2 i/c |
Second in Command |
A/ |
As in A/Sgt – Acting rank. Can be paid but holder can be returned to previous rank by CO |
AA |
Anti-Aircraft |
ACC |
Army Catering Corps |
Ack |
Assistant |
Adj |
Adjutant – Administrative officer at Regimental Headquarters |
ACPO |
Assistant Command Post Officer – See CPO |
AGPO |
Assistant Gun Position Officer – See GPO |
ATk |
Anti-Tank |
BC |
Battery Commander – Major in charge of the battery |
Bdr |
Bombardier – RA equivalant of a corporal |
BK |
Battery Captain – Battery second in command |
BSM |
Battery Sergeant Major – Warrant Officer Class 2 |
BTE |
British Troops Egypt |
BQMS |
Battery Quartermaster Sergeant – Staff Sgt, responsible for battery stores & equipment |
Bty |
Battery – the standard unit of the RA. A Major’s command |
CMF |
Central Mediterranean Forces |
CO |
Commanding Officer – Lieutenant Colonel in charge of a regiment |
CPO |
Command Post Officer – Selected gun positions for each Troop & had overall control |
Dvr/Op |
Driver/wireless operator |
EAA |
East African Artillery |
FFW |
Fitted for wireless – Indicates that the vehicle has the equipment to mount a wireless set |
FOO |
Forward Observation Officer – Captain or Major controlling the fire of the guns, Usually mobile with the supported infantry or tanks |
Gnr |
Gunner – RA equivalent of a private |
GOR |
Gun Operations Room (AA) |
GPO |
Gun Position Officer – Controlled the Troop position |
GS |
General Service |
HAA |
Heavy Anti-Aircraft |
HKSRA |
Hong Kong & Singapore RA – recruited in India, mostly Punjabis |
HKVDC |
Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps – Locally recruited Europeans and Chinese |
How |
Howitzer- fires in the upper register i.e. above 45 degrees elevation |
LAA |
Light Anti-Aircraft |
LAA/ATk |
Light Anti-Aircraft/Anti-Tank – A unit with two batteries of each type |
L/Bdr |
Lance Bombardier – RA equivalent of a lance corporal |
LMG |
Light Machine Gun (Bren) |
(M) |
“Mixed” in a Heavy Anti-Aircraft unit. Unit has ATS women fully integrated. |
OP |
Observation Post – static position from which to observe & control the fire of the guns |
OPA |
Observation Post Assistant |
OPO |
Observation Post Officer – FOO in static position |
PIAT |
Projector, Infantry, Anti-Tank (Spring loaded anti-tank projectile launcher) |
QM |
Quartermaster – responsible for regimental stores & equipment |
RA |
Royal Artillery |
RFA |
Royal Field Artillery |
RGA |
Royal Garrison Artillery |
RHA |
Royal Horse Artillery |
RMA |
Royal Malta Artillery |
REME |
Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers |
RMA |
Royal Malta Artillery |
RQMS |
Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant – assists QM, WO2 |
R Sigs |
Royal Corps of Signals |
RSM |
Regimental Sergeant Major – WO1 |
(SR) |
Supplementary Reserve – N Ireland’s Territorial Army |
TA |
Territorial Army |
TC |
Troop Commander – Usually a Captain employed as an FOO |
TF |
Territorial Force – predecessor of the Territorial Army |
Truck 5 cwt 4×4 |
Jeep |
TSM |
Troop Sergeant Major |
U/ |
As in U/Sgt – Unpaid rank usually for a probationary period. |
Veh Mech |
Vehicle Mechanic |
Warrant Officer |
Ranks above Staff Sergeant and below commissioned officer. Known as Sergeant Majors they hold their rank by Royal Warrant |
WAA |
West African Artillery |
WOP |
Wireless Operator |
WO1 |
Warrant Officer Class 1 – RSM and equivalent. See Insignia section |
WO2 |
Warrant Officer Class 2 – BSM and equivalent. See Insignia section |
WO3 |
Warrant Officer Class 3 – TSM. See Insignia section |
W/ |
As in W/Sgt – War rank, holder can be asked to revert to pre-war rank at the end of hostilities. |