Abbreviations
Introduction
This index to abbreviations likely to be found on War Memorials throughout the Region is separated into Regiments/Units, Medals/Awards and Ranks. If you are aware of any abbreviation on a North East War Memorial not covered by this list, please let us know, using the e-mail address 2014@newmp.org.uk and quoting “Abbreviations” in the subject line. We will then investigate the entry concerned, attempt to identify the meaning of the abbreviation, and include it in this list – which is very much a “work in progress”.
Regiments and Units
A. & S. Hldrs – Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
A. & S.H. – Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
A.A.N.S. – Army Auxiliary Nursing Service
A.A.C. – Army Air Corps
A.C.C – Army Cyclist Corps or Army Catering Corps
A.E.C. – Army Education Corps
A.E.F. – Australian Expeditionary Force
A.F.S. – Auxiliary Fire Service
A.I.F. – Australian Imperial Force
A.L.H. – Australian Light Horse
A.O.C. – Army Ordnance Corps
A.P.C. – Army Pay Corps
A.P.D. – Army Pay Department
A.P.O.W. – Alexandra Princess of Wales Own Yorkshire Regiment
A.P.T.C. – Army Physical Training Corps
A.R.P. – Air Raid Precautions
A.S.C. – Army Service Corps
A.S.C.(M.T.) – Army Service Corps (Motor Transport)
A.S.H. – Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
A.T.S. – Auxiliary Territorial Service
A.V.C. – Army Veterinary Corps
A.Y. – Ayrshire Yeomanry
ANZAC – Australian & New Zealand Army Corps
Argylls – Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
Batt – Battery
Batt or Bn. – Battalion
B.R. – Border Regiment
B.R.C.S. – British Red Cross Society
B.W. – Royal Highlanders (Black Watch)
B.W.I.R. – British West Indies Regiment
C.C. – Canadian Contingent (Note: G.G. may look similar on memorials)
C.D. – Civil Defence
C.E.F. – Canadian Expeditionary Force
C.F.A. – Canadian Field Artillery
C.F.C. – Canadian Forestry Corps
C.G. – Coldstream Guards
C.L.H. – Canadian Light Horse
C.L.Y. – City of London Yeomanry
C.M.P. – Corps of Military Police
C.M.R. – Canadian Mounted Rifles
C.R. – Connaught Rangers
Cam H. – Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
Cam Hldrs – Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
Cameronians – Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
Camerons – Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
Can – Canadians
Can F.S. – Canadian Fire Service
D.C.L.I. – Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry
D.F. – Royal Dublin Fusiliers
D.G. – Dragoon Guards
Div. – Division
D.L.I. – Durham Light Infantry
D.W.R. – Duke of Wellington’s Regiment
DoWtns – Duke of Wellington’s Regiment
E.S.R. – East Surrey Regiment
E.Y.R. – East Yorkshire Regiment
F & F Yeo. – Fife & Forfar Yeomanry
F.A.A – Fleet Air Arm
F.A.N.Y. – First Aid Nursing Yeomanry Corps
F.F. – Frontier Force (Indian Army)
G.G – Grenadier Guards
G.H. – Gordon Highlanders
G.M.G.R. – Guards Machine Gun Regiment
G.P.R – Glider Pilot Regiment
G.Y. – Queen’s Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry
Gord. Hldrs – Gordon Highlanders
Gordons – Gordon Highlanders
H.A.C. – Honourable Artillery Company
H.C.B. – Highland Cyclist Battalion
H.G. – Home Guard
H.K.V.D.C – Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps
H.L.I. – Highland Light Infantry
H.M.C.G. – His Majesty’s Coast Guard
H.M.D – His Majesty’s Drifter
H.M.S. – His Majesty’s Ship
H.M.T. – His Majesty’s Transport
H.M.T. – His Majesty’s Trawler
Ind. – Indian Army
K.A.R. – King’s African Rifles
K.D.G. – Kings Dragoon Guards
K.E.H. – King Edwards Horse
K.O.S.B. – Kings Own Scottish Borderers
