Glossary
| AA | anti-aircraft |
| AA & QMG, A/Q | Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster-General |
| Ack | Acknowledge |
| ACV | Armoured Command Vehicle |
| ADC | aide-de-camp |
| Adm, Admin | Administration |
| ADMS | Assistant Director of Medical Services |
| ADOS | Assistant Director of Ordnance Services |
| ADS | Advanced Dressing Station |
| Adv, adv | advance(d) |
| A Echelon | Transport usually taken into battle |
| AFV | Armoured Fighting Vehicle (tank or armoured car) |
| AG | Adjutant-General |
| AGRA | Army Group Royal Artillery |
| AIF | Australian Imperial Force |
| Air Support Control | Combined Army-RAF organisation to bring air support to bear on ground operations |
| Alam | Cairn; isolated hillock (Alamein, twin cairns) |
| ALG | Advanced Landing Ground |
| amn | ammunition |
| AOC-in-C | Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief |
| AP | Armour-piercing |
| armd | armoured |
| armd Cs | armoured cars |
| armoured brigade | formation of fast cruiser tanks, etc. |
| army tank brigade | formation of slow infantry tanks, etc. |
| Arty | artillery |
| ASC | Army Service Corps |
| A tk, A/Tk, a-tk, A-Tk | anti-tank |
| Aust | Australian |
| B24 | Liberator bomber (US) |
| B25 | Mitchell bomber (US) |
| Bab | a pass |
| Barrage | a line of artillery fire |
| Bays, The | The Queen’s Bays (2nd Dragoon Guards) |
| Bde | Brigade (British or Allied formation, normally of three infantry battalions, or tank regiments or battalions) |
| B Ech(elon) | Transport sometimes temporarily dispensed with in battle |
| BERESFORD | Code-name for Eighth Army operation on 3–4 Sep 1942 against the flank of Rommel’s advance on Alam Halfa |
| Bersaglieri | Italian motorised infantry, organised in regiments each of two or three battalions |
| BGS | Brigadier, General Staff (chief staff officer at Corps or Army) |
| Bir |
well or cistern (pl. Abiar) |
| bivouac (tent) | Small portable tent, a ‘pup-tent’ |
| Blenheim | British twin-engined bomber |
| BM | Brigade Major (chief staff officer at Brigade) |
| Bn | Battalion (a unit of tanks or reconnaissance troops, normally three squadrons plus HQ; or infantry, four rifle companies plus HQ company; or machine-gunners, four companies of Vickers guns) |
| Bn |
Battalion (German unit of tanks, anti-tank or anti-aircraft guns, engineers, infantry, machine-gunners, or motor-cyclists) (Italian organisation was similar) |
| Bofors | Automatic 40-mm light anti-aircraft gun of Swedish design |
| Box | All-round defensive position for battalion, brigade or division in static operations |
| Breda | Italian heavy machine-gun or light automatic cannon |
| Bren | Standard British light machine-gun |
| Bren-carrier | Light armoured tracked vehicle intended to carry Bren guns, but also used for reconnaissance, carrying ammunition or wounded under fire, etc. |
| Brigs | Brigadiers |
| BTE | British Troops in Egypt (command excluding Eighth Army) |
| Bty | battery (two, three or four troops of guns) |
| Buffs | The Royal East Kent Regiment |
| BULIMBA | Code-name for diversionary attack by 9 Aust Div, 1 Sep 1942 |
| Burg | a hill |
| carrier (Universal) | See Bren- |
| Cav | Cavalry (light tanks, armoured cars, carriers) |
| CB | Companion of the Order of the Bath; counter-battery (fire), locating and silencing of hostile guns |
| CBE | Commander of the Order of the British Empire |
| CCS | Casualty Clearing Station |
| CE | Chief Engineer (Corps or Army) |
| CGS | Chief of the General Staff |
| Churchill (tank) | British infantry support tank, experimental in 1942 |
| CIGS | Chief of the Imperial General Staff |
| C-in-C | Commander-in-Chief |
| CLY | County of London Yeomanry |
| CMG | Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George |
| CO | Commanding Officer (usually of a unit) |
| Col | Colonel |
