The list below contains the most common Indian Army abbreviations and acronyms from the period between 1900 and 1930. I have standardized the list by capitalizing each abbreviation, though a mixture of upper and lower case lettering will usually be found. I cover later abbreviations and acronyms on my Second World War website: Indian Army Abbreviations and Acronyms 1930 – 1950.

Context is everything when it comes to military jargon and care should be taken. An MC after the name of an officer denotes that they have been awarded a military cross, however, if it is found on the rim of a medal to DVR. ALLAH BUX 33 M.C., it reveals that the medal was awarded to a driver in the 33rd Mule Corps.

I have also created a number of other guides to help you research an Indian soldier who served in the First World War.

Guides to Researching a Soldier who Served in the Indian Army

Abbreviation / Acronym

A. / A- Acting/ Assistant

AA Anti-Aircraft or Army Act

AA & QMG Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General

AB Army Book

A.B.C. / A.B.CPS. Army Bearer Corps

A. B. RY. BN. Assam Bengal Railway Battalion

A. B. RY. V. RIF. Assam-Bengal Railway Volunteers Rifles

AC Assistant Commandant or Armoured Car

ACC Army Cyclist Corps

ACI Army Council Instruction

ACTG – Acting

AD Artillery Depot

ADC Aide-de-Camp or Honorary Aide-de-Camp to the Viceroy

ADEN TRP. Aden Troop

ADEN BDE. S. S. Aden Brigade Signal Section

A.I. Anglo-Indian

ADL Assistant Director of Labour

AF, Army Form

A.F.I. Auxiliary Force India

AGRA V. RIF. Agra Volunteer Rifles

A. HAV Acting Havildar

A.H.C. Army Hospital Corps

A.I. Anglo Indian

AIRO – Army in India Reserve of Officers

A.L.D. Acting Lance Daffadar

ALLD. V. RIF. Allahabad Volunteer Rifles

A.L-NK Acting Lance Naik

ALWAR I.S. INFY. Alwar Imperial Service Infantry

AMMN. COLUMN Ammunition Column

A.M.P. Assam Military Police

AMS Assistant Military Secretary

AND. Andaman

AO Army Order

AOC Army Ordnance Corps

AOD Army Ordnance Department

AP Armour Piercing

APO Army Post Office

APP. Appendix

A.NAIK / A NAIK Acting Naik

ARI Army Regulation of India

ARMR. Armourer

AS Assistant Surgeon

ASD Army Schools Department

A & SH Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders

ASP Assistant Superintendent of Police

ASSAM RIF. Assam Rifles

ASSAM. V.L.H. Assam Valley Light Horse

ASSTT / ASST. Assistant

ASS. V.L.H. Assam Valley Light Horse

AT Army Troop or Animal Transport

A.T. COY Animal Transport Company

ATTD. Attached

AUX Auxiliary

AUXY. Auxiliary

AVC Army Veterinary Corps

BA Bachelor of Arts

BAC Brigade Ammunition Column

BAH.C.T. CPS. Bahawalpur Camel Transport Corps

BAHAWALPUR I.S.C. CORPS Bahawalpur Imperial Service Corps

BAL. INFY / BALUCH. INF. / BALUCH Baluchistan Infantry

BALN. LEVIES Baluchistan Levies

BALN. V.RIF Baluchistan Volunteer Rifles

BANG. R. VOL. Bangalore Rifle Volunteers

BASRAH SURVEYS Basrah (Basra) Surveys Department

BATT Battalion

BATTN Battalion

BATY. Battery

BB Bombay Battalion

B.B. & C.I. RY. V.RIF. Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway Volunteer Rifles

