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. |
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. |
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. |