When researching a soldier who served in the First World War you’ll be confronted with a wide
range of abbreviations and acronyms. Whether you are trying to decipher the wording on a soldier’s medals or a passage in a war diary, the following list will help you. My following guides may also be of interest
- Guides to Researching Soldiers who Served in the British Army during WW1
- Guides to Researching Soldiers who Served in the Indian Army during WW1
WW1 Abbreviations and Acronyms
Abbreviation / Acronym
A Acting or Assistant
AA Anti-Aircraft or Army Act or Armament Artificer
AA Assistant Adjutant
AAA Army (Annual) Act
AAC Auxiliary Ammunition Column
AAG Assistant Adjutant General
AASC Anti-Aircraft Searchlight Company
AASS Anti-Aircraft Searchlight Section
AB Army Book or Able Seaman or Aberdeenshire
ABPO Advanced Base Post Office
AC Armoured Car or Army Council or Ammunition Column
ACC Army Cyclist Corps or Army Corps of Clerks or Accidentally
ACD Army Chaplains' Department
ACG Assistant Chaplain General
ACI Army Council Instruction
A CLOTHING DEPT Army Clothing Department
A-CPL Acting Corporal
ACTG - Acting
A CYC CORPS Army Cyclist Corps
a.d. Airship Detachment (Royal Flying Corps)
AD Artillery Depot or Assistant Director
ADAPS Assistant Director Army Postal Services
ADC Aide-de-Camp
A D CORPS Army Dental Corps
ADEN TRP Aden Troop
ADGT Assistant Director-General of Transportation
ADJ Adjutant
ADL Assistant Director of Labour
ADLR Assistant Director of Light Railway
ADM Admitted or Administered
ADMN Administration
ADMS Assistant Director of Medical Services
ADN Adhesion
ADRT Assistant Director-General of Rail Transport
ADS Advanced Dressing Station
AD SIGS Assistant Director of Army Signals
ADT Assistant Director of Transport
ADV GD Advanced Guard
ADVS Assistant Director Veterinary Services
AEC Area Employment Company/Companies (Labour Corps)
AED Army Education Corps
A EMP COY Area Employment Company
AF Army Form
AFA Army Field Artillery
AFC Air Force Cross or Australian Flying Corps
AFG Afghanistan
AG Adjutant General
AFGN Afghanistan
AFZ Aircraft Fighting Zones
AGS Army Gymnastic Staff or Anglesey
AHC Army Hospital Corps
AHQ Army Headquarters
AIF Australian Imperial Force
AIR MECH Air Mechanic or Assistant Inspector of Remounts
AIS Assistant Inspector of Searchlights
A-L-SGT Acting Lance-Sergeant
AM Albert Medal or Air Ministry
AM1 Air Mechanic 1st Class
AMB Ambulance
AMER AMB HOSP American Ambulance Hospital
AMLO Assistant Military Landing Officer
AMM Ammunition
AMM SUB PARK Ammunition Sub-Park
AM RCS American Red Cross Society
AMS Assistant Military Secretary
AMT Armament
A No Army Number
ANT Antrim
ANZAC Australian and New Zealand Army Corps
AO Army Order
AOC Army Ordnance Corps
AOD Army Ordnance Depot or Army Ordnance Department
AOO Army Ordnance Office
a.p. Aircraft Park (Royal Flying Corps)
AP Aid Post or Armour Piercing or Ammunition Park
APC Army Pay Corps
APD Army Pay Department
APM Assistant Provost Marshal
APMC Almeric Paget Massage Corps
APO Army Post Office
APP Applied
APPN Application
APSS Army Printing and Stationery Service
APTC Army Physical Training Corps
AQMG Assistant Quartermaster-General
AR Army Reserve or Alberta Regiment
ARAB RIF Arab Rifles
ARD Army Remount Depot
ARG Argyllshire
ARMR Armourer
ARP Ammunition Refilling Point
ART Artillery or Artificer
ARTILY Artillery
a.s. Serving with the Army Service Corps
AS Armourer Section or Active Service
ARS Army Remount Service
ARSB Army Reserve Section B
ASC Army Service Corps
ASD Army Schools Department
A and S Ammunition and Store
A & S H Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's)
ASO Area Searchlight Officer
ASP Ammunition Sub-park
ASS Assumed
ASST Assistant
ASST MIL SEC Assistant Military Secretary
AT Army Troops or Animal Transport or Artillery Training
A TRAIN Armoured Train
ATT Attached
ATTD Attached
AUS Australia
AUX Auxiliary
AUX MIL H Auxiliary Military Hospital
AUX PETROL COY Auxiliary Petrol Company
AVC Army Veterinary Corps
AVC (TF) Army Veterinary Corps (Territorial Force)
AVCS Advanced Veterinary Collecting Station
AVD Army Veterinary Department
AVL Absent Voters List
AWOL Absent Without Leave
AYR Ayrshire
AYR YEO Ayrshire Yeomanry
BA British Army or Barber
BAC Brigade Ammunition Column
BAPO Base Army Post Office
BATT Battery or Battalion
BATTN Battalion
BC Battery Commander or British Cavalry or Base Commandant
BCBD British Cavalry Base Depot
BCD Boulogne-Calais-Dunkirk
BCK Buckinghamshire
BCR British Columbia Regiment
BD Base Depot or Bedfordshire
