WW2 Abbreviations Explained
When working with WW2 documents such as war diaries you’ll frequently come across abbreviations such as “OC B Coy reported RV at 0600, DF tasks confirmed with FOO.” which can make the documents hard to understand if you can’t decipher the abbreviations.
To help decipher these documents I’ve created a list of some of the most common abbreviations ordered alphabetically.
This page is a working glossary, not a finished one. It started with a single archive source and will keep growing as more material gets researched and added, so if you bookmark it, expect it to get more useful over time rather than staying still.
How to Use This List
A handful of abbreviations meant more than one thing depending on context. Where that happens, for example DF, which could mean either “defensive fire” or “direction finding,” or AA, which could mean “anti-aircraft” or “Army Act,” both meanings are listed as separate rows rather than crammed into one, so you can see at a glance that the abbreviation is ambiguous and judge from context which sense applies.
Two abbreviations that are worth knowing before you go any further, because they trip up almost everyone who starts reading British war diaries: OC (Officer Commanding) and CO (Commanding Officer) are not interchangeable. An OC commands a company, battery, or squadron-sized sub-unit; a CO commands a battalion or regiment. Every OC answers to a CO.
One spelling note: Army documents of this period use serjeant, not “sergeant,” so don’t mistake it for a typo when you see it in ranks like RSM or CSM.
Full A-Z Glossary
The complete list so far: regiments and corps of the British Army, general service abbreviations, and staff appointments and services.
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 10 H | 10th Royal Hussars (Prince of Wales’s Own) |
| 107 (etc.) RAC | Regiments, Royal Armoured Corps |
| 11 H | 11th Hussars (Prince Albert’s Own) |
| 12 L | 12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales’s) |
| 13/18 H | 13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary’s Own) |
| 14/20 H | 14th/20th King’s Hussars |
| 15/19 H | 15th/19th King’s Royal Hussars |
| 16/5 L | 16th/5th Lancers |
| 17/21 L | 17th/21st Lancers |
| 2 IC | Second in command |
| 22 DGNS | 22nd Dragoons |
| 23 H | 23rd Hussars |
| 24 L | 24th Lancers |
| 25 DGNS | 25th Dragoons |
| 26 H | 26th Hussars |
| 27 L | 27th Lancers |
| 3 DG | 3rd Carabiniers (Prince of Wales’s Dragoon Guards) |
| 3 H | 3rd King’s Own Hussars |
| 4 H | 4th Queen’s Own Hussars |
| 4/7 DG | 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards |
| 48 (etc.) R Tks | Battalions, Royal Tank Regiment |
| 48 (etc.) Recce Regt | Regiments, Reconnaissance Corps |
| 5 DG | 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards |
| 7 H | 7th Queen’s Own Hussars |
| 8 H | 8th King’s Royal Irish Hussars |
| 9 L | 9th Queen’s Royal Lancers |
| A & SH | Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise’s) |
| A air SC | Army air support control |
| A tk | Anti-tank |
| A tps | Army Troops |
| AA | Anti-aircraft |
| AA | Army Act |
| AAC | Army Air Corps |
| AAD | Advanced ammunition depot |
| AB | Army book |
| AC sqn | Army co-operation squadron |
| ACC | Army Catering Corps |
| accn | Accommodation |
| ACI | Army Council Instruction |
| ACIGS | Assistant Chief of the Imperial General Staff |
| ack | Acknowledge or acknowledged |
| ACV | Armoured command vehicle |
| AD Corps | Army Dental Corps |
| ADC | Aide-de-Camp |
| addsd | Addressed |
| adjt | Adjutant |
| adm | Administration or administrative |
| ADS | Advanced dressing station |
| adv | Advance or advanced |
| AEC | Army Educational Corps |