BC Battery Commander or Base Commandant or Battalion Commandant

B.C.C Bikaner Camel Corps

BDE Brigade

BHAMO BN B.M.P. Bhamo Battalion Burma Military Police

BHAVN. I.S. LRS. Bhavnagar Imperial Service Lancers

BHDY Bhandary

BHISTY/ BHISTI – Water Carrier

BHOPAL I.S. LRS. Bhopal Imperial Service Lancers

BIHAR. L.H Bihar Light Horse

BIKNR.C.C. Bikaner Camel Corps

B.I.S.N. British India Steam Navigation Company

BL Breech Loading

B.L.H. Bihar Light Horse

BLR-MKR / B.MKR Boiler Maker

BM Brigade Major or Barrack Master

B.MLDR. Brick Moulder

B.M.P Burma Military Police

B.M.P.A. Burma Military Police Act

B.M.R Burma Mounted Rifles

BN Battalion

BN. CPS. GUIDES Queen Victoria’s Own Corps of Guides

B. N. RLWY. BN. Bengal-Nagpur Railway Battalion

B. & N. W. RY.CORPS Bengal and North-Western Railway Volunteer Rifles

BO. GRS. Bombay Grenadiers

BO. L. H. Bombay Light Horse

BOMBAY ARTY. I. D. F. Bombay Artillery Indian Defence Force

BOMBAY BN. I. D. F. Bombay Battalion Indian Defence Force

BOMBAY L. H. Bombay Light Horse

BOMBAY. VOL. RIF. Bombay Volunteer Rifles

BO. V. ART. Bombay Volunteer Artillery

BOV. V. RIF. Bombay Volunteer Rifles

BOR British Other Rank

B. P. G. Burma Police Gazette

B. RLWY. VOL CORPS Burma Railway Volunteer Corps

BR. Bearer

BRCS British Red Cross Society

BSM Battery Sergeant Major

B-SMITH. Blacksmith

BTC Bharatpur Transport Corps

BUGLE-MAJ Bugle Major

BUGLR Bugler

BURMA RIF. Burma Rifles

BURM. RY. V.CORPS. Burma Railways Volunteer Corps

BRAHMANS Brahmans

BRBR. Barber

BT.MAN Boatman

BURMA.M.RIF Burma Mounted Rifles

BURMA.RIF Burma Rifles

BWIR British West Indies Regiment

C Colonel or Commissioner

CALCUTTA. VOL. A. Calcutta Volunteer Artillery

CAL. L. H. Calcutta Light Horse

CAL. P.D. V.CORPS Calcutta Port Defence Volunteer Corps

CAL. SCO. VOL. Calcutta Scottish Volunteers

CAL. V. RIF. Calcutta Volunteer Rifles

CANTT Cantonment

CANTT MAGTE’S DEPT Cantonment Magistrate’s Department

CAPT. Captain

CARP / CRPTR Carpenter

CAV Cavalry

CAVALRY F.F. Cavalry Frontier Force

CAWNPORE. V. RIF Cawnpore Volunteer Rifles

CB Confined to Barracks, or Counter Battery or Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath

