC | Heavy Branch Machine Gun Corps (later Tank Corps) |
HE | High Explosive |
HPD | Home Postal Depot |
HS | Home Service |
HSC | Hospital Ship Case (medical) |
HT | Horse Transport |
HV | High Velocity |
IA | Indian Army |
IAF | Independent Air Force |
IE | Illegal enlistment |
IGC | Inspector-General of Communications |
IGT | Inspector-General of Transportation |
IHL | Imprisonment with Hard Labour |
IO | Intelligence Officer |
IOM | Inspector of Ordnance Machinery |
IOR | Indian Other Rank |
IS | Inspector of Searchlights |
IWGC | Imperial War Graves Commission |
IWT | Inland Water Transport |
IW&D | Inland Waterways and Docks |
JAG | Judge Advocate General |
KR | King’s Regulations |
L/C or L/Cpl | Lance Corporal |
LEE | London Electrical Engineers |
LO | Liaison Officer |
LofC | Lines of Communication |
LR | Local Reserve |
MAC | Motor Ambulance Convoy |
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 |
MLO | Military Landing Officer |
MM | Military Medal |
MMGC | Motor Machine Gun Corps |
MML | Manual of Military Law |
MMP | Military Mounted Police |
MPI | Mean Point of Impact |
MPSC | Military Police Staff Corps |
MS | Military Secretary |
MSM | Meritorious Service Medal |
MT | Mechanical Transport |
MVC | Motor Volunteer Corps |
MVS | Mobile Veterinary Section |
NACB | National Army Catering Board |
NCC | Non-Combatant Corps |
NTO | Naval Transport Officer |
NYD | Not Yet Diagnosed (medical term) |
NYDN | Not Yet Diagnosed Nervous (medical term for suspected shell shock) |
OC | Officer Commanding, Officer Cadet |
OR | Other Rank |
ORS | Orderly Room Sergeant |
OTC | Officers Training Corps |
PB | Permanent Base (medical) |
PBI | Poor Bloody Infantry (colloquial) |
P & BT | Physical and Bayonet Training |
PC | Principal Chaplain (non Church of England) |
PM | Provost Marshal |
PNTO | Principal Naval Transport Officer |
POW | Prisoner of War |
PPCLI | Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry |
psc | Passed Staff College |
Pte | Private (rank) |
PU | Permanently Unfit (medical) |
PUO | Pyrexia of Unknown Origin (medical term usually applied to Trench Fever) |
QF | Quick Firing |
QMAAC | Queen Mary’s Army Auxiliary Corps |
QMG | Quartermaster General |
QMS | Quartermaster Sergeant |
Qs | Qualified for Staff |
RAF | Royal Air Force |
RAFA | Royal Australian Field Artillery |
RAGA | Royal Australian Garrison Artillery |
RAP | Regimental Aid Post |
RCE | Railway Construction Engineer |
RCO | Railway Control Officer |
RDC | Royal Defence Corps |
REPS | Royal Engineers Postal Section |
RFA | Royal Field Artillery |
RFC | Royal Flying Corps |
RGA | Royal Garrison Artillery |
RH | Railhead |
RHA | Royal Horse Artillery, and Reserve Heavy Artillery |
RM | Riding Master, and 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 (63 Div) |
RO | Recruiting Officer |
ROD | Railway Operating Division |
ROO | Railway Ordnance Officer |
RP | Rules of Procedure, Regimental Police, Refilling Point |
RSM | Regimental Sergeant Major |
RSO | Railhead Supply Officer |
RTC | Reserve Training Centre |
RTE | Railway Transport Establishment |
RTO | Railway Transport Officer (later Railway Traffic Officer) |
RTU | Returned to Unit |
S | Service |
SAA | Small Arms Ammunition |
SANLC | South African Native Labour Corps |
SC | Staff Captain |
SCF | Senior Chaplain to the Forces |
SD | Staff Duties |
SGS | Surveyor-General of Supply |
Sgt | Sergeant (rank) |
SIW | Self-Inflicted Wound |
Sjt | Serjeant (rank) |
SLR | Superintendent of Light Railways |
SMLE | Short Magazine Lee-Enfield |
SOS | Struck off strength. Also used in usual sense (of emergency). |
SP | Strongpoint |
SPT | (preceding a man's number) Sportmen's Battalion Royal Fusiliers |
SR | Special Reserve |
SRS | Sound Ranging Section |
SSM | Squadron Sergeant Major (cavalry) |
STK | (preceding a man's number) Stockbroker's Battalion Royal Fusiliers |
TAT | Temporary Ambulance Train |
TB | Temporary Base (medical) |
TC | Tank Corps |
TCO | Train Conducting Officer |
TDO | Telephone Dug-out |
TEE | Tyne Electrical Engineers |
TF | Territorial Force |
TM | Trench Mortar |
TMB | Trench Mortar Battery |
TO | Transport Officer |
TOS | Taken on strength |
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 |
VO | Veterinary Officer |
VTC | Volunteer Training Corps |
WAAC | Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (later QMAAC) |
WD | War Department |
WE | War Establishment |
WIR | West India Regiment |
WO | War Office |
WWCS | Walking Wounded Collecting Station |
YOC | Young Officers Company |
YS | Young Soldier |