| Abbreviations
and acronyms can change over the years or they can have more than one
meaning so have to be read in context. For example, AFC can mean the
Australian Flying Corps OR the Air Force Cross. VD can mean Volunteers
Decoration or venereal disease. So, it is important to consider the
context. |
| 1ATF |
1st
Australian Task Force |
| 1ALSG |
1st
Australian Logistic Support Group |
| 2
I/c or 2ic |
Second
in Command |
| A |
Acting
or Assistant (as in A/Sgt for Acting Sergeant) |
| AA |
Anti
Aircraft (In context) |
| Australia
Army (In context) |
| Australian
Archives (In context) |
| AAA |
Anti
Aircraft Artillery |
| AATTV |
Australian
Army Training Team Vietnam |
| AA&QMG |
Assistant
Adjutant & Quartermaster-General |
| AADC |
Anti-aircraft
Defence Command |
| AACC |
Australian
Army Catering Corps |
| AACS |
Australian
Army Canteen Service |
| AACU |
Anti-Aircraft
Co-operation Unit |
| AAF |
Allied
Air Forces |
| AAG |
Assistant
Adjutant-General |
| AALU |
Australian
Air Liaison Unit |
| AAMC |
Australian
Army Medical Corps |
| AAMWS |
Australian
Army Medical Women's Service |
| AANS |
Australian
Army Nursing Service |
| AAOC |
Australian
Army Ordnance Corps |
| AASL |
Anti-aircraft
Searchlight |
| AAU |
Air
Ambulance Unit |
| ABDA |
American-British-Dutch-Australian |
| ABDACOM |
American
British Dutch and Australian Command |
| ABO |
Air
Board Order |
| A/C |
Aircraft |
| AC |
Aircraftman |
| ACAUST |
Air
Commander Australia |
| ACF |
Australian
Comforts Fund |
| ACH |
Area
Combined Headquarters |
| ACNB |
Australian
Commonwealth Naval Board |
| ACNS |
Assistant
Chief of Naval Staff |
| ACS |
Airfield
Construction Squadron |
| ACSEA |
Air
Command, South-East Asia |
| Act |
Acting |
| ACV |
Armoured
Command Vehicle |
| ACW |
Aircraftwoman |
| AD |
Aircraft
Depot |
| ADC |
Aide-de-Camp |
| ADF |
Australian
Defence Force |
| ADGMS |
Assistant
Director-General Medical Services |
| ADHQ |
Air
Defence Headquarters |
| Adj |
Adjutant |
| Adm |
Admiral
(in context) |
| admitted
(in context) |
| Admin |
Administration |
| Adml |
Admiral |
| ADMS |
Assistant
Director Medical Services |
| ADOS |
Assistant
Director Ordnance Services |
| ADS |
Advanced
Dressing Station |
| ADST |
Assistant
Director of Supply and Transport |
| ADS&T |
Assistant
Director of Stores and Transport |
| Adv |
Advanced |
| Adv
LHQ |
Advanced
Land Headquarters |
| AEME |
Australian
Electrical and Mechanical Engineers |
| AEW&C |
Airborne
Early Warning and Control |
| AFC |
Australian
Flying Corps or Air Force Cross (in context) |
| AFHQ |
Air
Force Headquarters |
| AFO |
Admiralty
Fleet Order |
| AFPO |
Armed
Forces Post Office |
| AFTS |
Applied
Flying Training School |
| AFTU |
Air
Fighter Training Unit |
| AFV |
Australian
Force Vietnam |
| Armoured
Fighting Vehicle |
| AG |
Adjutant-General |
| AGH |
Australian
General Hospital |
| AGS |
Allied
Geographic Section |
| AHQ |
Australian
Head Quarters (in context) |
| Army
Head Quarters (in context) |
| Air
Headquarters (in context) |
| AIB |
Allied
Intelligence Bureau |
| AIC |
Australian
Instructional Corps |
| AIF |
Australian
Imperial Forces |
| AIR |
Australian
Infantry Regiment |
| Air
Cmdre |
Air
Commodore |
| AIS |
Aviation
Instructional Staff |
| ALC |
Australian
Landing Craft |
| ALO |
Air
Liaison Officer |
| ALUSNA |
United
States Naval Attache |
| AMC |
Armed
Merchant Cruiser |
| AMCROSS |
American
Red Cross |
| AMF |
Australian
Military Forces |
| AMOE |
Air
Member for Organisation and Equipment |
| AMP |
Air
Member for Personnel |
| AMS |
Air
Member for Supply or Australian Minesweepers |
| AN&MEF |
Australian
Naval and Military Expeditionary Force |
| ANCW |
Australian
National Council of Women |
| ANGAU |
Australian
New Guinea Administrative Unit |
| ANLO |
Australian
Naval Liaison Officer |
| ANS |
Air
Navigation School |
| ANZAC |
Australian
& New Zealand Army Corps |
| ANZAM |
Australia
New Zealand Malaya (area or agreement) |
| ANZUK |
Australia
New Zealand United Kingdom (a tri nation grouping from the 1960s) |
| ANZUS |
Australia
New Zealand United States |
| AO |
Area
of Operations |
| AOB |