| Comando Supremo |
Italian Supreme Command (counterpart of OKW) |
| Comd | Commander; Commanding |
| comn | communication(s) |
| concentration | a pattern of artillery fire |
| Coy | Company |
| CRA | Commander, Royal Artillery (of division) |
| CRASC | Commander, Royal Army Service Corps (of division) – later in 2 NZ Division called CNZASC |
| CRE | Commander, Royal Engineers (of division) |
| CRUSADER | Code-name for British offensive resulting in relief of Tobruk, November 1941 |
| Crusader | British Cruiser tank, with 2-pdr gun (later 6-pdr) |
| CSM | Company Sergeant-Major |
| CSO | Chief Signal Officer |
| DAK |
Deutsches Afrikakorps (German Africa Corps) |
| DCM | Distinguished Conduct Medal |
| Deir | Depression |
| det(s) | detachment(s) |
| Div | Division, Divisional |
| Div Arty | Divisional Artillery (Headquarters, often HQ NZA) |
| Div Cav | Divisional Cavalry |
| Div Workshops | Ordnance unit for maintaining guns, vehicles and other equipment |
| DLI | Durham Light Infantry |
| DSO | Distinguished Service Order |
| Ech, Echelon | First, Second, Third, three main contingents of 2 NZEF in order of embarkation, chiefly comprising 4, 5, and 6 Brigades respectively (see also A Echelon, B Echelon) |
| ED | Efficiency Decoration |
| EM | Efficiency Medal |
| en portée | (of 2-pdr gun) carried on special lorry |
| fd | field |
| Fd Amb | Field Ambulance (medical unit) |
| Fd Coy | Field Company (of engineers) |
| FDL(s) | Forward defended locality (localities) |
| Fd Pk Coy | Field Park Company (of engineers) |
| Fd Regt | Field Regiment (unit of artillery) |
| FF | Free French (changed to Fighting French, Oct 1942) |
| flail tank | See Scorpion |
| FMC | Field Maintenance Centre |
| FSD | Forward Supply Depot |
| fwd | forward |
| GAF Brigade | German Air Force Brigade |
| G Branch (Office), ‘G’ staff | Staff of division or higher formation or command dealing with operations |
| GCMG | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. George |
| Gebel | Hill or high ground |
| GHQ | General Headquarters |
| Gk | Greek |
| GMDS | German Military Documents Section, Washington |
| GOC (-in-C) | General Officer Commanding (-in-Chief) |
| Gp | Group (Battalion or Brigade) force of all arms |
| Grant | American heavy tank with 75-mm. gun |
| Greys | The Royal Scots Greys |
| GSO (I, II, III) | General Staff Officer (Class 1, 2, 3) |
| GYMNAST | See TORCH |
| H | Hussars |
| 51 (H) Div | 51 (Highland) Division |
| Half-track | Vehicle with wheels in front, tank-like tracks in rear |
| He. | German Heinkel bomber |
| HE | high explosive |
| HMG | heavy machine-gun |
| Honey | nickname for General Stuart tank (American M3) |
| HQ | headquarters |
| hrs | hours |
| hy | heavy |
| I | Intelligence (of enemy) |
| Int | Intelligence (of enemy) |
| 2 i/c | Second-in-command |
| incl | inclusive; including |
| Ind | Indian |
| inf | infantry |
| IO | Intelligence Officer |
| Ju.86 | German stratospheric reconnaissance aircraft |
| Ju.87 | German Stuka dive-bomber |
| Ju.88 | German medium bomber |
| KBE | Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire |
| KCB | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath |
| KDG | King’s Dragoon Guards (a reconnaissance unit) |
| K, kilo, km | kilometre; e.g., K23, a distance sign on road or railway |
| KRRC | The King’s Royal Rifle Corps |
| LAA | light anti-aircraft |
| laager | defensive disposition of unit or formation halted in mobile operations, open order by day and close order by night |
| LAD | Light Aid Detachment (Ordnance establishment for repairing guns, transport, etc.) |
| LG | Landing Ground |
| LIGHTFOOT | Code-name for Eighth Army attack at Alamein, 23 Oct 1942 |
| line (transport) | |
| 1st | unit |
| 2nd | divisional (carrying between FMC and division) |
| 3rd | rear (carrying between railhead and FMC) |