| AF | Army form |
| AFV | Armoured fighting vehicle |
| AG | Adjutant-General |
| AG | Anti-gas |
| airtps | Airborne troops |
| AL sec | Air liaison section |
| ALG | Advanced landing ground |
| ALO | Air liaison officer |
| amb | Ambulance |
| amn | Ammunition |
| annx | Annexure |
| AO | Army Order |
| AOC | Air officer commanding |
| AOD | Advanced ordnance depot |
| AP | Ammunition point |
| AP | Armour piercing |
| APIS | Army photographic interpretation section |
| approx | Approximately |
| appx | Appendix |
| APTC | Army Physical Training Corps |
| ARH | Ammunition railhead |
| armd | Armoured |
| armd C | Armoured car |
| Armd Corps | Armoured Corps |
| ARO | Army routine order |
| ARP | Air raid precautions |
| ARP | Ammunition refilling point |
| art wks coy | Artizan works company |
| arty | Artillery |
| Arty | Artillery |
| arty R | Artillery reconnaissance |
| ASD | Ammunition sub depot |
| AT | Animal transport |
| ATI | Army Training Instruction |
| ATM | Army Training Memorandum |
| ATS | Auxiliary Territorial Service |
| att | Attached |
| Aust | Australia or Australian |
| B sup airfd | Base supply airfield |
| B wksp | Base workshop |
| BAD | Base ammunition depot |
| BAYS | Queen’s Bays (2nd Dragoon Guards) |
| BBP | Bulk breaking point |
| BC | Battery commander |
| BD | Base depot |
| BD | Bomb disposal |
| bde | Brigade |
| bdr | Bombardier |
| bdy | Boundary |
| BEDFS HERTS | Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment |
| BGS | Brigadier, General Staff |
| BM | Brigade Major |
| bn | Battalion |
| BOD | Base ordnance depot |
| BORDER | Border Regiment |
| BOWO | Brigade ordnance warrant officer |
| BPC | Bulk petrol company |
| BQMS | Battery quarter-master-serjeant |
| br | Bridge or bridging |
| BRA (AA) | Brigadier Royal Artillery (Anti-aircraft Artillery) |
| Brig | Brigadier |
| BSD | Base supply depot |
| BSM | Battery serjeant-major |
| bty | Battery |
| BU | Bath unit |
| BUCKS | Buckinghamshire Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (TA) |
| BUFFS | Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) |
| BW | Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) |
| C in C | Commander-in-Chief |
| C tps | Corps troops |
| CA | Coast artillery |
| CAGRA | Commander, Army Group, Royal Artillery |
| CAMB | Cambridgeshire Regiment (TA) |
| CAMERONIANS | Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) |
| CAMERONS | Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders |
| Camp | Camp Commandant |
| capt | Captain |
| cav | Cavalry |
| CB | Confinement to barracks |
| CB | Counter-battery |
| CBO | Counter-battery officer |
| CCCA | Commander, Corps Coast Artillery |
| CCP | Casualty collecting post |
| CCS | Casualty clearing station |
| CD | Coast defence |
| Cdn | Canadian |
| CE | Chief Engineer |
| CF | Chaplain to the forces |
| cfn | Craftsman |
| CGS | Chief of the General Staff |
| Chaplains | Chaplains |
| CHESHIRE | Cheshire Regiment |
| CIGS | Chief of the Imperial General Staff |
| CL | Centre line |
| CMP | Corps of Military Police |
| CO | Commanding officer |
| col | Colonel |
| COLDM GDS | Coldstream Guards |
| coln | Column |
| comd | Command, commander, commandant or commanding |
| comm | Communication |
| comp | Composite |
| conc | Concentrate or concentration |
| constr | Construction |
| COO | Chief ordnance officer |
| coord | Co-ordinate or co-ordinating |
| coy | Company |
| cpl | Corporal |
| CQMS | Company quarter-master serjeant |
| CS | Close support |
| CSM | Company serjeant-major |
| CSO | Chief Signal Officer |
| CW | Chemical warfare |
| DCGS | Deputy Chief of the General Staff |
| DCIGS | Deputy Chief of the Imperial General Staff |