Advanced
Operational Base |
| AOC |
Air
Officer Commanding |
| AOC-in-C |
Air
Officer Commanding-in-Chief |
| AOP |
Air
Observation Post |
| AOS |
Air
Observers' School |
| APC |
Armoured
Personnel Carrier |
| APO |
Army
Post Office |
| APU |
Aircraft
Performance Unit |
| AQMG |
Assistant
Quartermaster General |
| AR |
Australian
Regiment |
| ARA |
Australian
Regular Army |
| ARA-NS |
Australian
Regular Army (National Service) |
| ARC |
Aircrew
Reception Centre |
| ARC |
American
Red Cross |
| ARCS |
Australian
Red Cross Society |
| ARD |
Aircraft
Repair Depot or Aircraft Receiving Depot |
| ARDU |
Aircraft
Research and Development Unit |
| Armd |
Armoured |
| ARO |
Admiralty
Reporting Officer |
| ARP |
Air
Raid Precautions |
| Arty |
Artillery |
| ARVN |
Army
of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) |
| ASIR |
Australian
Station Intelligence Report |
| ASIS |
Australian
Secret Intelligence Service or Australian Station Intelligence Summary |
| ASO |
Assistant
Section Officer |
| ASR |
Air-Sea
Rescue Flight |
| ASRF |
Air-Sea
Rescue Flight |
| Asst |
Assistant |
| ASW |
Anti-submarine
Warfare |
| ASWG |
Australian
Special Wireless Group |
| A-Tk |
Anti-tank |
| ATC |
Air
Training Corps |
| att'd |
attached |
| ATF |
Australian
Task Force |
| ATIS |
Allied
Translator and Interpreter Section |
| AUSTCROSS |
Australian
Red Cross |
| auth |
authorised
or authority (in context) |
| AVG |
American
Volunteer Group |
| AVM |
Air
Vice-Marshall |
| AWA |
Amalgamated
Wireless of Australia |
| AWAS |
Australian
Women's Army Service |
| AWC |
Advisory
War Council |
| AWFC |
Australian
Women's Flying Club |
| AWL |
Absent
without Leave |
| AWOL |
Absent
without official leave |
| AWM |
Australian
War Memorial |
| |
 |
| BAGS |
Bombing
and Air Gunnery School |
| Bataan |
Codeword
for Lennons Hotel in Brisbane |
| Batt.
or Batt'n |
Battalion
(WW1 usage) |
| BBCAU |
British
Borneo Civil Affairs Unit |
| BCATP |
British
Commonwealth Air Training Program (aka EATS) |
| BCOF |
British
Commonwealth Occupation Force |
| BCFESR |
British
Commonwealth Far East Strategic Reserve |
| BCFK |
British
Commonwealth Force Korea |
| Bde |
Brigade |
| Bdr |
Bombardier
(equivalent to Corporal in Artillery) |
| BEF |
British
Expeditionary Force |
| BFTS |
Basic
Flying Training School |
| BGGS |
Brigadier-General,
General Staff |
| BGS |
Brigadier,
General Staff |
| BHQ |
Battery
Headquarters |
| BM |
Brigade
Major |
| Bn |
Battalion |
| BOQ |
Bachelors'
Officers Quarters |
| BOR |
Battery
Operations Room |
| BOWO |
Brigade
Ordnance Warrant Officer |
| Brig |
Brigadier |
| BrigGen |
Brigadier
General |
| BritCom |
British
Commonwealth |
| BSIPDF |
British
Solomon Islands Protectorate Defence Force |
| Bty |
Battery |
| BuDocks |
Bureau
of Yards and Docks (US Navy) |
| BuPers |
Bureau
of Naval Personnel (US Navy) |
| |
|
| CA
(AA) |
Coast
Artillery (Anti-aircraft) |
| CAC |
Commonwealth
Aircraft Corporation |
| CAF |
Citizen
Air Force or Chief of Air Force |
| CAM |
Chief
Air Marshall |
| Capt |
Captain |
| CAS |
Chief
of Air Staff |
| CASAC |
Chief
of the Air Staff Advisory Committee |
| CASC |
Commander,
Army Service Corps |
| CATF |
China
Air Task Force |
| Cav |
Cavalry |
| CB
or CBB |
Central
Bureau or Central Bureau Brisbane (in context) |
| Counter
Bombardment fire or Counter Battery fire (artillery, in context) |
| CCO |
Clandestine
Communist Organisation |
| CCRA |
Commander,
Corps Royal Artillery |
| CCS |
Combined
Chiefs of Staff or Casualty Clearing Station |
| CCS |
Casualty
Clearing Station |
| Cd |
Command |
| CDF |
Chief
of the Defence Force |
| CDFS |
Chief
of the Defence Force Staff |
| CDH |
Combined
Defence Headquarters |
| Cdo |
Commando |
| Cdr |
Commander |
| CE |
Chief
Engineer |
| CEF |
Canadian
Expeditionary Force |
| CEO |
Chief
Equipment Officer |
| CFD |
Commander
of Fixed Defences |
| CFI |
Chief
Flying Instructor |
| CFS |
Central
Flying School |
| CGI |
Chief
Ground Instructor or Chief Gunnery Instructor |
| CGM |
Conspicuous
Gallantry Medal |
| CGS |
Chief
of the General Staff |
| CGSAC |
Chief
of General Staff's Advisory Committee |