BDE Brigade
BDMR Bandmaster
BDS Base Depot Supplies
BDTS Base Depot Transport Section
BE Buteshire
BEDF YEO Bedfordshire Yeomanry
BEDR R Bedfordshire Regiment
BEF British Expeditionary Force
BER Bermuda
BERKS Berkshire
BERKS YEO Berkshire Yeomanry
BFF Banff
BG Brigadier General or Broad Gauge
BGGS Brigadier-General General Staff
BGLR Bugler
BGRA Brigadier-General Royal Artillery
BHT Base Horse Transport
BKY Bakery
BL Breach Loading
BLK Blacksmith
BM Brigade Major or Barrack Master
BMTD Base Motor Transport Depot
BN Battalion or Brecknockshire
BNDSMN Bandsman
BODR R Border Regiment
BOMB Bombardier
BOR British Other Rank
BORD R Border Regiment
BR Bombardier or Bugler or Brigade Reserve
BRC British Red Cross
BRCS British Red Cross Society
BRD Base Remount Depot
BRK Berks
BREV Brevet
BRIG-GEN Brigadier-General
BRX British Red Cross
BSD Base Signals Depot
BSM Battery Sergeant-Major
BT Brevet or Bayonet Training or Bridging Train or Bomb-Throwing
BT COL Brevet Colonel
BT INS Bomb-Throwing Instructor
BT Lt-COL Brevet Lieutenant Colonel
BUCKS YEO Buckinghamshire Yeomanry
BW British War Medal or Bullet Wound
BWM British War Medal
BW & VM British War Medal and Victory Medal
BWIR British West Indies Regiment
BWM British War Medal
BZE Bronze
C Corps or Cook
CAMB R Cambridgeshire Regiment
CAMERONS Cameron Highlanders (The Queen's Own)
CANC Cancelled
CAPT Captain
CAPT & ADJT Captain and Adjutant
CAPT HON Captain The Honourable
CARR Carrier
CAV Cavalry
CAV DIV Cavalry Division
CAV SUPPLY COL Cavalry Supply Column
CB Confined to Barracks or Counter-Battery or Cambridgeshire
CCD Commander of Coast Defences or Cavalry Command Depot
CC Confined to Camp
CCC Canal Control Committee
CCS Casualty Clearing Station
CCTA Council of County Territorial Associations
CD Command Depot
C de G Croix de Guerre
CDN Cardigan
CDS Corps Dressing Station
CE Chief Engineer or Canadian Engineers
CF Chaplin to the Forces
CFS Central Flying School (RFC/RAF)
CGS Chief of the General Staff in the Field
CH Chiropodist or Cheshire
CHA Commander Heavy Artillery
CHES Cheshire
CHES R Cheshire Regiment
CHES YEO Cheshire Yeomanry
CH MEC Chief Mechanic
CIE Companion of the Indian Empire
C-in-C Commander-in-Chief
CIGS Chief of the Imperial General Staff
CGS Chief of the General Staff
CG Coldstream Guards
C GUARDS Coldstream Guards
CI Lady of the Imperial Order of the Crown of India or Channel Islands
CIV Civilian
CK Cork
CL Class or Clare
CLC Chinese Labour Corps
CLL Cornwall
CL P RES Class P Reserve
CL T RES Class T Reserve
CL W RES Class W Reserve
CL Z AR Class Z Army Reserve
CL Z RES Class Z Reserve
CMB Coastal Motor Boat
CME Chief Mechanical Engineer
CMG Companion of St.Michael and St.George
CMN Carmarthen
CMP Corps of Military Police
c.o. Serving under Colonial Office or Under a Colonial Government
CO Commanding Officer or Company or Conscientious Objector
COE Church of England
C of ARMRS Corps of Armourers
C of AS Corps of Army Schoolmasters
C of E Church of England or Court of Enquiry
C of H Corporal of Horse or Corps of Hussars
C of I Court of Inquiry
C of L Corps of Lancers or City of London
C of LOND YEO City of London Yeomanry (Rough Riders)
C of M Controller of Mines
C of MIL ACC Corps of Military Accountants
COL Colonel or Colour
COL O Colonial Office
COL SERGT Colour Sergeant
COL SGT Colour Sergeant
COL SJT Colour Serjeant
COLN Column
COMD Commanding
COMDNG Commanding
COMDR Commander
COMDT Commandant
COMM Commission or Commissioned
COMMR Commander
CONDR Conductor
CO of LOND Y County of London Yeomanry
CONN RANG Connaught Rangers
CONV Convicted
COR Central Ontario Regiment
CORS Corps Officers Rest Station
COY Company
CPL Corporal
CPL of H Corporal of Horse
CPT Captain
CQMS Company Quartermaster Sergeant
CR Comprehensive Report (CWGC acronym)
CRA Commander Royal Artillery
CRCE Chief Railway Construction Engineer
CRD Central Recruiting Depot
CRE Commander Royal Engineers
CRS Corps Rest Station
CRSO Chief Recruiting Staff Officer
CRV Certified Receipt Voucher
CS Cold Shoer
CSI Central School of Instruction
CSI Companion of the Star of India
C SGT Colour Sergeant
CSM Company Sergeant Major
CSP Corps Siege Park
CT Communication Trench or Cart Train
CTN MGR Canteen Manager
CUOTC Cambridge University Officers' Training Corps
CVO Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
CWGC Commonwealth War Graves Commission
cwt Hundredweight
CY Cavalry
CYC Cyclist
D Dragoons
DA Directeur de l' Arriere
D of A Director of Artillery
DAA Director of Army Accounts
DAC Divisional Ammunition Column