| DCLI | Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry |
| decon | Decontamination |
| def | Defence, defensive or defended |
| DERBY YEO | Derbyshire Yeomanry (TA) |
| det | Detachment |
| DEVON | Devonshire Regiment |
| DF | Defensive fire |
| DF | Direction finding |
| DID | Detail issue depot |
| dis P | Dispersal point |
| div | Division or divisional |
| DLI | Durham Light Infantry |
| Docks | Docks |
| DORSET | Dorsetshire Regiment |
| DP | Delivery point |
| DR | Despatch rider |
| DRLS | Despatch rider letter service |
| DS | Dressing station |
| dvr | Driver |
| DWR | Duke of Wellington’s Regiment (West Riding) |
| DZ | Dropping zone |
| E in C | Engineer-in-Chief |
| E LAN R | East Lancashire Regiment |
| E RIDING YEO | East Riding Yeomanry (TA) |
| E SURREYS | East Surrey Regiment |
| E YORKS | East Yorkshire Regiment (Duke of York’s Own) |
| EA | Enemy aircraft |
| ech | Echelon |
| EF | Expeditionary force |
| EME | Electrical mechanical engineer |
| EMO | Embarkation medical officer |
| emp | Employment |
| engr | Engineer |
| Engrs | Engineers |
| eqpt | Equipment |
| ESO | Embarkation staff officer |
| ESSEX | Essex Regiment |
| est | Establish or establishment |
| excl | Exclude, excluding or exclusive |
| F sp | Flash spotting |
| FBE | Folding boat equipment |
| fd | Field |
| fd bchy | Field butchery and cold storage depot |
| fd bky | Field bakery |
| FDL | Forward defended locality |
| FDS | Field dressing station |
| FF | Field force |
| FF | Fire fighting |
| FF YEO | Fife and Forfar Yeomanry (TA) |
| FGCM | Field general court-martial |
| flt | Flight |
| fmn | Formation |
| FOO | Forward observation officer |
| FORESTERS | Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment) |
| freq | Frequency |
| FS | Field security |
| FS | Field service |
| FSPB | Field service pocket book |
| FSS | Fixed signal service |
| FSU | Field surgical unit |
| ft | Foot or feet |
| FUP | Forming up place |
| fus | Fusilier |
| fwd | Forward |
| gal | Gallon |
| GCM | General court-martial |
| gd | Guard |
| gdsm | Guardsman |
| gen | General |
| GHQ | General headquarters |
| GLAS H | Glasgow Highlanders (TA) |
| Glider P Regt | Glider Pilot Regiment |
| glider tps | Gliderborne troops |
| GLOSTERS | Gloucestershire Regiment |
| gnr | Gunner |
| GOC (in C) | General Officer Commanding (-in-Chief) |
| GORDONS | Gordon Highlanders |
| gp | Group |
| Graves | Graves |
| GREEN HOWARDS | Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales’s Own Yorkshire Regiment) |
| GREN GDS | Grenadier Guards |
| GREYS | Royal Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons) |
| grn | Garrison |
| GRO | General routine order |
| GS | General service |
| GS | General staff |
| GS | General Staff Branch |
| GSC | General Service Corps |
| GSO | General Staff Officer |
| HAA | Heavy Anti Aircraft |
| HALLAMS | Hallamshire Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment (TA) |
| HAMPS | Hampshire Regiment |
| HD | Home defence |
| HD | Horse drawn |
| HE | High explosive |
| HEREFORD | Herefordshire Regiment (TA) |
| HERTS | Hertfordshire Regiment (TA) |
| HF | Harassing fire |
| HF | High frequency |
| HG | Home Guard |
| Hgs | Hirings |
| HIGHLAND R | Highland Regiment |
| HLI | Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment) |
| hosp | Hospital |
| how | Howitzer |
| HP | High power |
| HP | Horse power |
| HQ | Headquarters |
| hr | Hour |
| HT | High tension |
| HT | Horsed transport |
| hy | Heavy |
| hyg | Hygiene |
| IA | Indian Army |
| IC | In charge of |
| IC | Internal combustion |
| IG | Irish Guards |
| in | Inch |
| incl | Include, inclusive, or including |
| Ind | India or Indian |