| CHQ |
Company
Headquarters |
| CI |
Chief
Instructor |
| CIB |
Commonwealth
Investigation Branch |
| CIGS |
Chief
of the Imperial General Staff |
| C-in-C |
Commander-in-Chief |
| CINC |
Commander-in-Chief
(UK) |
| CIU |
Communications
Intelligence Unit or Combat Intelligence Unit |
| CL |
Casualty
list |
| CMF |
Citizen
Military Forces |
| CNF |
Commonwealth
Naval Forces |
| CNS |
Chief
of the Naval Staff |
| CO |
Commanding
Officer |
| C
of I |
Court
of Inquiry |
| COC |
Commander
of Command |
| COIC |
Combined
Operations and Intelligence Centre |
| Col |
Colonel
or Column |
| Col
GS |
Colonel,
General Staff |
| COMAIRSOLS |
Command
Air Solomons (Islands) |
| ComAirSoPac |
Commander
Aircraft South Pacific |
| ComAmphForSoPac |
Commander,
Amphibious Forces, South Australia |
| COMAFV |
Commander,
Australian Force Vietnam |
| COMAST |
Commander
Australian Theatre |
| Com |
Command |
| Comd |
Commanded,
Command or Commander |
| Comdt |
Commandant |
| Comfis |
Combined
Field Intelligence Service (later NEA) |
| COMFLOT |
Commodore
Flotillas |
| COMGENSOPAC |
Commanding
General, South Pacific |
| COMINCH |
Commander
in Chief (US) |
| Commn |
Communication |
| ComSoPac |
Commander,
South Pacific (USN) |
| Conv |
Convalescent |
| COOP |
Craft
of Opportunity |
| COR |
Company
Operations Room |
| COSC |
Chiefs
of Staff Committee |
| Coy |
Company |
| CP |
Command
Post |
| Cpl |
Corporal |
| CQMS |
Company
Quartermaster Sergeant |
| CRA |
Commander,
Royal Artillery (of a division) |
| CRE |
Commander,
Royal Engineers (of a Division) |
| CRU |
Control
and Reporting Unit |
| CS |
Chief
of Staff |
| CSDIC |
Combined
Services Detailed Interrogation Centre |
| CSG |
Combat
Support Group |
| CSM |
Company
Sergeant Major |
| CSO |
Chief
Signals Officer |
| CSS |
Commonwealth
Security Service |
| CT
or CTs |
Communist
Terrorist/s |
| CTF |
Commander.
Task Force |
| CU |
Communications
Unit |
| CWR |
Central
War Room |
| CRU |
Chemical
Research Unit |
| CWWW |
Council
for Women in War Work |
| |
|
| DA
& QMG |
Deputy
Adjutant and Quarter Master General |
| DAA
& QMG |
Deputy
Assistant Adjutant and Quarter Master General |
| DAC |
Divisional
Ammunition Company |
| DADMS |
Deputy
Assistant Director Medical Services |
| DADOS |
Deputy
Assistant Director Ordinance Services |
| DAOC |
Deputy
Air Officer Commanding |
| DAOC-in-C |
Deputy
Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief |
| DAPM |
Deputy
Assistant Provost Marshall |
| DAQMG |
Deputy
Assistant Quartermaster-General |
| DC |
Detachment
Commander |
| DCAS |
Deputy
Chief of the Air Staff |
| DCGS |
Deputy
Chief of General Staff |
| DCM |
Distinguished
Conduct Medal |
| DCNS |
Deputy
Chief of the Naval Staff |
| DDL |
Light
Destroyer |
| DDME |
Deputy
Director Mechanical Engineering |
| DDMI |
Deputy
Director of Military Intelligence |
| DDMS |
Deputy
Director Medical Services |
| DDMT |
Deputy
Director Military Training |
| DDST |
Deputy
Director Supply and Transport |
| DEMS |
Defensively
Equipped Merchant Ships (or Shipping) |
| DF |
Direction
Finding (in context) |
| Defensive
Fire (in context) |
| DFC |
Distinguished
Flying Cross |
| DGAMS |
Director-General
Australian Medical Services |
| DGMS |
Director-General
Medical Services |
| DGS |
Director-General
of Security |
| DGSP |
Director-General
of Supply and Production |
| dis |
Discharged
or discharge (in context) |
| Div |
Division |
| DMI |
Director
of Military Intelligence |
| DMO
& I |
Director
of Military Operations and Intelligence |
| DMS |
Director
Medical Services |
| DMT |
Driver
Motor Transport |
| DMT |
Director
of Military Training |
| DMZ |
Demilitarized
Zone |
| DNI |
Director
of Naval Intelligence |
| DO |
Demi-official
(letter) |
| Daily
orders |
| DOBOPS |
Director
Borneo Operations |
| DoW |
Died
of Wounds |
| DP1 |
Draft
Priority one |
| D
of O |
Director/Directorate
of Organisation |
| DR |
Director/Directorate
of Recruiting |
| DR
or Don-R |
Motorcycle
Dispatch Rider |
| DR
Navigation |
Deduced
Reckoning navigation or colloquially Dead Reckoning |
| DS |
Direct
Support (Artillery Battery or Regiment) |
| D.