DADAPS Deputy Assistant Director Army Postal Services
DACG Deputy Assistant Chaplain General
DADL Deputy Assistant Director of Labour
DADMS Deputy Assistant Director of Medical Services
DADOS Deputy Assistant Director Ordnance Services
DADRT Deputy Assistant Director of Rail Transport
DADS Deputy Assistant Director of Supplies
DAD SIGS Deputy Assistant Director of Signals
DADW Deputy Assistant Director of Works
DAG Deputy Adjutant General
DAH Disordered action of the heart
DANG Dangerously
DAP Divisional Ammunition Park
DAPS Director of Army Postal Services
DAQMG Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General
DAU Daughter
DBR Dunbar
DCB Days Confined to Barracks
DCF Directeur des Chemins de Fer
DCLI Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
DCM Distinguished Conduct Medal or District Court-Martial
DCO Draft Conducting Officer
DD Director of Docks
DDAPS Deputy Director of Army Postal Services
DDGT Deputy Director-General of Transportation
DDIWT Deputy Director Inland Waterway Transport
DDMR Director-General of Military Railways
DDMS Deputy Director of Medical Services
DDR Deputy Director Remounts
DDRT Deputy Director of Rail Transport
DDVS Deputy Directory of Veterinary Services
DEC Divisional Engineer Commander
DEMOB Demobilized
DENBIGH YEO Denbighshire Yeomanry
DEPT Department or Depot
DERBY YEO Derbyshire Yeomanry
DET Detachment
DEVON R Devonshire Regiment
DEVON YEO Devonshire Yeomanry
DFC Distinguished Flying Cross
DFS Director of Financial Services
DFW Director of Fortifications and Works
D GDS Dragoon Guards
DGO Divisional Gas Officer
DI Dangerously Ill
DIGC Deputy Inspector General Communications
DIL Dangerously Ill List
DIS Discharged
DISC Discharged
DISC MU Discharged Medically Unfit
DISC PU Discharged Physically Unfit
DISEMBD Disembodied
DIST District
DIV Division
DIV AMM PARK Divisional Ammunition Park
DIVL Divisional
DIV Supply Col Divisional Supply Column
DIY Derbyshire Imperial Yeomanry
DG Dragoon Guards or Director-General
D.GDS Dragoon Guards
DGMR Director-General of Military Railways
DGRE Directorate of Graves Registration and Enquiries
DGT Director General of Transportation
DLO Yeomanry Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry
DLR Director of Light Railways
DJAG Deputy Judge Advocate General
DLR Director of Light Railways
DM Durham Light Infantry
DMGO Divisional Machine Gun Officer
DMS Director of Medical Services
DMT Director of Military Training
DN Dragoon
DNS Dragoons
do Ditto also used "
D of LANC O Y Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry
DORA Defence of the Realm Act
DORSET R Dorsetshire Regiment
DOS Director of Ordnance Services
DOW Died of Wounds
DP Death Presumed
D POST Director of Postal Services
DR Despatch Rider or Director of Remounts or Drummer
DR Driver or Divisional Reserve or Director of Railways
D Rds Director of Roads
D REMOUNTS Director or Remounts
DRF Depression Range Finder
DRLS Despatch Rider Letter Service
D RLYS Director of Railways
DRS Divisional Rest Station
DRT Director of Railway Transport
DS Dressing Station or Director of Supplies
DSC Divisional Supply Column
D SIGS Director of Army Signals
DSM Distinguished Service Medal
DSMBKD Disembarked
DSO Distinguished Service Order
DST Director of Supplies
DT Director of Transport
DTC Donkey Transport Company
DTH ACCPT Death Accepted
DTLS Details (as in Base Details)
DU Dispersal Unit
DURH LI Durham Light Infantry
Dur of War Duration of War
DVR Driver
DVS Director of Veterinary Services
DW Director of Works
DWR Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding Regiment)
DY Deputy
e.a. Attached to Egyptian Army
EA East Africa or East African or Enemy Artillery
E ARF MTC East African Motor Transport Company
EAVC East African Veterinary Corps
EC Eastern Command
ED Efficiency Decoration
EDN Education
EEF Egyptian Expeditionary Force
EF Expeditionary Force
EFC Expeditionary Force Canteen
E-in-C Engineer-in-Chief
E K Royal East Kent Yeomanry
E KENT R The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)
E LAN R East Lancashire Regiment
ELC Egyptian Labour Corps
ELIG Eligible
E&M Electrical and Mechanical
EMBFA Eastern Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance
EMBKD Embarked
EMO Embarkation Medical Officer
ENC Enclosed
EOR Eastern Ontario Regiment
Eq Equerry to the King
EST Establishment
ER of YORK Y East Riding of Yorkshire Yeomanry
ER Yeo East Riding Yeomanry
ES Egyptian Section
ESSEX R Essex Regiment
ESSEX YEO Essex Yeomanry
EST East
E SURR R East Surrey Regiment
ET Escort Trench
