Glossary of Abbreviations

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