Sigs |
Director
of Signals |
| DSIO |
Deputy
Supervising Intelligence Officer |
| DSO |
Distinguished
Service Order |
| DT |
Director/Directorate
of Training |
| DTS |
Director
of Technical Services |
| D.
WAAAF |
Director
of WAAAF |
| DUKW |
An
amphibious craft manufactured by Detroit United Keith Works |
| Dvr |
Driver |
| DWB |
Director
of Works and Buildings |
| |
|
| EATS |
Empire
Air Training Scheme (British Commonwealth Air Training Program) |
| EBSR |
Engineer
Boat and Shore Regiment |
| Ech |
Echelon |
| ECHO |
Shipping
Designator for freight to Base Section 7, Sydney, N.S.W. |
| ED |
Embarkation
Depot |
| EFTS |
Elementary
Flying Training School |
| EL |
Electric
Light |
| emb |
Embarked |
| Engrs |
Engineers |
| EO |
Equipment
Officer or Engineer Officer |
| EPIP
Tent |
European
Privates Indian Pattern tent |
| Eqpt |
Equipment |
| ESB |
Engineer
Special Brigade |
| ETO |
European
Theatre of Operation |
| |
|
| FA |
Field
Artillery |
| FAA |
Fleet
Air Arm |
| FAC |
Forward
Air Controller |
| FARELF |
Far
East Land Forces |
| FAW |
Fleet
Air Wing (US Navy) - previously know as Patrol Wing |
| FBRD |
Flying-boat
Repair Depot |
| FCS |
Fraser
(Island) Commando School (in Queensland) |
| Fd |
Field |
| Fd
Amb |
Field
Ambulance |
| FDL |
Forward
Defended Locality |
| FEAF |
Far
East Air Forces |
| FEB |
Far
Eastern Bureau (MEW/SOE) (psychological warfare) |
| FECB |
Far
East Combined Bureau (cryptanalysis) |
| FELO |
Far
Eastern Liaison Office |
| FIS |
Foreign
Intelligence Section (Canada) |
| F-Lt |
Flight
Lieutenant |
| FM |
Finance
Member or Field Marshall |
| F-O
or F/O |
Flying
Officer |
| FO |
Forward
Observer |
| FOD |
Follow-on
Destroyer |
| FOO |
Forward
Observation Officer |
| FPO |
Fleet
Post Office |
| Frac |
Fractured |
| FRUMEL |
Fleet
Radio Unit Melbourne |
| FRUPac |
Fleet
Radio Unit, Pacific |
| FS |
Fighter
Sector or Field Security |
| FSB |
Fire
Support Base (Vietnam era) |
| FSPB |
Fire
Support Patrol Base (Vietnam era) |
| F-Sgt |
Flight
Sergeant |
| FSHQ |
Fighter
Sector Headquarters |
| FTS |
Flying
Training School |
| |
|
| G-I
(GI) |
Normal
soldiers in the US Army |
| G-2 |
Intelligence
Staff of a US Headquarters |
| G-3 |
Operations
staff of a US Headquarters |
| GC
(badge) |
Good
Conduct |
| GC&CS |
Government
Code and Cypher School (cryptology, UK) |
| GCC |
Ground
Control Centre |
| GCHQ |
Government
Communications Headquarters (UK) |
| GD |
General
Duties |
| GDD |
General
Details Depot |
| Gen |
General |
| GHQ |
General
Headquarters |
| GMT |
Greenwich
Mean Time |
| Gnr |
Gunner |
| GOC |
General
Officer Commanding |
| Gp |
Group |
| Gp
Capt |
Group
Captain |
| GPMG |
General
Purpose Machine Gun (usually the M60) |
| GR |
General
Reconnaissance |
| GRS |
General
Reconnaissance School |
| GS |
General
Staff |
| GSO |
General
Staff Officer |
| GSO1 |
General
Staff Officer Grade 1 |
| GSO2 |
General
Staff Officer Grade 2 |
| GSW |
Gunshot
wound |
| G
Staff |
Operations
Staff |
| |
|
| H |
Western
Australian Time, 8 hrs ahead of GMT |
| HBG |
Heavy
Bombardment Group |
| HE |
High
Explosive |
| HEDRON |
Headquarters
Squadron (US Navy) |
| HMAS |
His/Her
Majesty's Australian Ship |
| HMAT |
His
Majesty's Australian Transport |
| HMCS |
His/Her
Majesty's Canadian Ship (in context) |
| Her
Majesty's Colonial Ship (in context) |
| HMG |
Heavy
Machine Gun |
| HMS |
His/Her
Majesty's Ship (in context) |
| His/Her
majesty's Service (in context) |
| HMT |
His
Majesty's Transport (or Troopship) |
| HMNZS |
His/Her
Majesty's New Zealand Ship |
| HO |
Hostilities
only |
| Hosp |
Hospital |
| HOW |
Howitzer |
| HQ |
Headquarters |
| |
|
| IASD |
Inter-Allied
Services Department |
| i/c |
In
command (as in 2 i/c for second in command) |
| IFF |
Identification
Friend or Foe |
| IG |
Inspector-General |
| IJN |
Imperial
Japanese Navy |