et seq Latin (et sequens) and the following
EX Exchange
EX FCE CAN Expeditionary Forces Canteen
EXTD Extracted
E YORK R East Yorkshire Regiment
f. Passed Firemasters' Class Ordnance College
FA Field Artillery or Field Ambulance or Father
F AMB Field Ambulance
FANY First Aid Nursing Yeomanry
FAR Farrier
FAR CPL Farrier Corporal
FAR SGT Farrier Sergeant
FAR SJT Farrier Serjeant
FAU Friends Ambulance Unit
F BKY Field Bakery
f.c. Belonging or attached to the Royal Flying Corps
FC Fire Commander or Fire Command
F CO Field Company
f.c.r. Belonging to the Royal Flying Reserve
F COY Field Company
FD Field or Full Dress
FDS Forwards
FE & FF Y. Fifeshire and Forfarshire Yeomanry
FF Buried in a coffin (CWGC abbreviation)
FGCM Field General Court Martial
FH Field Hospital
FIDF Falkland Islands Defence Force
FIFE & FORFAR YEO Fire and Forfar Yeomanry
FIVC Falkland Island Volunteer Corps
F IMP Field Imprisonment
FIRE COMD Fire Command
FLC Fijian Labour Corps
FM Field Marshal
FMLY Formerly
FMN Foreman
f.o. Serving under Foreign Office
FO Field Officer
FOO Forward Observation Officer
FOP Forward Observation Post
FP Field Punishment
FPO Field Post Office
FR Father
fs Feet per second
FS Field Service
FSC Field Survey Company
FSL Field Searchlight
FSM Field Service Manual
FSR Field Service Regulations
FTP Forward Tractor Park
FTR Fitter
FTR CPL Fitter Corporal
FTR SGT Fitter Sergeant
FTR SJT Fitter Serjeant
FUS Fusiliers
FWD Four Wheel Drive
FWDS Forwards
FWM Forewoman
G Groom
GBD General Base Depot
GC Gun Captain
GCB Knight Grand Cross of Bath
GCIE Knight Grand Commander of the Indian Empire
GCM General Court-Martial
GCMG Knight Grand Cross of St.Michael and St.George
G COAST R Gold Coast Regiment
GCSI Knight Commander of the Star of India
GCVO Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
GD Guard
GDA Gun Defended Area
GGC Gun Group Commander
G GDS Grenadier Guards
GDS Guards
GDS MG REGT Guards Machine Gun Regiment
GEN General
GFTH Gerard Freeman Thomas Hospital
GFTWH Gerard Freeman Thomas War Hospital
GG Grenadier Guards
GH General Hospital
GHQ General Headquarters
GIB Gibraltar
GLAM YEO Glamorgan Yeomanry
GLOUC Gloucestershire
GLOUC R Gloucestershire Regiment
GLOUC YEO Gloucestershire Yeomanry (Royal Gloucestershire Hussars)
GMC General Musketry Course
GMP Garrison Military Police
GN BN Garrison Battalion
GNR Gunner
GOC General Officer Commanding
GORD Gordon Highlanders
GORDONS Gordon Highlanders
GP Grove Park or Gutta-Percha
GPO General Post Office
GQG Grand Quartier General
GR Gunner
GRAD BN Graduated Battalion
GRC Graves Registration Commission
GRO General Routine Order
GRU Graves Registration Unit
GS General Staff or General Service
GSO General Staff Officer
GSW Gunshot Wound or General Service Wagon
H Hotchkiss Gunner
HA Heavy Artillery
HAB Heavy Artillery Brigade
HA BDE Heavy Artillery Brigade
HAC Honourable Artillery Company
HAC (ART) Honourable Artillery Company (Artillery)
HAC (INF) Honourable Artillery Company (Infantry)
HAG Heavy Artillery Group
HAR Heavy Artillery Reserve
HAMPS Hampshire
HAMPS R Hampshire Regiment
HAMPS YEO Hampshire Yeomanry
HB Heavy Branch or Heavy Battery
HBMGC Heavy Branch Machine Gun Corps
HBRGA Heavy Battery Royal Garrison Artillery
HD Heavy Draught Horse
HDQRS Headquarters
HE High Explosive or Horizontal Equivalent
HERT Hertfordshire
HERT R Hertfordshire Regiment
HERTS YEO Hertfordshire Yeomanry
HF Home Forces
HIGD Highland
HIGD BDE Highland Brigade
HIGH CYC BN Highland Cyclist Battalion
HGSRGA Hong Kong and Singapore Garrison Artillery
HLI Highland Light Infantry
h.o. Serving under Home Office
HO House
HON Honorary
HON LIEUT & QM Honorary Lieutenant and Quartermaster
HOSP Hospital
HOWR Howitzer
HOWS Howitzer
hp Half Pay
HQ Headquarters
HR Hussar
HRS Horse or Hussars
HS Hospital Ship or Home Service
HT Horse Transport of Hired Transport
HTC Horse Transport Company
HUNTS CYC BN Huntingdonshire Cyclist Battalion
HV High Velocity
HVA High Velocity Ammunition
HVY Heavy
IA Indian Army
IB Infantry Brigade or Indian Base
IBD Infantry Base Depot
IC In Command
i/c In charge of
ICD Infantry Command Depot or Indian Cavalry Division
ICT Inflammation of the Connective Tissue
IEF Indian Expeditionary Force
IG Irish Guards
IGC Inspector General of Communications
I GDS Irish Guards
IGSM Indian General Service Medal
IHL Imprisonment with Hard Labour
I in G Instructor in Gunnery
IMPERIAL MTD BDE Imperial Mounted Brigade
IMP YEO Imperial Yeomanry
IND Indian or India
INDIV Individuals
IND PEN Indian Pension
INF Infantry
INNIS Inniskilling
INNS OR COURT R Inns of Court Regiment