| indep | Independent |
| inf | Infantry |
| infm | Information or informed |
| INNISKS | Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers |
| INNS OF COURT | Inns of Court Regiment (TA) |
| instr | Instruction or instructor |
| int | Intelligence |
| Int | Intelligence |
| Int Corps | Intelligence Corps |
| intercomm | Intercommunication |
| IO | Intelligence officer |
| IOO | Inspecting ordnance officer |
| IWT | Inland water transport |
| IWT | Inland Water Transport |
| JAG | Judge Advocate-General |
| junc | Junction |
| KDG | 1st King’s Dragoon Guards |
| KENSINGTONS | Kensington Regiment (TA) |
| Kinema | Kinematography |
| KINGS | King’s Regiment (Liverpool) |
| KINGS OWN | King’s Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) |
| KOSB | King’s Own Scottish Borderers |
| KOYLI | King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry |
| KRRC | King’s Royal Rifle Corps |
| KSLI | King’s Shropshire Light Infantry |
| L bdr | Lance-bombardier |
| L cpl | Lance-corporal |
| L of C | Line or lines of communication |
| L sjt | Lance-serjeant |
| LAA | Light Anti Aircraft |
| Lab | Labour |
| LAD | Light aid detachment |
| LCV | Lorry, command vehicle |
| ldg | Landing |
| LEICESTERS | Leicestershire Regiment |
| LF | Lancashire Fusiliers |
| LG | Life Guards |
| LGA | Lieutenant General in charge of Administration |
| LINCOLNS | Lincolnshire Regiment |
| LIR | London Irish Rifles (TA) |
| LIVPL SCOT | Liverpool Scottish (TA) |
| LMG | Light machine gun |
| LO | Liaison officer |
| LOND SCOT | London Scottish (TA) |
| LOTHIANS | Lothians and Border Yeomanry (TA) |
| LOVAT | Lovats Scouts (TA) |
| LOWLAND R | Lowland Regiment |
| LOYALS | Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) |
| lt | Lieutenant |
| lt | Light |
| LT | Line telegraphy |
| LT | Low tension |
| LZ | Landing zone |
| MA | Military assistant |
| MA | Military Attaché |
| MAC | Motor ambulance convoy |
| mag | Magazine |
| mag | Magnetic |
| maint | Maintenance |
| maj | Major |
| MANCH | Manchester Regiment |
| MC | Motor cycle |
| MC | Movement control |
| mech | Mechanic, mechanical or mechanized |
| med | Medical |
| Med | Medical Services |
| med | Medium |
| met | Meteorological or meteorology |
| MFO | Military forwarding officer |
| MFPS | Mobile field photographic section |
| MG | Machine gun |
| MGA | Major General in charge of Administration |
| MGGS | Major General, General Staff |
| MGRA (AA) | Major General Royal Artillery (Anti-aircraft Artillery) |
| mih | Miles in the hour |
| mil | Military |
| min | Minute |
| MMG | Medium machine gun |
| MO | Medical officer |
| mob | Mobile |
| mob | Mobilization |
| MON | Monmouthshire Regiment (TA) |
| mot | Motor or motorized |
| MP | Meeting point |
| MP | Military police |
| mph | Miles per hour |
| MPSC | Military Provost Staff Corps |
| MS | Military Secretary |
| MT | Mechanical transport |
| mtd | Mounted |
| mtn | Mountain |
| MTP | Military Training Pamphlet |
| MX | Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge’s Own) |
| N STAFFS | North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales’s) |
| N YEO | Northamptonshire Yeomanry (TA) |
| NCC | Non-Combatant Corps |
| NCO | Non-commissioned officer |
| NF | Royal Northumberland Fusiliers |
| Nfld | Newfoundland |
| NIH | North Irish Horse (SR) |
| NORFOLK | Royal Norfolk Regiment |
| NORTHAMPTONS | Northamptonshire Regiment |
| NOTTS YEO | Nottinghamshire Yeomanry (TA) |
| NZ | New Zealand |
| O 2 E | Officer in charge 2nd Echelon |
| OBD | Ordnance beach detachment |
| OC | Officer commanding |
| offr | Officer |
| OIC | Officer-in-charge |
| OO | Operation order |
| OO | Ordnance officer |
