Page 399

Appendix 13: Glossary of Code Names & Abbreviations

ACROBAT Projected British advance from Cyrenaica into Tripolitania—early 1942.
A.I. Air interception—radar carried by fighters.
A.M.E.S. Air Ministry Experimental Station (i.e. radar station).
Asdic Shipborne apparatus for the detection of underwater objects.
ASV Air-to-surface vessel—airborne search and homing radar used for anti-U-boat and anti-shipping operations.
AVALANCHE Allied invasion of Italy (Salerno)—September 1943.
BATTLEAXE British operation to relieve Tobruk—June 1941.
BAYTOWN 8th Army assault on the toe of Italy—3rd September, 1943.
CAB-RANK Small formations of patrolling fighters and lighter-bombers on immediate call for close tactical support.
CHANNEL STOP British air operations to prevent German shipping passing through the Straits of Dover by day.

C 3(Italian)

Projected invasion of Malta—1942.
CRUSADER British offensive in Cyrenaica—November 1941.
DIADEM Assault to effect union between main front and Anzio beach-head—May 1944.
FRÜHLINGSWIND (German) Attack against the United States forces in southern Tunisia—February 1943.
GARDENING Sea minelaying by aircraft.
G.C.I. Ground-controlled interception.
GEE Medium-range radar aid to navigation employing ground transmitters and airborne receiver.
GYMNAST Original plan for Anglo-American operation which eventually became TORCH.

Page 400

HARPOON Covering operations—convoy from U.K. to Malta—June 1942.
‘H2S’ Airborne radar navigational and target location aid.
HERCULES (German) Projected invasion of Malta—1942.
HUSKY Allied invasion of Sicily—10th/17th July, 1943.
INTRUDER Offensive night patrols over enemy territory intended to destroy hostile aircraft and to dislocate the enemy flying organization.
MATADOR Projected operation to seize Singora area of Siam—December 1941.
MILLENNIUM 1,000-bomber attack on Cologne—30th/31st May, 1942.
OBOE Ground-controlled radar system of blind bombing in which one station indicates track to be followed and another the bomb release point.
O.T.U. Operational Training Unit.
PEDESTAL Malta convoy operations—August 1942.
POINTBLANK The attack on German fighter forces and the industry upon which they depended—1943/1944
PRU Photographic Reconnaissance Unit.
ROUND-UP Projected Anglo-American operation against northern France—1943.
ROVER-DAVID Attacks on fleeting tactical targets by CAB-RANK fighters and fighter-bombers.
SHINGLE Amphibious operations mounted from Naples to facilitate ultimate capture of Rome—January 1944.
SLEDGEHAMMER Projected Anglo-American operation against northern France—1942.
STRANGLE Air operations for the destruction of enemy road, rail and sea communications—Italy, March/May 1944.

THESEUS (German)

Rommel’s offensive in Cyrenaica—May 1942.
Torbeau Torpedo-carrying Beaufighter.
TORCH Anglo-American landing operation in French North Africa—November 1942.

Page 401

TURBINLITE Searchlight fitted to aircraft for night-fighter operations.
VIGOROUS Covering operations—convoy from Eastern Mediterranean to Malta—June 1942.
VLR Very Long Range.
WALTER Radar beacon carried in dinghy to facilitate search and homing by aircraft equipped with ASV
WINDOW Metallized paper strips dropped by bomber aircraft in order to disrupt enemy radar system.

WÜRZBURG (German)

Ground radar system used for controlling searchlights, anti-aircraft guns and night-fighter aircraft.