INSPR Inspector
inst. Latin (instante mense) this month
INSTR Instructor
INT Intelligence
INTELL C Intelligence Corps
INTPR Interpreter
IO Intelligence Officer
I of C OTC Inns of Court Officers Training Corps
I of A Instructor of Artillery
I of M Regimental Instructor of Musketry
IOR Indian Other Rank
IR GDS Irish Guards
IS Inspector of Searchlights
ISO Companion of the Imperial Service Order
issd - Issued
ITF In the field
i.v. Serving with the Indian Volunteers
IV Issue Voucher
IW&D Inland Waterways and Docks
IWGC Imperial War Graves Commission
IWT Inland Water Transport
JAG Judge Advocate General
jd Joined
JLI Jersey Light Infantry
JNO John
KAR King's African Rifles
KBS Kite Balloon Section (Royal Flying Corps)
KC Kent County
KCB Knight Commander of the Bath
KCIE Knight Commander of the Indian Empire
KCMG Knight Commander of St.Michael and St.George
KD Killed
K EDW H King Edward's Horse
KEH King Edward's Horse
KE HSE King Edward's Horse
KENT CYC BN Kent Cyclist Battalion
KHC Hon. Chaplain to the King
KHP Hon. Physician to the King
KHS Hon. Surgeon to the King
KIA Killed in Action
KCVO Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
KG Knight of the Garter
KOSB King's Own Scottish Borderers
KOYLI King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
KP Knight of St. Patrick
KR King's Regulations
KRRD King's Royal Rifle Corps Depot
KRRC King's Royal Rifle Corps
K R RIF C King's Royal Rifle Corps
KSLI King's Shropshire Light Infantry
KT Knight of the Thistle
L Lewis Gunner
LAB Light Armoured Battery
LAB CORPS Labour Corps
LACB Light Armoured Car Battery/Brigade
LADA London Air Defence Area
LAMB Light Armoured Motor Battery
LAN Lancashire
LANARK YEO Lanarkshire Yeomanry
LAN FUS Lancashire Fusiliers
LAN HRS Lancashire Hussars
L Lancers or Lance (Lance Corporal)
L & B Horse Lothian and Border Horse Yeomanry
LCP Light Car Patrol
L/CPL Lance Corporal
L of C Lines of Communication
LD Light Duty or Light Draft Horse
LDCCS Lowland Division Casualty Clearing Station
LDG MECH Leading Mechanic
LDT Lahore Divisional Train
LE Left eye
LEE London Electrical Engineers
LEIC Leicester
LEIC R Leicestershire Regiment
LEIC YEO Leicester Yeomanry
LEINS Leinster
LEINS R Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians)
LF Lancashire Fusiliers or Left Flank
LG Life Guards or Lewis Gun or London Gazette
L GDS Life Guards
LI Light Infantry
LIEUT Lieutenant
LINC Lincolnshire
LINC R Lincolnshire Regiment
LINC YEO Lincolnshire Yeomanry
LM Leading Mechanic
LMB Lowland Mounted Brigade
L N LAN R Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
LO Liaison Officer
L of C Line of Communication
LON R The London Regiment
LOTH & BODR H Lothian and Border Horse Yeomanry
LOVATS SCTS Lovat's Scouts
LP Listening Post
L POOL R The King's (Liverpool Regiment)
LR Local Reserve or Lancer or Light Railway
LRS Lancers
L-SJT Lance-Serjeant
LT Lieutenant or Light
LT COL Lieutenant Colonel
LT GEN Lieutenant General
LTM Light Trench Mortar
lv Leave
M Maxim Gunner
m.a. Attached to the Royal Military Academy
MAC Motor Ambulance Convoy
MAD Military Accounts Department
M A DEPT Military Accounts Department
MAJOR HON Major The Honourable
MALTESE L C Maltese Labour Corps
MANCH R Manchester Regiment
MAS Motor Airline Section
MB Medical Board or Medicinae Baccalaureus (Bachelor of Medicine)
mc Medical Certificate or Attached to the Royal Military College
MC Military Cross
m.c.c. Certificate Senior Department Royal Military College
MD Medicinae Doctor (Latin for Doctor of Medicine)
MDS Main Dressing Station
MECH Mechanical
MECH TRANS Mechanical Transport
MED Medical
MEF Mediterranean Expeditionary Force
MER SERV Meritorious Service
MESPOT Mesopotamia
MFA Merchant Fleet Auxiliary
MFO Military Forwarding Officer
MFE Manual of Field Engineering
MFP Military Foot Police
MG Machine Gun or Major General
MGB Machine Gun Battalion
MGC Machine Gun Corps
MGO Master-General of Ordnance
MGS Machine Gun School or Machine Gun Squadron
MG SQDN Machine Gun Squadron
MHR Manchester
MIA Missing in Action
MID Mentioned in Dispatches
MIDDX R Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own)
MILY ACCTS DEPT Military Accounts Department
MFE Manual of Field Engineering
ML Muzzle Loader
MLO Military Landing Officer
MM Military Medal
MMGC Motor Machine Gun Corps
MMP Military Mounted Police
MMR Mercantile Marine Reserve
MN Mountain
MN ARTY Mountain Artillery
MN ARTY BDE Mountain Artillery Brigade
MO Medical Officer
MONMOUTH R Monmouthshire Regiment
MONTGOM YEO Montgomeryshire Yeomanry