K.O.Y.L.I. – King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
K.R.R. – Kings Royal Rifle Corps
K.R.R.C. – Kings Royal Rifle Corps
K.S.L.I. – King’s Shropshire Light Infantry
L & B.H. – Lothian & Border Horse
L.C.A. – Landing Craft Assault
L.C.F. – Landing Craft Flak
L.C.G. – Landing Craft Gun
L.C.M. – Landing Craft Mechanised
L.C.R. – Landing Craft Rocket
L.C.S. – Landing Craft Support
L.C.S. – Landing Craft Small
L.C.T. – Landing Craft Tank
L.C.H. – Landing Craft Headquarters
L.C.I. – Landing Craft Infantry (L Large S Small)
L.C.V.P. – Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel
L.S.T. – Landing Ship Tank
L.D.V. – Local Defence Volunteers
L.F. – Lancashire Fusiliers
L.G. – Life Guards
L.I. – Light Infantry
L.N.L.R. – Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
L.R. – London Regiment
L.S. – Lovat Scouts
L.S. – London Scottish
L.S.I. – Landing Ship Infantry (L Large S Small)
L.Y. – Lanarkshire Yeomanry
Lon. Scot. – London Scottish
Lond. R. – London Regiment
Lovats – Lovat Scouts
M.F.A. – Mercantile Fleet Auxiliary
M.F.P. – Military Foot Police
M.G.C. – Machine Gun Corps
M.M. – Merchant Marine
M.M.P. – Military Mounted Police
M.M.R. – Mercantile Marine Reserve
M.N. – Merchant Navy
M.P. – Military Police
M.T. – Motor Transport
M.T.B. – Motor Torpedo Boat
M.V. – Motor Vessel
N.A.A.F.I. – Navy, Army and Air Force Institute
N.C.B. – Northern Cyclist Battalion (based in Northumberland)
N.F. – Northumberland Fusiliers
N.H. – Northumberland Hussars
N.I.H. – North Irish Horse
N.Z. – New Zealand
N.Z.E.F. – New Zealand Expeditionary Force
N.Z.I.F. – New Zealanders
O & B.L.I. – Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
O.C. – Ordnance Corps
O.T.C. – Officer Training Corps
P.P.C.L.I. – Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry
Para. – Parachute Regiment
Q.A.I.M.N.S. – Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service
Q.A.I.M.N.S.R. – Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve
Q.A.R.A.N.C. – Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps
Q.A.R.N.N.S. – Queen Alexandra’s Royal Naval Nursing Service
Q.M.A.A.C. – Queen Mary’s Army Auxiliary Corps
Q.O.C.H – Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
Q.O.R.G.Y – Queen’s Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry
R. Hldrs – Royal Highlanders (Black Watch)
R.Innis.Fus. – Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
R.A. – Royal Artillery
R.A. Ch. D – Royal Army Chaplains Department
R.A.A.F – Royal Australian Air Force
R.A.C. – Royal Armoured Corps
R.A.F. – Royal Air Force
R.A.F.V.R. – Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
R.A.M.C. – Royal Army Medical Corps
R.A.N. – Royal Australian Navy
R.A.O.C. – Royal Army Ordnance Corps
R.A.P.C. – Royal Army Pay Corps
R.A.R. – Royal Australian Regiment
R.A.S.C. – Royal Army Service Corps
R.A.V.C. – Royal Army Veterinary Corps
R.Aus.R. – Royal Australian Regiment
R.C.A.F. – Royal Canadian Air Force
R.C.N. – Royal Canadian Navy
R.C.N.V.R. – Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve
R.C.S. – Royal Corps of Signals
R.D.C. – Royal Defence Corps
R.D.F. – Royal Dublin Fusiliers
R.D.Fus – Royal Dublin Fusiliers
R.E. – Royal Engineers
Regt. – Regiment
R.F. – Royal Fusiliers
R.F.A. – Royal Field Artillery or Royal Fleet Auxiliary
R.F.C. – Royal Flying Corps
R.F.R. – Royal Fleet Reserve
R.G.A. – Royal Garrison Artillery
R.H – Royal Highlanders (Black Watch)
R.H.A. – Royal Horse Artillery
R.H.G. – Royal Horse Guards
R.H.R. – Royal Highlanders (Black Watch)
R.I.N. – Royal Indian Navy
R.I.R. – Royal Irish Rifles
R.M. – Royal Marines