| ILO |
Intelligence
Liaison Officer |
| IMAC |
First
Marine Amphibious Corps |
| Indep |
Independent |
| Inf |
Infantry |
| Inf
Bde |
Infantry
Brigade |
| Instr |
Instructor |
| Int |
Intelligence |
| Intell |
Intelligence |
| Inv
"wd" |
Invalided
wounded |
| IO |
Intelligence
Officer |
| ISD |
Inter-Allied
Services Department |
| ITS |
Initial
Training School |
| |
|
| JCS |
Joint
Chiefs of Staff |
| JG |
Jungle
Green (as in JG uniform) |
| JICPOA |
Joint
Intelligence, Central Pacific Ocean Area |
| JNCO |
Junior
Non Commissioned Officer |
| JTC |
Jungle
Training Centre |
| |
|
| K |
Eastern
Australian Time 10 hrs ahead of GMT |
| KD |
Khaki
Drill (as in KD uniform) |
| KIA |
Killed
in Action |
| KPA |
Korean
People's Army |
| |
|
| LARC |
Lighter
Amphibious Resupply Cargo vessel |
| LAA |
Light
Anti-aircraft |
| LAC |
Leading
Aircraftsman |
| Landops |
Advanced
Land Headquarters |
| LAC |
Leading
Aircraftsman |
| LASU |
Local
Air Supply Unit |
| LCH |
Landing
Craft, Heavy |
| LCI |
Landing
Craft, Infantry |
| LCM |
Landing
Craft, Mechanised or Landing Craft Motorised |
| L-Cpl |
Lance-Corporal |
| LCT |
Landing
Craft, Tank |
| LCV |
Landing
Craft, Vehicle or Landing Craft Vessel |
| LCVP |
Landing
Craft, Vehicle, Personnel |
| LEFT |
Shipping
Designator for Freight to Base Section 3, Brisbane, Queensland |
| LG |
London
Gazette |
| LHQ |
Land
Headquarters or Allied Land Forces Headquarters |
| LMB |
Light
Mortar Battery |
| LMG |
Light
Machine Gun |
| LMS |
Lugger
Maintenance Section (Darwin) |
| LNS |
League
of National Security |
| LO |
Liaison
Office or Liaison Officer |
| Lon.Gaz. |
London
Gazette |
| L
of C |
Lines
of Communication |
| LRPG |
Long
Range Patrol Group |
| LSG |
Logistic
Support Group |
| LS&GC |
Long
Service & Good Conduct |
| LSI |
Landing
Ship, Infantry |
| LSO |
Legal
Staff Officer |
| LST |
Landing
Ship, Tank |
| Lt |
Lieutenant
or Light |
| Lt
Cdr |
Lieutenant-Commander |
| Lt-Col |
Lieutenant-Colonel |
| Lt-Gen |
Lieutenant-General |
| LTD |
Leave
and Transit Depot |
| LW/AW |
Light
Weight Air Warning (Radar station developed by AWA) |
| LZ |
Landing
Zone |
| |
|
| MAC |
Motor
Ambulance Convoy |
| MACV |
Military
Assistance Command Vietnam |
| Maj |
Major |
| Maj-Gen |
Major-General |
| MAZE |
Shipping
Designator for Freight to Base Section 4, Melbourne, Victoria |
| M&B |
a
famous British brand of stew in WW1 |
| M&D |
Medals
and Decorations |
| MBE |
Member
of the Order of the British Empire |
| MBDS |
Main
Bench Dressing Station |
| MC |
Military
Cross |
| MCP |
Malayan
Communist Party |
| MD |
Military
District |
| MDS |
Main
Dressing Station |
| ME |
Middle
East |
| MEIC |
Middle
East Intelligence Centre |
| MEW |
Ministry
of Economic Warfare (SOE) |
| MFC |
Mobile
Fire Controller |
| MFCU |
Mobile
Fighter Control Unit |
| MG |
Machine-Gun |
| MGGS |
Major
General, General Staff |
| MGO |
Master
General of the Ordnance |
| MGRA |
Major-General,
Royal Artillery |
| MHQ |
Maritime
Headquarters |
| MI-5 |
Military
Intelligence 5 (UK, Internal Security) |
| MI-6 |
Military
Intelligence 6 (UK, External, see SIS) |
| MIA |
Missing
in Action |
| MiD |
Mentioned
in Despatches |
| Mil |
Military |
| miss |
missing |
| MIS |
Military
Intelligence Service |
| MISLS |
Military
Intelligence Service Language School |
| MIS-X |
Military
Intelligence Service - 'X' Section (US) |
| MM |
Military
Medal |
| MMG |
Medium
Machine-gun |
| MO |
Medical
Officer |
| MOI |
Ministry
of Information |
| MOUT |
Military
Operations Urban Terrain |
| MP |
Military
Police |
| MRLA |
Malayan
Races Liberation Army |
| MRO |
Military
Reporting Officer |
| MTF |
Mobile
Task Force |
| Mtn |
Mountain |
| MU |
Maintenance
Unit |
| MUR |
Melbourne
University Rifles |
| MV |
Motor
Vessel |
| |
|
| NAAFI |
Navy
Army Air Force Institute |
| NAOU |
North