CBE Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire

CC Confined to Camp

CCS Casualty Clearing Station

C-D / C-DVR Camel Driver

C.D.C.P Camel Department Central Province

C DFDR MJR Colour Daffadar Major

CE Chief Engineer

CEF Canadian Expeditionary Force

C.H. BN. BMP. Chin Hills Battalion Burma Military Police

C.HAVR. C.HVLDR Colour Havildar

C.H.MAJ Colour Havildar Major

CHOTA.NAG.L.H. Chota Nagpur Light Horse

C.I. Carnatic Infantry

C.I. HORSE Central Indian Horse

C-in-C Commander-in-Chief

C.I.E. Companion, Order of the Indian Empire

C.INFY Carnatic Infantry

CIV.SAR Civilian Sarwan

CLC Chinese Labour Corps

C.L.H Calcutta Light Horse

C.L.I Ceylon Light Infantry

CLK. Clerk

CLNR. Cleaner

CM Circular Memorandum

CMG Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George

CMO Civil Medical Officer

CO Commanding Officer or Conscientious Objector

C. OF GUIDES Corps of Guides

C. OF GUIDES INF. Corps of Guides Infantry

Col. Colonel

COMMDT. Commandant

COMP. Compounder

CONDR. Conductor

CONTR. Contractor

COOLIE/COOLY/CLY Porter

COORG. & MYS. RIF. Coorg and Mysore Rifles

COSSPR ART. VOL. Cossipore Artillery Volunteers

COY Company

COY. A.B.C. Company Army Bearer Corps

CP Central Provinces or Civil Police

CPC Criminal Procedure Code

CPS Corps

CQMS Company Quartermaster Havildar

CR-HAVR Colour Havildar

C. SMITH Carriage Smith

CS Civil Surgeon

CSI Companion of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of India

CSR Civil Service Regulations

CSM Company Sergeant Major

C.SMITH Carriage Smith

CT Communication Trench

C.T. COY Camel Transport Company

CVD Civil Veterinary Department

CVO Commander of the Royal Victorian Order

cwt Hundredweight (centum weight)

D of A Director of Artillery

DAA Directory of Army Accounts

DAC Divisional Ammunition Column

DAD Deputy Assistant Director

DADOS Deputy Assistant Director of Ordnance Services

DADS Deputy Assistant Director of Supplies

DAP Divisional Ammunition Park

DC Deputy Commissioner

DCC Double Company Commander

D.C.O. LANCERS 31st Duke of Connaught’s Own Lancers

DCLI Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry

DCM Distinguished Conduct Medal

DD Deputy Director

DDW Deputy Director of Works

DELHI R Delhi Regiment

DEOLI R. Deoli Regiment

DEPT. Department

DERAJAT M.B. Derajat Mountain Battery

DFDR Daffadar

DG Dragoon Guards

DHOBI Laundryman

DI, II, III or IV, Field Officers and Captains of Volunteer units who have passed an examination in tactics, military law, organization, etc. or military history (From Indian Army List)

di, II, III, or IV, Lieutenants of Volunteer units who have passed an examination in tactics, military law, organization, etc. or military history (From Indian Army List)

DIGMP Deputy Inspector-General of Military Police

DIL Dangerously Ill List

D.I.V. Divisional

DIV. SIG. COY. Divisional Signal Company

DLI Durham Light Infantry

DLR Director of Light Infantry

DM. Daffadar Major or District Magistrate

DMC Desert Mounted Corps

DMI Director of Military Intelligence

DMO Director of Military Operations

DMR. Drummer

DO District Officer

DQMG Deputy Quartermaster General

DR Director of Remounts or Driver or Despatch Rider

DVR. Driver

DRSR. Dresser

DRM MAJ Drum-Major

DRUM MAJ Drum-Major

DVR. HAV Driver Havildar

DW Director of Works

Dy SP Deputy Superintendent of Police

(e) Qualified in a course of instruction at the London School of Economics (Indian Army List)

E.A.RYS. East African Railways

E.B.S.R.V.R Eastern Bengal State Railway Volunteer Rifles

E.COAST. V.RIF. East Coast Volunteer Rifles

EDUCTN. DEPT. Education Department

E. DVR. / ENG. DVR. Engine Driver

EEF Egyptian Expeditionary Force

EFC Expeditionary Force Canteen

E.I.RY.V.RIF East Indian Railway Volunteer Rifles

ELC Egyptian Labour Corps

EMO Embarkation Medical Officer

Eq. Equerry to the King

Ex. Eng. Executive Engineer

(f) Passed Firemasters Course (From Indian Army List)

FANY First Aid Nursing Yeomanry

FARR. Farrier

FARR-MAJ Farrier Major

FAU Friends Ambulance Unit

F.C. Foot Constable

F.C. Frontier Constabulary

FD / FLD Field

FD. CO. S. & M. Field Company Sappers & Miners

F.F. Frontier Force

F.F. RIF. Frontier Force Rifles

F.G.A. Frontier Garrison Artillery

FGCM Field General Court Martial

FLLR Follower

fm Field Marshal

F-MAN Foreman

FOO Forward Observation Officer

FPO Field Post Office

FR. CONSTAB. Frontier Constabulary

FS Field Service

FSR Field Service Regulations

FTR. Fitter

g. General

(g) Obtained a 1st class certificate in the Long course of Gunnery or Gunnery Staff Course prior to 1906, or the Certificate of the Gunnery Staff Course subsequent to 1905 (From Indian Army List)