R.M.A. – Royal Marine Artillery
R.M.B. – Royal Marine Band
R.M.E. – Royal Marine Engineers
R.M.F – Royal Munster Fusiliers
R.M.L.I. – Royal Marine Light Infantry
R.M.S.M. – Royal Marine Submarine Miners
R.N. – Royal Navy
R.N.A.S. – Royal Naval Air Service
R.N.C.V.R. – Royal Navy Canadian Volunteer Reserve
R.N.D. – Royal Naval Division
R.N.F. – Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
R.N.M.W.S. – Royal Navy Mine Watching Service
R.N.P.S. – Royal Naval Patrol Service
R.N.R. – Royal Naval Reserve
R.N.R.T. – Royal Naval Reserve Trawler Section (WW1, forerunner of RNPS)
R.N.V.R. – Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
R.O.C. – Royal Observer Corps
R.R. OF CAV – Reserve Regiment of Cavalry
R.S. – Royal Scots
R.Scots – Royal Scots
R.S.F. – Royal Scots Fusiliers
R.S.Fus. – Royal Scots Fusiliers
R.T.R – Royal Tank Regiment
R.U.R. – Royal Ulster Rifles
R.W.Kents – Royal West Kent Regiment
R.War.R. – Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Rif. Brig. – Rifle Brigade
S.A.I. – South African Infantry
S.A.E. – South African Engineers (Corps)
S.A.S – Special Air Service
S.G. – Scots Guards
S.H. – Seaforth Highlanders
S.H. – Scottish Horse
S.R. – Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
S.S. – Steam Ship
Sco. H. – Scottish Horse
Sco Hse – Scottish Horse
Sco Rif – Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
Sco. Gds. – Scots Guards
Sea. H. – Seaforth Highlanders
Sea. Hldrs – Seaforth Highlanders
Seaforths – Seaforth Highlanders
T.A.N.S. – Territorial Army Nursing Service
T.F.N.S. – Territorial Forces Nursing Service
T.C. – Tank Corps or Timber Corps
Tanks – Tank Corps
V.A.D. – Voluntary Aid Detachment
W.A.A.F – Women’s Auxiliary Air Force
W.A.R. – West Africa Regiment
W.G. – Welsh Guards
W.I.R. – West India Regiment
W.L.A. – Women’s Land Army
W.R.N.S. – Women’s Royal Naval Service
W.R.V.S. – Women’s Royal Voluntary Service
W.Y.R. – West Yorkshire Regiment
Medals and Awards
A.F.C – Air Force Cross
C.B.E. – Commander of the Order of the British Empire
C.d.G. – Croix de Guerre
D.C.M. – Distinguished Conduct Medal
D.F.C. – Distinguished Flying Cross
D.F.M – Distinguished Flying Medal
D.S.C. – Distinguished Service Cross
D.S.M. – Distinguished Service Medal
D.S.O. – Distinguished Service Order
G.C. – George Cross
G.M. – George Medal
K.B.E. – Knight of the Order of the British Empire
M.B.E. – Member of the Order of the British Empire
M.C. – Military Cross
M.D. – Mentioned in Dispatches
M.I.D. – Mentioned in Dispatches
M.M. – Military Medal
Med. Mil. – Medaille Militaire
O.B.E. – Officer of the Order of the British Empire
V.C. – Victoria Cross
Ranks
2/Lieut. – Second Lieutenant
2Lt. – Second Lieutenant
A.B. – Able/Seaman
A/S. – Able/Seaman
A.C.1. – Aircrftman First Class
A.C.2 – Aircraftman Second Class
A.G. – Air Gunner
1/AM. – Air Mechanic First Class
2/AM. – Air Mechanic Second Class
Bdsm. – Bandsman
Bom. – Bombardier (Artilleryman – equivalent to Corporal)
Brig. – Brigadier
B.S.M. – Battery Sergeant Major
Cpl. H. – Corporal of Horse
C.P.O. – Chief Petty Officer
C.Q.M.S. – Company Quartermaster Sergeant
C.S.M. – Company Sergeant Major
C.S.M. – Company Sergeant Major,
Capt. – Captain
Col. – Colonel
Con. – Conductor
Col. – Sgt/C. Sgt – Colour Sergeant
Cpl. – Corporal
D.H. – Deck Hand
Dmr. – Drummer
Dgn. – Dragoon
Dvr. – Driver
E.R.A – Engine Room Artificer
F/Lt – Flight Lieutenant
Flt.Lt – Flight Lieutenant
Flt.Cdr – Flight Commander
Flt.Slt – Flight Sub Lieutenant
Far. Sgt – Farrier Sergeant
F.O. – Flying Officer
F.S. – Flight Sergeant
Fl. Lt – Flight Lieutenant
Fl. Off. – Flying Officer