Australia Observer Unit or Nackeroos |
| NAP |
Naval
Auxiliary Patrol |
| NCO |
Non
Commissioned Officer |
| NCOiC |
Non
Commissioned Officer in Charge |
| NEA |
North-East
Area |
| NEAHQ |
North
East Area Headquarters |
| NEFIS |
Netherlands
East Indies Forces Intelligence Forces |
| NEI |
Netherlands
East Indies |
| NEI-AF |
Netherlands
East Indies Air Force |
| NEFIS
III |
Netherlands
Forces Intelligence Section, Division III |
| NG |
New
Guinea |
| NGAWW |
New
Guinea Air Warning Wireless (Independent) Company |
| NGF |
New
Guinea Force |
| NGIB |
New
Guinea Infantry Battalion |
| NGVR |
New
Guinea Volunteer Rifles |
| NID |
Naval
Intelligence Division (formerly Naval Intelligence Department) |
| NIO |
Naval
Intelligence Officer |
| NLF |
National
Liberation Front |
| NLO |
Naval
Liaison Officer |
| NOIC |
Naval
Officer in Charge |
| Norforce |
Northern
Territory Force or NT Force |
| NT |
Northern
Territory |
| NT
Force |
Northern
Territory Force or Norforce |
| NTSRU |
Northern
Territory Special Reconnaissance Unit |
| NYDN |
Not
yet diagnosed neurosis |
| NVA |
North
Vietnamese Army |
| NYD |
Not
yet determined |
| NZ |
New
Zealand |
| NZ
& A |
New
Zealand and Australian Division |
| NZNB |
New
Zealand Naval Board |
| NZTTV |
New
Zealand Training Team Vietnam |
| |
|
| OB |
Operational
Base |
| OBE |
Officer
of the Order of the British Empire |
| OBU |
Operational
Base Unit |
| OC |
Officer
Commanding |
| OC
Med |
Officer
in charge, medical |
| OC
Surg |
Officer
in charge, surgical |
| ODF |
Operational
Deployment Force |
| Offr |
Officer |
| OG |
Operational
Group |
| OHQ |
Overseas
Headquarters |
| OIC |
Officer
in Charge |
| OMC |
Owen
Machine Carbine |
| OM/P |
Oriental
Mission/Propaganda (SOE Malaya) |
| ONI |
Officer
of Naval Intelligence (US) |
| OOB |
Order
of Battle |
| OP |
Observation
Post |
| OPO |
Observation
Post Officer |
| Ops |
Operations |
| OpsO |
Operations
Officer |
| ORs |
Other
Ranks (other than officers) |
| Orgn |
Organisation |
| O.S. |
Overseas |
| OSMG |
Owen
sub-machine-gun (also OMC, Owen Machine Carbine) |
| OSS |
Office
of Strategic Services |
| OTS |
Officer's
Training School |
| OTU |
Operational
Training Unit |
| |
|
| PA |
Personal
Assistant |
| PAA |
Pan
American Airways |
| PAF |
Permanent
Air Force |
| PATSU |
Patrol
Service Units (US Navy) |
| PatWing |
Patrol
Wing (US Navy) |
| PDRC |
Personnel
Dispatch and Reception Centre |
| PF |
Popular
Force |
| PIB |
Papuan
Infantry Battalion |
| PIR |
Pacific
Islands Regiment |
| PIO |
Pioneer |
| PJI |
Parachute
Jump Instructor |
| Pk |
Park |
| PMF |
Permanent
Military Forces |
| PNGDF |
Papua
New Guinea Defence Force |
| Pnr |
Pioneer |
| P-O |
Pilot
Officer |
| POR |
Personnel
Occurrence Reports |
| POW |
Prisoners
of War |
| PRC |
Personnel
Reception Centre |
| pres |
presumed |
| PRO |
Public
Relations Officer |
| Proc |
Proceeded |
| PRS |
Philippines
Regional Section |
| PRU |
Photographic
Reconnaissance Unit |
| P&S |
Plaque
& Scroll (Deadman's Penny) |
| p.s.c |
Passed
Staff Course |
| PT |
Patrol
Torpedo (boat) |
| PTE
or Pte |
Private
(soldier) |
| PUO |
Pyrexia
of unknown origin |
| PW |
Prisoner
of War (later usage) |
| PWC |
Political
Warfare Committee |
| PWCC |
Prisoner
of War Control Center |
| |
|
| QANTAS |
Queensland
and Northern Territory Aerial Services |
| QM |
Quartermaster |
| QMG |
Quartermaster
General |
| Q
Staff |
Quartermaster
Staff |
| |
|
| RAA |
Royal
Australian Artillery |
| RAAC |
Royal
Australian Armoured Corps |
| RAAF |
Royal
Australian Air Force |
| RAAFLO |
Royal
Australian Air Force London Office |
| RAAFNS |
Royal
Australian Air Force Nursing Service |
| RAASC |
Royal
Australian Army Service Corps |
| RAE |
Royal
Australian Engineers |
| RAEME |
Royal
Australian Electrical & Mechanical Engineers |
| RAF |
Royal
Air Force |