GCB Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath

GCIE Knight Grand Commander of the Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire

GCSI Knight Grand Commander of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of India

G.G.BG. Governor General’s Bodyguard

G.I.P.RY.V.R. CORPS. Great Indian Peninsula Railway Volunteer Rifle Corps

G-MAN Gangman – Works on the railway track

GARHWAL. RIF / GARHL RFLS Garhwal rifles

GBD General Bade Depot

GCM General Court Martial

GD. Guard

GE Garrison Engineer

G.I.P. RLWY. BN. Greater Indian Peninsula Railways Battalion

GMC General Musketry Course

GMIE Grand Master of the Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire

GMSI Grand Master of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of India

GNR Gunner

GR Gunner

GRANTEE. C.CPS. Grantee Camel Corps

GRC Graves Registration Commission

GR. HAV Gunner Havildar

GR / GRKS.RF. Gurkha Rifles

GRNDSR Grenadiers

GS General Service or General Staff

G.S.M. General Service Medal

GSW Gunshot Wound

GUIDES CAVY. Guides Cavalry

GUIDES INFY. Guides Infantry

GURWALS. /GRWLS. RFLS. Garhwal Rifles

GWALIOR I.S. LRS. Gwalior Imperial Service Lancers

H/ HON. Honorary Rank

HA Heavy Artillery

HAG Heavy Artillery Group

HAR Heavy Artillery Reserve

HARIANA LNC. 7th Hariana Lancers

HAV / HAVR. Havildar

HAV-MAJ Havildar Major

H.C. Head Constable or Head Censor

HD. CLERK Head Clerk

HDMN. Headman

HE High Explosive

HF Home Forces

HS Home Service or Higher Standard (having passed a language examination)

H.S.K. Head Storekeeper

H.K.S.R.G.A. Hong Kong & Singapore Royal Garrison Artillery

HOLKAR’S MTD. ESCT. Holkar’s Mounted Escort (Indore Lancers)