MOTOR AMB COY Motor Ambulance Column
MOP Ministry of Pensions
MP Military Police
MPD Missing Presumed Dead
mph Miles per Hour
MRU Mobile Repair Unit
MS Mechanical Specials or Military Secretary
MSA Military Service Act/s
MSB Military Secretary's Branch
MSM Meritorious Service Medal
MT Mechanical Transport or Motor Transport
MTD Mounted or Motor Transport Depot
MTD INF Mounted Infantry
MU Medically Unfit
MUS Musician
mv Muzzle Velocity
MVO Member 4th or 5th Class of the Royal Victorian Order
MVS Mobile Veterinary Section
NACB Navy and Army Canteen Board
NAD Northern Air Defences
NC Northern Command
NCB Northern Cyclist Battalion
NCC Non-Combatant Corps
NC DEPOT Northern Command Depot
NCO Non-Commissioned Officer
N CYC BN Northern Cyclist Battalion
ND Northern District
NIG R Nigerian Regiment
N IR H North Irish Horse
NF Northumberland Fusiliers
NO Number
NO CAV DEPOT Northern Cavalry Depot
N of K Next of Kin
NOM ROLL Nominal Roll
NOR Norfolk
NORF Norfolk
NOR R Norfolk Regiment
NORF YEO Norfolk Yeomanry
NORTHD Northumberland
NORTH D YEO Northumberland Yeomanry
NORTH'D FUS Northumberland Fusiliers
NORTHN R Northamptonshire Regiment
NORTHN YEO Northamptonshire Yeomanry
NOTT Nottinghamshire
NOTTS & DERBY Sherwood Foresters (Nottingham and Derbyshire Regiment)
N SOM YEO North Somerset Yeomanry
N STAFF R North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's)
NTB Northumberland
NWF North West Frontier
NYD Not Yet Diagnosed
NYDN Not Yet Diagnosed Nervous
NZEF New Zealand Expeditionary Force
o Passed Ordnance Course
OB Operations Branch
o.c. Under instruction at Ordnance College
OC Officer Cadet or Officer Commanding
OCB Officer Cadet Battalion
o.d. Serving with the Army Ordnance Department
ODH Organic Disease of the Heart
ODU Officers Dispersal Unit
OFFR Officer
OM Member of the Order of Merit
OO Ordnance Officer or Orderly Officer
OOR Ordnance Officer
OP Observation Post
OR Other Rank
ORD Ordnance
ORG Original
ORS Orderly Room Sergeant
OS Ordnance Services
O ST J Order of St John
O ST J J Order of St John of Jerusalem
OTC Officers' Training Corps
OXF & BUCKS LI Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
OXF YEO Oxfordshire Yeomanry
pa Private Affairs (a reason for leave)
pac Passed the final examination of the Advanced Class Ordnance College
PARA Paragraph
PB Provisional Battalion
PC Principal Chaplain or Protection Company
PCS Prisoner Collecting Station
p.d. Serving with Army Pay Department
PD Petrol Depot
PEMBROKE YEO Pembroke Yeomanry
PK Park
PL Platoon
P&L Packers and Loaders
PM Permanent Base
PM Provost Marshal
PMO Principal Medical Officer
PMR Paymaster
PNR Pioneer
PNTN Pontoon
PNYD Pyrexia Not Yet Diagnosed
PO Post Office or Political Officer
P of L Port of London
PONT PK Pontoon Park
POST SEC Postal Section
POW Prisoner of War
PPCLI Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
PRI President Regimental Institute
Priv affs Private Affairs (a reason for leave)
PROF Professor
PROM Promoted
prov Provisional
PROV BN Provisional Battalion
PROVOST SERGT Provost Sergeant
PROX - Proximmo (Latin for next month)
PS Public Schools Prefix or Provost Sergeant or Pioneer School
psc Passed Staff College
PTE Private
PU Permanently Unfit
PUO Pyrexia of Unknown Origin
PURC Purchase
PVO Principal Veterinary Officer
PW Royal Warrant for Pay and Promotion (Pay Warrant)
QAIMNS Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service
QAIMNSR Queen Alexander's Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve
QAIMNSI Queen Alexander's Imperial Military Service India
QF Quick Firing
QMAAC Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps
QMG Quartermaster-General
QMS Quartermaster Sergeant
QM SGT Quartermaster Sergeant
QM SJT Quartermaster Serjeant
QOR Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry
QOR GLASGOW Y Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry
Q O YORKS DNS Queen's Own Yorkshire Dragoons
Qr Quartermaster or Quebec Regiment
Qr Mr Quartermaster
qs Qualified for Staff
QSM Queen's South Africa Medal
QUEENS R The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
R Regiment or Royal
RA Royal Artillery
RAC Royal Automobile Club
RAF Royal Air Force
RAMC Royal Army Medical Corps
RAOC Royal Army Ordnance Corps
RAP Regimental Aid Post
RATA Royal Army Temperance Association
RB Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consorts Own) or Rifle Bomber
R BERKS R Royal Berkshire Regiment
RCE Railway Construction Engineer
RCR Royal Canadian Regiment
RCM Regimental Court Martial
RC of S Royal Corps of Signals
RD Ration Dump