Fus. – Fusilier
Gdsm – Guardsman
Gen. – General
Gnr. – Gunner
Grn. – Grenadier
G/Capt – Group Captain
L.A.C. – Leading Aircraftman
Lcr. – Lancer
L.H. – Leading Hand
L.S. – Leading Seaman
L/Cpl. – Lance Corporal
L/Sgt. – Lance Sergeant
Ldg Smn – Leading Seaman
Lt. – Lieutenant
Lt. Cdr. – Lieutenant Commander
Lt. Col. – Lieutenant Colonel
Lt. Gen. – Lieutenant General
Maj/Mjr. – Major
Maj-Gen. – Major General
Mech. – Mechanic
Mun. Wkr. – Munitions Worker
O.S. – Ordinary Seaman
Ord. Smn. – Ordinary Seaman
P.O. – Pilot Officer
P.O. 1 – Petty Officer Class 1
P.O. 2 – Petty Officer Class 2
Pte. – Private
Pvt. – Private
R.S.M. – Regimental Sergeant Major
Rfn. – Rifleman
S.O. – Station Officer
S.S. – Shoeing-Smith or Farrier
S/FM – Senior Fireman
Sgt. – Sergeant
Sgt.Maj. – Sergeant Major
SgtM. – Sergeant Major
Sig. – Signaller / Signalman
Signr. – Signaller
Sjt. – Serjeant
S.Sgt. – Staff Sergeant
Smn. – Seaman
Spr. – Sapper
Sq. Ldr – Squadron Leader
Sqdn.Cdr. – Squadron Commander
S/Kper – Storekeeper
Sub. O. – Sub-Officer
Tpr. – Trooper
W.O. – Warrant Officer
W.Op – Wireless Operator
W.Cdr, – Wing Commander
W.Capt. – Wing Captain
Polish Ranks (not all ranks)
2nd Lieutenat – ppor. – podporucznik
A.C.1 – Aircraftman First Class – st.szer. – starszy szeregowiec
A.C.2 – Aircraftman Second Class – szer. – szeregowiec
C.S.M. – Company Sergeant Major – st.sierz. – starszy sierzant
C.S.M. – Company Sergeant Major, – st.wachm. – starszy wachmistrz
Capt. – Captain – kpt. – kapitan
Cpl. – Corporal – kapr. – kapral – Army
Cpl. – Corporal – plut. – plutonowy – Air Force
Dgn. – Dragoon – drag. – dragon
F/Lt – Flight Lieutenant – kpt. – kapitan – Air Force
F.O. – Flying Officer – por. – pororucznik – Air Force
F.S. – Flight Sergeant – st.sierz. – starszy-sierzant – Air Force
Gnr. – Gunner – kan. – kanonier
Grn. – Grenadier – gren. – grenadier
Group Captain – plk. – pulkownik – Air Force
L.A.C. – Leading Aircraftman – kpr. – kapral
Lcr. – Lancer – ul. – ulan – Army
L/Cpl. – Lance Corporal – st szer. – starszy szeregowiec
L/Cpl Rifles. – st.strz. – starszy strzelec
L/Cpl Dragoons. – st.drag. – starszy dragon
L/Cpl Lancers. – st. ul. – starszy ulan
L/Cpl Engineers. – st.sap. – starszy saper
L/Cpl Artillery. – bomb. – bombardier
Lt. – Lieutenant – por. – porucznik
P.O. – Pilot Officer – ppor. – podporucznik – Air Force
Pvt. – Private – szer. – szeregowiec
Rfn. – Rifleman – strz. – strzelec – Army
Sgt. – Sergeant – plut. – plutonowy – Army
Sgt.Maj. – Sergeant Major – sierz. – sierzant – Army
Sergeant Major of Horse – wachm. – wachmistrz
Sergeant Major of Artillery – ognm. – ogniomistrz
Spr. – Sapper – sap. – saper – Army
W.O. – Warrant Officer – chor. – chorazy – Air Force
German Luftwaffe Ranks (not all ranks)
Aircraftsman 2nd Class – Fl/Flg – Flieger
Aircraftsman 1st Class – Gefr – Gefreiter
Leading Aircraftsman – Ogfr – Obergefreiter
Corporal – Uffz – Unteroffizer
Flight Lieutenant – Hptm – Hauptmann
Flying Officer – Ober Leutnant – Olt
Flight Sergeant – Obfw – Oberfeldwebel
Pilot Officer – Leutnant – Lt
Sergeant – Fw – Feldwebel
Sergeant Major – Stabsfw – Stabsfeldwebel
Squadron Leader – Maj – Major
Warrant Officer – Obhfr – Oberfarnrich
Wing Commander – Oberstit – Obersleutnant
WW1 Belgian ranks (not all Ranks)
Warrant Officer – Adjt- Adjudant
1st Sergeant Major – 1 Sgt Maj – 1er Sergent Major
1st Sergeant – 1 Sgt – 1er Sergent
Sergeant/Master Sergent – Sgt/Mdl – Sergent/Marechal des Logis
Caporal/Brigadier – Cpl/Brig – Corporal/Corporal (artillery – cavalry)
Gendarme – Gend – Privat
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