HON. LT Honorary Lieutenant

h.p. Half Pay

HT Horse Transport

H.TRANSLATOR Head Translator

HV High Velocity

H-WRITER Head Writer

HYD.VOL.RIF. Hyderabad Volunteer Rifles

I.A Indian Army

I.A.C.C. Indian Army Corps of Clerks

I.A.F. Indian Air Force or Indian Army Form

I.A.O. Indian Army Order

I.A.O.C Indian Army Ordnance Corps

I.A.S.C. Indian Army Service Corps

I.A.R.O Indian Army Reserve of Officers

I.A.V.C. Indian Army Veterinary Corps

IB Infantry Brigade

IBD Infantry Base Depot or Indian Base Depot

I.C.A / I.C.ARTY / IN. COAST. ARTY Indian Coastal Artillery

I.C. ARTY. ADEN- Indian Coastal Artillery Aden

I.C.D. Indian Cavalry Division

I.D.A.C. Indian Divisional Artillery Column

I.D.F / INDIAN D.F. Indian Defence Force

IDSM Indian Distinguished Service Medal

IE Illegal Enlistment

I. ECC. EST Indian Ecclesiastical Establishment

I.E.F. Indian Expeditionary Force

I.E.M.E. Indian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

I.G.A. Indian Garrison Artillery

IGP Inspector-General of Police

I.G.S. Medal Indian General Service Medal

I. LABOUR C. Indian Labour Corps

I.M.D. Indian Medical Department

I.M.A. Indian Mountain Artillery

I.M.L. Indian Miscellaneous List

I.M.RY. Indian Military Railway

I.M.S. Indian Medial Service

I.M.T. Indian Mechanical Transport

IND. TELGH. DEPT. Indian Telegraph Department

IND. SURVEY Indian Surveys

INFY Infantry

inst. Latin (instante mense) this month

INTER INTPR INTR Interpreter

I.O. / IO Indian Officer or Intelligence Officer

I.O.D Indian Ordnance Department

IOM Indian Order of Merit

IOR Indian Other Rank

I.P.S Indian Postal Service

I. REMT. D. Indian Remount Department

IRGN.DTE Irrigation Department

IS Imperial Service or Indian Silladar

I.S.C. Indian Signal Corps

I.S.CPS. Imperial Service Corps

I.S.C. CPS. Imperial Service Camel Cps

I.S.I Imperial Service Infantry

I. SIG. S. Indian Signal Service

I.S.&.M. Imperial Sappers and Miners

I.S.M.D Indian Subordinate Medical Department

I.S.O. Companion of the Imperial Service Order

I.S.T. Imperial Service Troops

I.U.L Indian Unattached List

I.V.C. Indian Veterinary Corps

I.W.T Inland Water Transport

JAG Judge Advocate General

JAIPUR S.T.C / JAIPUR I.S.T Jaipur Supply and Transport Corps

JAT LT. INF. Jat Light Infantry

JEM JEMDR. Jemadar

JIND I.S. INFY. Jind Imperial Service Infantry

JODPHUR I.S. LRS. Jodhpur Imperial service Infantry

KAR.ART.VIL. Karachi Artillery Volunteers

KBS Kite Balloon Section

K.C.I.E. Knight Commander of the Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire

K.C.S.I. Knight Commander of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of India

KHIT. Khitmatgar

KHLS. / KHAL. Khallasi Deckhand

K.G.F. BN. Kolar Gold Fields Battalion

K-MATE Khalasi’s Mate

KAPUR INFY. Kapurthala Infantry

KAPURTHALA JAGATJIT INF. Kapurthala Jagatjit Infantry

KASHMIR MTN. BTY Kashmir Mountain Battery

KASHMIR RFLS./ KSMR. S .RFLS Kashmir Rifles

K.B. Kali Bahadur

K.C.C. Khaipur Camel Corps

K.D / K-DFDR Kot Dafadar

K.G.F. BN. Kolar Gold Fields Battalion

KHAL. Khalasi

KHASDR Khassadar Tribal Policeman

KO Karen Officer

KOHAT M.B. Kohat Mountain Battery

KOLAR G.F.R.VOL. Kolar Gold Fields Volunteers

KOSB King’s Own Scottish Borderers

KOYLI King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

KR King’s Regulations

KRRC King’s Royal Rifle Corps

KURRAM MIL Kurram Militia

[L] Qualified as 1st class Interpreter in a Modern Foreign Language (From the Indian Army List)

[l] Qualified as 2nd class Interpreter in a Modern Foreign Language (From the Indian Army List)

LAB Light Armoured Battery

LABR. Labourer

LANCERS F.H 19th Lancers (Fane’s Horse)

LAS. Lascar

L.C. Labour Corps

l.c. Lieutenant-Colonel

LCP Light Car Patrol

LCRS/ LRS Lancers

LCRS. F.H. Lancers Fane’s Horse

L-DFDR/ LD / L-DUF Lance Daffadar

L.I./ LIGHT INF. Light Infantry

LF Lancashire Fusiliers

l.g. Lieutenant-General

LG Lewis Gun

L-HAV Lance Havildar

LNMN. Lineman

L/NAIK / L.NK Lance Naik

LOCAL TR. CPS Local Transport Corps

LR Local Reserve

LRS. Lancers

LS – Lower Standard (having passed a language examination)