RDC Royal Defence Corps
RDF Royal Dublin Fusiliers
RDMSTR Roadmaster
R DUB FUS Royal Dublin Fusiliers
RE Royal Engineers or Right Eye or Riding Establishment
REF Reference
REG Regiment
REG SGT MAJ Regimental Sergeant Major
REG SJT MAJ Regimental Serjeant Major
REGT Regiment
REGTL Regimental
REINF Reinforcing (as in Reinforcing Depot)
R E KENT YEO Royal East Kent Yeomanry
REMT DEPT Remount Department
RES Reserve
RES BN Reserve Battalion
RES CAV Reserve Regiment of Cavalry
RES LIST Reserve List
RESUB Resubmitted
RETC Royal Engineers Training Centre
RETD Returned
REV Reverend
RF Representative Fraction or Right Flank
R & F Rank and File
RFA Royal Field Artillery
RFC Royal Flying Corps
RGR Royal Garrison Regiment
rfp Retired on Full Pay
RFR Royal Fleet Reserve
R FUS Royal Fusiliers
RGA Royal Garrison Artillery
RGT Regiment
R GUERNSEY ART Royal Guernsey Artillery
R GUERNSEY LI Royal Guernsey Light Infantry
RH Railhead
RHA Royal Horse Artillery or Reserve Heavy Artillery
RHG Royal Horse Guards
R HIGHRS Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
RIF Rifles
RIF BRIG Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consorts Own)
RIM Royal Indian Marine
R INNIS FUS Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
R IR FUS Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's)
R IR REGT Royal Irish Regiment
R IR RIF Royal Irish Rifles
R JERSEY ART Royal JERSEY Artillery
R LANC R The King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)
RM Royal Marines or Riding Master
RMA Royal Marine Artillery or Royal Military Academy Woolwich
RMLC Royal Marine Labour Corps
RMLI Royal Marine Light Artillery
RMO Regimental Medical Officer
R MUN FUS Royal Munster Fusiliers
RN Royal Navy
RNAS Royal Naval Air Service
RND Royal Naval Division
R NO Regimental Number
RNR Royal Naval Reserve
RNVR Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
RO Recruiting Officer
ROD Railway Operating Department
R of O Roll of Officers or Reserve of Officers
RP Regimental Police or Regimental Pioneer or Refilling Point
RR Reserve Regiment
RRC Royal Red Cross
R RDR Rough Rider
RR of Cav Reserve Regiment of Cavalry
RR DNS Reserve Regiment of Dragoons
RR LNCRS Reserve Regiment of Lancers
RS Royal Scots or Remount Specials
R SC FUS Royal Scots Fusiliers
R S FUS Royal Scots Fusiliers
RSM Regimental Sergeant Major
RSO Recruiting Staff Officer or Railway Staff Officer
R SUSS R Royal Sussex Regiment
RT HON Right Honourable
RTC Reserve Training Centre
RTE Railway Transport Establishment
RTO Railway Transport Officer
RTU Returned to Unit
RVH Royal Victoria Hospital
RW Royal Warrant
R WAR R Royal Warwickshire Regiment
R W FUS Royal Welsh Fusiliers
R W KENT R The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
R WILTS YEO Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry
RY Railway
RYL Royal
RYS Railways
S1 Signaller (1st Class)
S2 Signaller (2nd Class)
SA Siege Artillery or South Africa
SAA Small Arms Ammunition
SAAC Small Arms Ammunition Column
SAI South African Infantry
SAO Special Army Order
SAPR Sapper
SARB Siege Artillery Reserve Brigade
SAS Small Arms School
SASD Siege Artillery Signalling Depot
SB Stretcher Bearer
SBR Small Box Respirator
SC Staff Captain or Southern Command
S&CS Shoeing and Carriage Smith
SCAR Scarborough
SCD Scottish Cavalry Depot (Dunbar) or Straggler Collecting Station
SC Depot Southern Command Depot
SCF Senior Champalin to the Forces
SCH of MUSK School of Musketry Hythe
SCO GDS Scots Guards
SCO H Scottish Horse
SCO RIF The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
SCTS Scouts
SD Staff Duties or Supply Depot or Southern District
Sd Signed
SDASC Supply Depot Army Service Corps
SE Specially Enlisted
SEAFORTH Seaforth Highlanders (The Duke of Albany's Ross-shire Buffs)
SEC Section
SEC. A Section A Army Reserve
SECT Section
SECY Secretary
SEE Signals Experimental Establishment
SER Seriously
SERV Service
SG School of Gunnery
S GDS Scots Guards
SGT Sergeant
SH Stationary Hospital
SHER RANG Nottinghamshire Yeomanry (Sherwood Rangers)
SHROPS Shropshire
SHROPS YEO Shropshire Yeomanry
SH SM Shoeing Smith
SIG Signal
SIG SEC A Signal Section Airline
SIG SEC C Signal Section Cable
SIG SEC D Signal Company with Division
SIG SEC W Signal Section Wireless
SIG O Signalling Officer
SIG SQN Signal Squadron
SIG TP Signal Troop
S IR H South Irish Horse
SIW Self-inflicted Wound
SJT Serjeant
S LAN R The Prince of Wale's Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment)
SM Sergeant-Major or Shoemaker or South Midland
S&M Sappers and Miners
