| 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. |