LT. Lieutenant

LT.CAV / L.T. CAV. LIGHT. CAV. Light Cavalry

L.T.CPS. Light Transport Corps

LTMB Light Trench Mortar Battery

LUCK.V.RIF. Lucknow Volunteer Rifles

LUMSDEN’S H Lumsden’s Horse

lv Leave

M. Madras

MA Master of Arts

MAC Motor Ambulance Convoy

MAD.ART.VOL. Madras Artillery Volunteers

MAD.V.GDS. Madras Volunteer Guards

MAHRATTAS Mahrattas

MAJ. Major

MALABAR V.RIF. Malabar Volunteer Rifles

MALAY S. GDS.ART. Malay States Guides Artillery

MALAY S.GDS. Malay States Guides

MALER KOTLA I-S.SPRS. Malerkotla Imperial Service Sappers

MASN Mason

M.B. Mountain Battery or Medical Board

M.B.R.G.A. Mountain Battery Royal Garrison Artillery

MC Military Cross or Mule Corps

m.c. Medical Certificate

M.D Mahendra Dhal Regiment

MECH. TPT. Mechanical Transport

MiD Mentioned in Despatches

MILY.D. FARMS. Military Dairy Farms

M. FARMS D. Military Farms Department

MESO.R / MESO. RYS./ MESPOT.RLYS. Mesopotamian Railways

M.F.D Military Farms Department

M.FARMS D. Military Farms Department

MFP Military Foot Police

MG Machine Gun

m.g. Major-General

M.G.C. Machine Gun Corps

MI Mounted Infantry

ML. CPS Mekran Levy Corps

M.L. CPS Mekran Levy Corps

MLDR Moulder

MLVI Maulvi Teacher

MO Medical Officer

MOCHI Shoemaker / Leatherworker

MOULN.V.ART- Moulmein Volunteer Artillery

MOULMEIN V.RIF. Moulmein Volunteer Rifles

MS Military Secretary

MSM Meritorious Service Medal

M.&S.M.RY.RIF. Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway Rifles

MT Motor Transport or Mechanical Transport

M.T.C Motor Transport Corps

MTCD Mechanical Transport Corps Depot

MTD. RFLS Mounted Rifles

MTHS Mahrattas

MTN Mountain

MTN.BTY/MTN. BATTERY Mountain Battery

MTYNA. BN. B.M.P. Myitkyina Battalion Burma Military Police

MUNSHI Secretary

MUSI. Musician

MUSS.V.RIF. Mussoorie

M.W.S. Military Works Services

MYIT. BN. B.M.P. Myit Battalion Burma Military Police

NABHA I.S. INFY Nabha Imperial Service Infantry

NAG.V.RIF. Nagpur Volunteer Rifles

N.BENGAL.M.RIF. Northern Bengal Mounted Rifles

NC Northern Command

NCC Non-Combatant Corps

NCO Non-commissioned officer

NF Northumberland Fusiliers

NILGIRI.V.RIF. Nilgiri Volunteer Rifles

NIL. MAL. BN. A.F.I Nighai & Malabar Auxiliary Force India

NIL.VOL.RFLS Nilghai Volunteer Rifles

NK. NAIK An Indian Army rank equivalent to a Corporal in the British Army

N.RFLS 125th Napier’s Rifles

N. SHAN. STATES BATT. Northern Shan States Battalion

N-TAL.V.RIF. Naini Tal Volunteers

N.W.F. North West Frontier

N.W. MILITIA/ N.WAZ.MILITIA North Waziristan Militia

N.W.RY.V.RIF North Western Railway Volunteer Rifles

NYD Not Yet Diagnosed

(o) Passed the Ordnance Course (From the Indian Army List)

OB Operations Branch

OBI The Order of British India

OC Officer Commanding or Officer Cadet

O.M. Member of the Order of Merit

OP Observation Post

OR Other RANK

O.& R.RY.V.RIF. Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway Volunteer Rifles

OS Ordnance Services

OTC Officer Training Corps

OTRM.R 123rd Outram’s Rifles

OTRM.RFLS 123rd Outram’s Rifles

OUTRN. RFLS 123rd Outram’s Rifles

OVSR. Overseer

P. Punjab or Passed Interpreter’s Examination before District Committees (From the Indian Army List)

p.a. Latin (per annum) Yearly or Private Affairs (for leave)

P.A. Police Act

p.a.c. Passed final examination, advanced class Ordnance College (From the Indian Army List)

PACK ARTY. Pack Artillery

PALAM. L.I. Palamcottah Light Infantry

Para Paragraph

PATIALA I.S.INFY/ PATIALA INFY Patiala Imperial Service Infantry

PATIALA I.S. LNCRS./ Pat. Raj. Lcrs Patiala Imperial Service Lancers

PB Punjab

P.B. Pack Battery or Permanent Base

PB-FLR Public Follower

P. BTY. F.F. Pack Battery Frontier Force

P.C. Police Constable or Passed Interpreter’s test in Calcutta. (From the Indian Army List)