SMLE Short Magazine Lee-Enfield
SMD South Midland Division
SMO Senior Medical Officer
S NOTTS HRS South Nottinghamshire Hussars
S NURSE Staff Nurse
SO Staff Officer or Southern
SO CAV DEPOT Southern Cavalry Depot
SOM Somerset
SOM LI Somerset Light Infantry
SOP Staff Officer of Pensioners
SOS Struck off Strength or distress signal
SOTON Southampton
SP Strongpoint or Straggler Post
SP EMP Specially Employed
SPR Sapper
SP RES Special Reserve
SQN Squadron
SQ QM CPL Squadron Quartermaster Corporal
SQ QM SGT Squadron Quartermaster Sergeant
SQ QM SJT Squadron Quartermaster Serjeant
SR Special Reserve
SRD Supply Reserve Depot
SS Shoeing Smith
SSM Squadron Sergeant Major
SSO Station Staff Officer
S STAFF R South Staffordshire Regiment
SSTC Signal Service Training Centre
S STH Shoeing Smith
S&T Supply and Transport
STA Special Transport Aldershot
STAFF Staffordshire
STAFF YEO Staffordshire Yeomanry
STAT HOSP Stationary Hospital
STAT SERV Stationary Services
STPR Storekeeper
SUB CONDR Sub-Conductor
SUFF Suffolk
SUFF R Suffolk Regiment
SUFF YEO Suffolk Yeomanry
SUP COY Supernumerary Company
SUPP Supplementary
SUP O Supply Officer
SURG Surgeon
SURR Surrey
SURR YEO Surrey Yeomanry
SUSS Sussex
SUSS YEO Sussex Yeomanry
S WAR BADGE Silver War Badge
SWB Silver War Badge
S WALES BORD South Wales Borderers
SWH Scottish Women's Hospital
SWMB South Western Mounted Brigade
SX The Royal Sussex Regiment
SY Surrey
T Territorial or Transport
TAA Territorial Army Association
TB Tuberculosis or Temporary Base
TC Tank Corps or Tigris Corps
TD Territorial Decoration or Transport Driver
TDS Training Depot Station (RFC/RAF)
TE Time Expired
TEE Tyne Electrical Engineers
TEL Telegraphs
TF Territorial Force
TFEM Territorial Force Efficiency Medal
TF REGS Territorial Force Regulations
TFWM Territorial Force War Medal
THR Tower Hamlet Rifles
TM Trench Mortar
TMB Trench Mortar Battery or Travelling Medical Board
TO Transport Officer
TOC Taken on Charge
T of E Termination of Engagement
T of W Theatre of War
TOS Taken on Strength
TP Troop
TPL Telegraphist Permanent Linesman
TPR Trooper
TRF Act The Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907
TR Training Reserve or Trumpeter
TRANS Transferred
TRB Training Reserve Brigade
T. RES Territorial Reserve
TS Troop Ship
T&S Transport and Supply
TSM Troop Sergeant Major
TW Transport Workers
UAS Unknown Australian Soldier
UCS Unknown Canadian Soldier
UBS Unknown British Soldier
ufp On Unemployed Full Pay List
UO Under Orders
UOTC University Officers Training Corps
USF United Services Fund
usl On Unemployed Supernumerary List
V Vickers Gunner
VAD Voluntary Aid Detachment
VB Volunteer Battalion
VC Victoria Cross
VD Venereal Disease or Volunteer Officers' Decoration
VET Veterinary
VH Veterinary Hospital
VI Vertical Interval
vice In place of
VM Victory Medal
VO Veterinary Officer
VOL Volunteer
VRC Volunteer Rifle Corps
VTC Volunteer Training Corps
w.a. Serving with West African Regiment
WAC Welsh Army Corps
WAAC Women's Army Auxiliary Corps
W AFR R West African Regiment
WAGNR Wagoner
WARWICK YEO Warwickshire Yeomanry
WC Western Command
WD War Department
WE War Establishment
WELSH H Welsh Horse Yeomanry
WELSH R Welsh Regiment
WEST CAV DEPOT Western Cavalry Depot
WEST & CUMB Y Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry
WG CAPT Wing Captain
WG CDR Wing Commander
W GDS Welsh Guards
WGNR Waggoner
WGR War Graves Report
W HAMPTON Wolverhampton
WHELR Wheeler
WHLR Wheeler
WI West India Regiment
WIA Wounded in Action
WILTS R Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh's)
WIR West India Regiment
W KENT YEO Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry
WKR Worker
WKSHP Workshop
W KENT YEO West Kent Yeomanry
WO War Office or Warrant Officer
WO CL 1 Warrant Officer Class 1
WOL War Office List
WOR Western Ontario Regiment
WORC Worcestershire
WORC R Worcestershire Regiment
WORC YEO Worcestershire Yeomanry
WRDRS West Riding Divisional Rest Station
W RID R The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
WS War Service
W SOM YEO West Somerset Yeomanry
WT Wireless Telegraphy
WWCP Walking Wounded Collecting Post
W YORK R The West Yorkshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's Own)
YEO Yeomanry
YEO MTD DVN Yeomanry Mounted Division
Y-FMN Yard Foreman
Y & L York and Lancashire Regiment
YMCA Young Men's Christian Association
YOC Young Officers Company
YORK Yorkshire
YORK DNS Yorkshire Dragoons
YORK HRS Yorkshire Hussars
YORK R Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howard's)
YS Young Soldier
ZMC Zion Mule Corps