| OP | Observation post |
| op | Operation, operating, or operator |
| Ops | Operations |
| OR | Other rank(s) |
| ord | Ordnance |
| Ord | Ordnance |
| org | Organize or organization |
| OXF BUCKS | Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry |
| PA | Personal Assistant |
| PAD | Passive air defence |
| para | Parachute |
| para | Paragraph |
| Para Regt | Parachute Regiment |
| Pay | Pay |
| pet | Petrol |
| ph | Photograph or photographic |
| ph R | Photographic reconnaissance |
| phone | Telephone |
| pk | Park |
| pl | Platoon |
| PM | Provost marshal |
| pmr | Paymaster |
| pnr | Pioneer |
| Pnr Corps | Pioneer Corps |
| PO | Post Office |
| POL | Petrol, oil, and lubricants |
| posn | Position |
| Postal | Postal |
| PP | Petrol point |
| pr | Pounder |
| PRH | Petrol rail head |
| Printing and Stationery | |
| pro | Provost |
| Pro | Provost |
| PRP | Petrol refilling point |
| pt | Point |
| pte | Private |
| PW | Prisoner(s) of war |
| Q Maint | Maintenance |
| Q Mov | Movements |
| Q Ops | Operations |
| QAIMNS | Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service |
| QM | Quarter-master |
| QMG | Quarter-master-General |
| QMS | Quarter-master-serjeant |
| QUEENS | Queen’s Royal Regiment (West Surrey) |
| R BERKS | Royal Berkshire Regiment (Princess Charlotte of Wales’s) |
| R IR F | Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria’s) |
| R Sigs | Royal Corps of Signals |
| R Sup O | Railhead (or roadhead) supply officer |
| R SUSSEX | Royal Sussex Regiment |
| R Tks | Royal Tank Regiment |
| R WILTS YEO | Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry (TA) |
| RA | Royal Regiment of Artillery |
| RA Ch D | Royal Army Chaplains‘ Department |
| RAC | Royal Armoured Corps |
| RAMC | Royal Army Medical Corps |
| RAOC | Royal Army Ordnance Corps |
| RAP | Regimental aid post |
| RAPC | Royal Army Pay Corps |
| RASC | Royal Army Service Corps |
| RAVC | Royal Army Veterinary Corps |
| RB | Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort’s Own) |
| rd | Road |
| RDF | Radio direction finding |
| RDI | Relief driver increment |
| RE | Corps of Royal Engineers |
| rec | Recovery |
| recce | Reconnaissance or reconnoitre |
| Recce Corps | Reconnaissance Corps |
| ref | Reference |
| reg | Regulating or regulation |
| regt | Regiment or regimental |
| REME | Mechanical Engineering |
| REME | Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers |
| rep | Representative |
| res | Reserve |
| RF | Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) |
| rfn | Rifleman |
| rft | Reinforcement |
| RGH | Royal Gloucestershire Hussars (TA) |
| RH | Railhead |
| RHA | Royal Horse Artillery |
| RHG | Royal Horse Guards (The Blues) |
| rly | Railway |
| Rlys | Railways |
| RO | Routine order |
| ROO | Railhead (or roadhead) ordnance officer |
| ROYALS | 1st Royal Dragoons |
| RP | Refilling point |
| RP | Regimental police |
| RP | Rules of Procedure |
| rpg (pm) | Rounds per gun (per minute) |
| rptd | Repeated |
| RQMS | Regimental quarter-master-serjeant |
| RS | Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) |
| RSF | Royal Scots Fusiliers |
| RSM | Regimental serjeant-major |
| RT | Radio telephony |
| RTO | Railway traffic officer |
| RUR | Royal Ulster Rifles |
| RV | Rendezvous |
| RW | Royal Warrant for Pay and Promotion |
| RWF | Royal Welch Fusiliers |
| RWK | Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment |
| S LAN R | South Lancashire Regiment (The Prince of Wales’s Volunteers) |
| S rg | Sound ranging |
| S sjt | Staff serjeant |
| S STAFFORDS | South Staffordshire Regiment |
| S Sup O | Senior supply officer |
| SA | Small arms |
| SA | South Africa or South African |