P.C. Porter Corps

P.CPS/ PONY CPS. Pony Corps

PEON A labourer

PESHAWAR M.B Peshawar Mountain Battery

P.F.F. Punjab Frontier Force

P.G. Purano Gorkha Regiment

P.H. Passed Examination in the Hindustani Language (From the Indian Army List)

PJBIS/ PJBS Punjabis

PLH Punjab Light Horse

PM Provost Marshal

P-MKR Pallet Maker

PMO – Principal Medical Officer

PNRS Pioneers

PO Post Office or Political Officer

P OFF Post Office

POL. DEPT Political Department

POLICE DEPT. Police Department

POONA.V.RIF. Poona Volunteer Rifles

POSTEL DEPT Postal Department

POW Prisoner of War

P.P. Pasupati Prasad Regiment

P.P Punjab Police

PRES.VOL.RIF. Presidency Volunteer Rifles

Priv affs Private Affairs (for leave)

prom tem. Latin (pro tempore) For the time being

p.s. Passed for Staff employ

p.s.c. Passed the final examination at the Staff College

P.S.HAV Pack Store Havildar

p.t. Pro tempore (Latin for the time being)

PTE Private

PTE-FOLLR Private Follower

PTE. SVT. Private Servant

PTR.CPS. Porter Corps

PU Permanently Unfit

PUNJ. L.H. Punjab Light Horse

PUNJ.V. RIF. Punjab Volunteer Rifles

PUO Pyrexia of Unknown Origin

P.W.D. Public Works Department

q. Passed field works course, Chatham, or course of instruction in pioneering at H.Q. Corps of Sappers and Miners (From the Indian Army List)

(Q) Qualified in tactical fitness for Comd., or in the case of Officers of the R.A.M.C., for promotion to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel (From the Indian Army List)

QF Quick Firing

Q.M.HAV. Quartermaster Havildar

QMG Quartermaster General

QMS Quartermaster Sergeant

qs Qualified for Staff

[R] Officers who are in receipt of Good Service Pension (From the Indian Army List)

R.A. Royal Artillery

RAMC Royal Army Medical Corps

RANGN. V.RIF. Rangoon Volunteer Rifles

RAP Regimental Aid Post

RB Rifle Brigade

RCE Royal Canadian Engineers

RCO Railway Control Officer

r.d. Regimental Depot

RDC Royal Defence Corps

RDF Royal Dublin Fusiliers

RE Royal Engineers

RES. BN. B.M.P Reserve Battalion Burma Military Police

RESVT Reservist

RESSDLR Ressaldar

R&F Rank and File

R.F.A Royal Field Artillery

RFC Royal Flying Corps

RFLS. Rifles

RFMN Rifleman

R.G.A Royal Garrison Artillery

R.G.R Royal Garhwal Rifles

RH Railhead

R.H.A. Royal Horse Artillery

R.I.M. Royal Indian Marine

R.I.S. Lancers Rampur Imperial Service Lancers

RIS MAJ Risaldar Major

RLY Railway

RM Rifleman or Riding Master or Royal Marines

RMC Royal Military College Sandhurst

RMF Royal Munster Fusiliers

RMLC Royal Maine Labour Corps

RMLI Royal Marine Light Infantry

RMT.DEPT. Remount Department

RND Royal Naval Division

RO Recruiting Officer

RRC Royal Red Cross

RS Royal Scots

R. SIKHS Rattray’s Sikhs

RTC Reserve Training Centre

RTO Railway Transport Officer

RTU Returned to Unit

RVTR Riveter

RWF Royal Welsh Fusiliers

RY.BN.S&M Railway Battalion Sappers and Miners

SAA Small Arms Ammunition

S.A.S Sub-Assistant Surgeon

SAR/ SARWAN Sarwan Camel Driver

SBR Small Box Respirator

SC Staff Captain or Southern Command

S. C.CPS Sillader Camel Corps

SDLR. Saddler

SEC Section

SEP Sepoy

SF State Forces

SGN. Surgeon

SHERE. Shere Regiment

S.I Sub Inspector

SIALKOT CAV. BDE. Sialkot Cavalry Brigade

SIGMN Signalman

SIKHS Sikhs

SIKH PIONEERS Sikh Pioneers

SIMLA. V.RIF. Simla Volunteer Rifles

SIND V.RIF Sind Volunteer Rifles

SIRMOOR SPRS Sirmoor Sappers

S.I.RY.V.RIF. South Indian Railway Volunteer Rifles.