| LMG | light machine-gun |
| LO | Liaison Officer |
| LOB | Left out of battle |
| L of C | Line(s) of communication |
| LRDG | Long Range Desert Group |
| Lt | Lieutenant; light |
| 2 Lt | Second-Lieutenant |
| Luftwaffe | German Air Force |
| M13 | Italian medium tank |
| Maaten | shallow wells |
| MANHOOD | Code-name for Eighth Army attack on 27 July 1942 |
| Mark (I, II, etc.) | designation of production type, especially of tanks |
| Marsa, mersa | port, anchorage |
| Matilda | British infantry support tank |
| MBE | Member of the Order of the British Empire |
| MC | Military Cross; motor-cycle |
| MC 202 | Macchi C 202, Italian fighter aircraft |
| MDS | Main Dressing Station |
| ME(F) | Middle East (Forces) |
| Me.109 | single-engined Messerschmitt (German) fighter |
| Me.110 | twin-engined long-range fighter or fighter-bomber |
| Med | Medium |
| (M)MG | (Medium) machine-gun |
| m.g. | (Medium) machine-gun |
| m.i.d. | Mentioned in Despatches |
| Mk | See Mark |
| MM | Military Medal |
| mm. | millimetre, as in 88-mm. gun |
| MO | Medical Officer |
| Mot | motorised |
| m.p.g. | miles per gallon |
| m.p.h. | miles per hour (actual rate) |
| MT | mechanical transport |
| ‘Murder’ | massed artillery fire on a single target |
| NAAFI | Navy, Army, Air Force Institute(s) |
| Naqb | ascent, pass |
| NCO | non-commissioned officer |
| n.c.o. | non-commissioned officer |
| Notts Yeo | Nottinghamshire Yeomanry |
| 50 (N) Div | 50 (Northumbrian) Division |
| NZA | New Zealand Artillery |
| NZASC | New Zealand Army Service Corps |
| NZE | New Zealand Engineers |
| NZEF | New Zealand Expeditionary Force |
| NZLO | New Zealand Liaison Officer |
| NZMC | New Zealand Medical Corps |
| NZOC | New Zealand Ordnance Corps |
| NZR | New Zealand Railways |
| OBE | Officer of the Order of the British Empire |
| OC | Officer Commanding (squadron, battery, company) |
| offrs | officers |
| OKH |
Oberkommando des Heeres (High Command of the German Army) |
| OKL |
Oberkommando der Luftwaffe (High Command of the German Air Force) |
| OKM |
Oberkommando der Kriegsmarine (High Command of the German Navy) |
| OKW |
Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (Supreme Command of the German Armed Forces, roughly equivalent to the War Office) |
| OP | Observation Post |
| Ops | Operations; staff branch dealing with same |
| ORs | other ranks (not officers) |
| P40 | Kittyhawk fighter aircraft (US) |
| PA | Personal Assistant (to GOC) |
| Panzer | German tank; armoured unit or formation |
| Pz | German tank; armoured unit or formation |
| Panzergruppe Afrika | Panzer Group Africa |
| Pz Gp Africa | Panzer Group Africa |
| PEDESTAL | Code-name for Malta convoy, August 1942 |
| pl | platoon |
| Point | Height marked on map, usually in metres above sea level |
| Pt | Height marked on map, usually in metres above sea level |
| POL | Petrol, oil and lubricants |
| portée |
See en portée |
| pr | pounder |
| provost | military police |
| PW | prisoner(s) of war |
| p.w. | prisoner(s) of war |
| Qaret | low hill |
| QM(G) | Quartermaster(-General) |
| quad | lorry for towing British field gun or anti-tank 18-pdr |
| Queen’s, The | The Queen’s Royal Regiment (West Surreys) |
| RA | Royal Artillery |
| RAC | Royal Armoured Corps |
| RAMC | Royal Army Medical Corps |
| RAP | Regimental Aid Post (unit medical establishment) |
| Raqabet | dry watercourse |
| Ras, rass | cape, headland, summit |
| RASC | Royal Army Service Corps |
| rd | road, round |
| RE | Royal Engineers |
| recce | reconnaissance; reconnoitre |
| Regt | Regiment (unit of tanks, reconnaissance troops, or artillery; in British Army also groups of tank, artillery or infantry units, e.g., RTR, RHA, Black Watch) |
| Regt |
Regiment (enemy) (formation of armoured troops or infantry, roughly equivalent to ‘brigade’; also unit of field or medium artillery) |