| RAGA |
Royal
Australian Garrison Artillery |
| RAAMC |
Royal
Australian Army Medical Corps |
| RAANC |
Royal
Australian Army Nursing Corps |
| RANC |
Royal
Australian Naval College |
| RAN |
Royal
Australian Navy |
| RANC |
Royal
Australian Naval College |
| RANNS |
Royal
Australian Navy Nursing Service |
| RANR |
Royal
Australian Navy Reserve |
| RANVR |
Royal
Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve |
| RAP |
Regimental
Aid Post |
| RAPWI |
Recovered
Allied Prisoners of War and Internees |
| RAR |
Royal
Australian Regiment |
| RASR |
Regular
Army Special Reserve (3 year enlistees) |
| RCAF |
Royal
Canadian Air Force |
| RCN |
Royal
Canadian Navy |
| RCT |
Regimental
Combat Team |
| RDF |
Radio
Direction Finding |
| RE |
Royal
Engineers |
| Recce |
Reconnaissance |
| Regt |
Regiment |
| rem |
remained |
| rept |
reported |
| res |
reserve
or reserved (in context) |
| RF |
Regional
Force |
| RFA |
Royal
Field Artillery |
| RFC |
Royal
Flying Corps |
| RHU |
Reinforcement
Holding Unit |
| RIAF |
Royal
Indian Air Force |
| RMC |
Royal
Military College, Duntroon |
| RMO |
Regimental
Medical Officer |
| RN |
Royal
Navy |
| RNAS |
Royal
Naval Air Service |
| RNC |
Royal
Naval College |
| RNZAF |
Royal
New Zealand Air Force |
| RNZIR |
Royal
New Zealand Infantry Regiment |
| RNZN |
Royal
New Zealand Navy |
| RO
or ROs |
Routine
Order/s |
| ROK |
Republic
of Korea |
| ROO |
Rail
Ordnance Officer |
| RPQ |
Rocket
Propelled Grenade |
| RQ |
Regimental
Quartermaster |
| RQMS |
Regimental
Quartermaster Sergeant |
| RQR |
Royal
Queensland Regiment |
| RSM |
Regimental
Sergeant Major |
| RSMA |
Regimental
Sergeant Major of the Army |
| RSU |
Repair
and Salvage Unit |
| RTA |
Returned
to Australia |
| R/T
or R-T |
Radio
Telephony - voice transmissions |
| RTO |
Rail
Transport Officer |
| RTU |
Returned
to Unit |
| |
|
| SAO |
Senior
Administrative Officer |
| SAP |
Semi
armour-piercing |
| SAS |
Special
Air Service |
| SASR |
Special
Air Service Regiment |
| SASO |
Senior
Air Staff Officer |
| SCAP |
Supreme
Commander Allied Powers |
| SCO |
Searchlight
Control Officer |
| SEA |
South-East
Asia |
| SEAC |
South-East
Asia Command |
| Sec |
Section
or Secretary |
| SEATIC |
South
East Asia Translation and Interrogation Center |
| SEATO |
South
East Asia Treaty Organisation |
| SFTS |
Service
Flying Training School |
| Sgt |
Sergeant |
| SHAEF |
Supreme
Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Force |
| Sh.
D. |
Shore
Defence |
| SHQ |
Station
Headquarters or Section Headquarters |
| SI |
Special
Intelligence (cryptanalysis) |
| SIA |
Special
Intelligence Australia |
| SIB |
Special
Intelligence Bureau (Melbourne, Wireless Intelligence) |
| Sig |
Signalman |
| Sigint |
Signals
Intelligence |
| Sigs |
Signals |
| SIONEA |
Supervising
Intelligence Officer, North East Area |
| SIS |
Secret
Intelligence Service or Signals Intelligence Service (US) |
| SISO |
Senior
Intelligence Staff Officer |
| SLC |
Searchlight
Control or Radar (also known as "Elsie") |
| SLD |
Static
Line Despatcher |
| SLR |
Self
Loading Rifle (L1A1 locally produced 7.62mm FN NATO style rifle) |
| SLU |
Secret
Liaison Unit or Special Liaison Unit (British Ultra) |
| SMLE |
Short
Magazine Lee Enfield (.303 rifle) |
| SMO |
Senior
Medical Officer |
| SMSO |
Senior
Maintenance Staff Officer |
| SNLF |
Special
Naval Landing Force (Japanese) |
| SNCO |
Senior
Non Commissioned Officer |
| SNO |
Senior
Naval Officer |
| SO |
Staff
Officer |
| SO1 |
Staff
Officer Grade 1 |
| SO2 |
Staff
Officer Grade 2 |
| SOA |
Special
Operations Australia |
| SOE |
Special
Operations Executive |
| SO(I) |
Staff
Officer (Intelligence) |
| SOPAC |
South
Pacific (Command) |
| SORE |
Staff
Officer, Royal Engineers |
| SOS |
Struck
Off Strength (of a Unit) |
| International
Distress Signal (Save Our Souls) |