SIS. LEVY CPS. Sistan Levy Corps

SIW Self-Inflicted Wound

S-KHAL. Senior Khalasi

S & M Sappers and Miners

SMO Senior Medical Officer

SO Sheikh Othman

S.PROV.M.RIF. Southern Provinces Mounted Rifles

SO.PRO.MTD.RIF. Southern Provinces Mounted Rifles

SP Strongpoint

SPL .RES. TRPT. Special Reserve Transport

SPR Sapper

SPR-DVR Sapper Driver

SPS Superintendent of Police Supplies

SR Special Reserve

S.S.D. Shamsher Dal Paltan Regiment

S-SMITH Shoeing Smith

SSO Staff Station Officer

SSS Southern Shan States

S&T.CORPS / S & T C Supply and Transport Corps

ST.MICH. S.C. CORPS. St. Michael’s School Cadet Corps

STVDR. Stevedore

SUB / SUBDR Subadar

SUB. CONDR. Sub-Conductor

SUB.MAJ. Subadar-Major

SUB-OVSR. Sub-Overseer

SUP. ENG. Superintending Engineer

SURMA VALLEY L.H. Surma Valley Light Horse

SURMA. V.L.H. Surma Valley Light Horse

S. And. V.RIF South Andaman Volunteer Rifles

S.WAZ. MIL / S. WAZ. MILITIA South Waziristan Militia

S.WAZ. SCTS South Waziristan Scouts.

SWPR. Sweeper

SWR / SW- Sowar

SYCE A groom

TB Temporary Base

TC Tank Corps

TEL. DEPT. Telegraph Department

TF Territorial Force or Treasury Form

TM Trench Mortar

TNDL / TINDAL Tindal -Foreman

T.NK. Temporary Naik

TO Transport Officer

TRANS. Translator

TRPTR. Trumpeter

TR Training Reserve

TRB Training Reserve Brigade

TROOP DAF. Troop Daffadar

U.BUR.V.RIF. Upper Burma Volunteer Rifles

ult. Latin (ultimo mense) last month

UOTC University Officers Training Corps

u.p.a. Urgent Private Affairs (From the Indian Army List)

U.P.HORSE (N.REGT.) United Provinces Horse (Northern Regiment)

U.P.HORSE (S.REGT.) United Provinces Horse (Southern Regiment)

u.s.l. On Unemployed Supernumerary List (From the Indian Army List)

V- Veterinary

V.A Veterinary Assistant

V.A.BTTY. Volunteer Artillery Battery

VAD Voluntary Aid Detachment

VC Victoria Cross

VCO- Viceroy’s Commissioned Officer

VD Venereal Disease or Volunteer Officers’ Decoration

VETY-ASST / V-ASSTT Veterinary Assistant

V.H.S. Honorary Surgeon to the Viceroy

vice In place of

VO Veterinary Officer

V.R.G.B Viceroys’ Bodyguard

VTV Volunteer Training Corps

W-SVT. Ward Servant

WALLAJ L.I Wallajahbad Light Infantry

W-CARR Water Carrier

WE War Establishment

WKSHP Workshop

WKS SERV Works Serviced

W-MAN Weighman

WG-MAN Weighman

W.O. Ward Orderly or War Office

WORKS DTE Works Directorate

YERCAUD R.VOL. Yercaud Rifle Volunteers

ZHOB.LEVY CPS Zhob Levy Corps

YOC Young Officers Company

YS Young Soldier

ZL. POLICE Zhob Levy Police

Z.M Zhob Militia

ZMC Zion Mule Corps