| Reinforcements (4th, 5th, etc.) | Successive contingents of 2 NZEF after Third Echelon |
| Res | reserve |
| RHA | Royal Horse Artillery (motorised, usually supporting armoured troops) |
| RHQ | Regimental Headquarters |
| RMO | Regimental Medical Officer (of a unit) |
| RMT | Reserve Mechanical Transport |
| Res MT | Reserve Mechanical Transport |
| Royals | The Royal Dragoons (reconnaissance unit) |
| Royal West Kents | The Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment |
| rpt | repeat (message) |
| RSM | Regimental Sergeant-Major (senior NCO of unit) |
| R/T | radio-telephony (wireless transmission of speech) |
| RTR | The Royal Tank Regiment |
| R Tks | The Royal Tank Regiment |
| runner | a tank in working order |
| SA | South African |
| SA | small arms |
| s.a. | small arms |
| sangar | rocks piled up for protection in lieu of slit trench where ground was too hard to dig |
| Sanyet | deep well |
| SC | Staff Captain (administrative staff officer at Brigade) |
| Scorpion | tank fitted with a flail device for clearing a path through a minefield |
| sec | section (2-3 guns; detachment of Signals; third of infantry platoon; third of ASC company, etc.) |
| Sherman | American heavy tank with 75-mm. gun |
| Sidi | saint or marabout |
| Sigs | Signals (responsible for R/T, W/T, DR, telephone and other communications) |
| sitrep | situation report |
| slit trench | one- or two-man trench; ‘foxhole’ |
| ‘S’ mine | German anti-personnel mine |
| SP | self-propelled (gun); Starting Point |
| Sp. | Special |
| spandau | nickname for standard German light and medium machine-gun |
| sqn | squadron (of tanks, reconnaissance troops, or aircraft) |
| ST | Starting Time |
| Staffs Yeo | Staffordshire Yeomanry |
| ‘Stonk’ | A quick defensive artillery concentration according to a prearranged pattern |
| Stuart (General) | American M3 light cruiser tank; ‘Honey’ tank |
| Stuka | Junkers 87 dive-bomber |
| ‘Sunshields’ | Code-name for dummy vehicles, made from canvas, used for camouflage purposes |
| SUPERCHARGE | Code-name for operation to break through at Alamein |
| Superlibia | Italian Command in North Africa |
| Svy | Survey |
| ‘Swordfish’ area | Training area behind the Alamein line, near Alam Shaltut |
| Tac Army | Tactical Headquarters, Eighth Army |
| Tac HQ | Tactical Headquarters |
| tank-buster | Hurricane aircraft with anti-tank cannon |
| Tell | high ground, small hill |
| temp | temporary |
| tentacle | wireless detachment, usually of Air Support Control |
| Tk | tank |
| Tommy gun | Thompson sub-machine gun |
| TORCH | Code-name for Anglo-American landings in French North Africa, November 1942 |
| tower | a towing vehicle. See quad |
| tp(s) | troop(s); part of squadron of tanks or reconnaissance troops (usually four tanks or armoured cars); part of battery (4–6 guns) |
| Trg | Training |
| Trig | See Point |
| Trigh | track |
| TWELVEBORE | Eighth Army’s code-name giving warning of Rommel’s offensive, 30 Aug 1942 |
| U-boat | German submarine |
| UDF | Union Defence Force (of South Africa) |
| Umm | Mother of (in place names) |
| USAAF | United States Army Air Force |
| Valentine | British infantry support tank |
| VC | Victoria Cross |
| VD | Volunteer Officers’ Decoration |
| wadi | watercourse, usually dry |
| wastage | reduction of manpower |
| WD | Western Desert |
| WDF | Western Desert Force |
| WE, war establishment | authorised full allotment (of men, weapons, etc.) |
| Wehrmacht | German Armed Forces |
| West Surreys | The Queen’s Royal Regiment |
| West Yorks | The West Yorkshire Regiment |
| Wilts | Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry |
| WT | Wireless telegraphy |
| Zero (hour) | time given for an operation to start |
| zeroing | checking gun sights, etc., for accuracy |