| SPC |
State
Publicity Censor |
| Spr |
Sapper
(A private in the Engineers) |
| SPSO |
Senior
Personnel Staff Officer |
| SPTF |
Seaplane
Training Flight |
| Sqn |
Squadron |
| SRD |
Services
Reconnaissance Department (in context) |
| Services
Rum, dilutable (in context) |
| S-Sgt |
Staff-Sergeant |
| SS |
Steamship |
| SSO |
Signals
Security Officer or Special Security Officers (US Ultra) |
| SSOA |
Senior
Staff Officer Administration |
| Staty |
Stationary
(hospital) |
| Stn |
Station |
| STT |
School
of Technical Training |
| SW |
Shrapnel
wound |
| SWPA |
South
West Pacific Area |
| SWAPO |
South
West Pacific Area of Operations |
| |
|
| Tac-R |
Tactical
Reconnaissance |
| TAF |
Tactical
Air Force |
| TAOR |
Tactical
Area of Operations |
| TE |
Tropical
Establishment |
| Tk |
Tank |
| TLC |
Tracked
Load Carrier |
| TM |
Trench
Mortar |
| TMB |
Trench
Mortar Battery |
| TMU |
Torpedo
Maintenance Unit |
| TNG |
Territory
of New Guinea |
| TOS |
Taken
on strength (of a Unit) |
| Tpr |
Trooper |
| Tps |
Troops |
| trans |
transferred |
| TSMG |
Thompson
Sub-machine-gun |
| TW |
Tropical
Warfare |
| |
|
| U/e |
Unexploded |
| U/i |
Unidentified |
| UK |
United
Kingdom |
| UNC |
United
Nations Command |
| unk |
Unknown |
| US |
United
States |
| USA |
United
States of America |
| USAAC |
United
States Army Air Corps |
| USAAF |
United
States Army Air Force |
| USAF |
United
States Air Force |
| USAFFE |
United
States Army Forces in the Far East |
| USAFIA |
United
States Army Forces in Australia |
| USASOS |
United
States Army Services of Supply |
| USMC |
United
States Marine Corps |
| USN |
United
States Navy |
| USO |
United
Services Organisation |
| USP |
Universal
Service Personnel |
| USS |
United
States Ship |
| UXB |
Unexploded
bomb |
| |
|
| VAC |
V
Amphibious Corps (USMC) |
| VAD |
Voluntary
Aid Detachment |
| VAOC |
Volunteer
Air Observers Corps |
| VB |
Bombing
Squadron (US Navy) |
| VC |
Victoria
Cross (in context) |
| Viet
Cong (in context) |
| VD |
Volunteers
Decoration (in context) |
| Venereal
Disease (in context) |
| VDC |
Volunteer
Defence Corps |
| VP |
Victory
in the Pacific |
| VP |
Patrol
Squadron (US Navy) |
| VP-AM |
Patrol,
Amphibious (US Navy) |
| VP-HL |
Patrol,
Heavy Landplane (US Navy) |
| VP-HM |
Patrol,
Heavy Mining (US Navy) |
| VP-MS |
Patrol,
Medium Seaplane (US Navy) |
| |
|
| W
or (w) |
Wounded |
| WAAC |
Women's
Army Auxiliary Corps (later the Women's Army Corps) |
| WAC |
Women's
Army Corps |
| WAAF |
Women's
Auxiliary Air Force (UK) |
| WAAF |
Women's
Army Air Force (USA) |
| WAAAF |
Women's
Auxiliary Australian Air Force |
| W
A/G |
Wireless
Air Gunner |
| WAGS |
Wireless
Air Gunners School |
| WANS |
Women's
Australian National Service |
| WASP |
Women's
Air Force Service Pilots (USA) |
| WATC |
Women's
Air Training Corps |
| WC |
War
Cabinet |
| W
Cdr |
Wing
Commander |
| WD |
WAAAF
Depot |
| WD |
War
Diary |
| WE |
War
establishment |
| WESC |
Women's
Emergency Signal Corps |
| WET |
War
Equipment Table |
| WIA |
Wounded
in Action |
| WMU |
Works
Maintenance Unit |
| WNEL |
Women's
National Emergency League |
| W-O
or WO |
Warrant
Officer |
| WO1 |
Warrant
Officer Class 1 |
| WO2 |
Warrant
Officer Class 2 |
| WO3 |
Warrant
Officer Class 3 |
| WOD |
Warrant
Officer Disciplinary |
| W/Op |
Wireless
Operator |
| WRAAC |
Women's
Royal Australian Army Corps |
| WRANS |
Women's
Royal Australian Naval Service |
| WREN |
A
member of Women's Royal Naval Service |
| W-T
or W/T |
Wireless
Telegraphy (coded messages by Morse code) or Wireless Telegraphist |
| WTU |
Works
Training Unit |
| WVNR |
Women's
Voluntary National Register |
| |
|
| "Y" |
Intelligence
from Direction Finding and Wireless Telegraphy |
| |
|
| Z |
Greenwich
Mean Time (Universal Time) |
| Z-ES |
"Z"
(Force) Experimental Station (Cairns) |