| SAA | Small arm ammunition |
| sal | Salvage |
| SASC | Small Arms School Corps |
| SB | Stretcher bearer |
| SBG | Small box girder |
| SC | Staff Captain |
| SC | Staff Captain |
| SD | Staff Duties (and Training) |
| SDP | Supply dropping point |
| SEAFORTH | Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany’s) |
| sec | Second |
| sec | Section |
| SG | Scots Guards |
| SHARPSHOOTERS | County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) (TA) |
| sig | Signal |
| sigmn | Signalman |
| Sigs | Signals |
| sitrep | Situation report |
| sjt | Serjeant |
| SL | Searchlight |
| SL | Start line |
| SLP | Supply loading point |
| SMC | Sten machine carbine |
| SMO | Senior medical officer |
| SO | Staff officer |
| SO in C | Signal Officer-in-Chief |
| SOM LI | Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert’s) |
| SP | Self propelled |
| SP | Starting point |
| sp | Support |
| spr | Sapper |
| SQMS | Staff (or Squadron) quarter-master-serjeant |
| sqn | Squadron |
| SRH | Supply railhead |
| SSM | Staff (or Squadron) serjeant-major |
| ST | Supply and Transport, incl div RASC |
| sta | Station |
| STAFFS YEO | Staffordshire Yeomanry (TA) |
| stereo | Stereoscope or stereoscopic |
| str | Seater |
| str | Strength |
| strat R | Strategical reconnaissance |
| SUFFOLK | Suffolk Regiment |
| sup | Supply |
| sup P | Supply point |
| svy | Survey |
| Svy | Survey |
| SWB | South Wales Borderers |
| swbd | Switchboard |
| TA | Territorial Army |
| tac R | Tactical reconnaissance |
| TANS | Territorial Army Nursing Service |
| TC | Traffic control |
| tcl | Tentacle |
| TDR | Tank Delivery Regiment |
| tech | Technical |
| tele | Telegraph, telegraphic |
| tk | Tank |
| TMC | Thompson machine carbine |
| tn | Transportation |
| Tn | Transportation |
| TO | Transport officer (only when used with bde, bn, etc.) |
| TP | Traffic post |
| tp | Troop |
| tpr | Trooper |
| tpt | Transport |
| tptd | Transported |
| tptr | Transporter |
| trg | Training |
| TYNE SCOT | Tyneside Scottish (TA) |
| UM | Urgent memorandum |
| V & R | Veterinary and remounts |
| VCIGS | Vice Chief of the Imperial General Staff |
| veh | Vehicle |
| vet | Veterinary |
| VP | Vulnerable point |
| VRD | Vehicle reserve depot |
| VS | Visual signalling |
| vtm | Vehicles to the mile |
| W DGNS | 2nd County of London Yeomanry (Westminster Dragoons) (TA) |
| W YORKS | West Yorkshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales’s Own) |
| WARWICK | Royal Warwickshire Regiment |
| WARWICK YEO | Warwickshire Yeomanry (TA) |
| WE | War establishment |
| wef | With effect from |
| WELCH | Welch Regiment |
| WG | Welsh Guards |
| wh | Wheeled |
| WILTS | Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh’s) |
| Wks | Works |
| wksp | Workshop |
| WL | Wagon line |
| WO | Warrant Officer |
| WORC R | Worcestershire Regiment |
| WT | Weapon training |
| WT | Wireless telegraphy |
| X rds | Cross roads |
| Y & L | York and Lancaster Regiment |
| yd | Yard |
| YORKS H | Yorkshire Hussars (TA) |
Know a WW2 abbreviation that should be here, or spotted one that looks wrong? Get in touch and we will check it against the source and add it.
A Note on Sources
The British Army entries so far are drawn from a 1943 War Office pamphlet on abbreviations, one of a series reissued periodically as usage in the field changed. As this list grows, later additions will be checked against their own sources and credited the same way.
This is a living reference and it is going to grow. British Army abbreviations are the starting point, not the destination: naval, RAF, Canadian, American, and German material will follow as separate additions over time.

