The Scottish War Memorials Project

Adam Brown · Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2007 4:44 pm Post subject: List of abbreviations

As suggested by Jim McGinlay a couple of weeks ago I’ve come up with a list of abbreviations that may be found on Scottish war memorials. I’ve split the list into units, ranks and awards since those are the three things commonly abbreviated.

There are bound to be more variations than the ones I’ve listed so if anyone has any other suggestions please post them.

List last updated 27th May 2009

Regiments & Units

A. & S. Hldrs - Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
A. & S.H. - Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
A.A.N.S. - Army Auxiliary Nursing Service
A.C.C - Army Cyclist Corps
A.E.C. - Army Education Corps
A.E.F. - Australians
A.F.S. - Auxiliary Fire Service
A.I.F. - Australian Imperial Force
A.L.H. - Australian Light Horse
A.O.C. - Army Ordnance Corps
A.P.C. - Army Pay Corps
A.P.D. - Army Pay Department
A.P.T.C. - Army Physical Training Corps
A.S.C. - Army Service Corps
A.S.C.M.T. - Army Service Corps (Motor Transport)
A.S.H. - Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
A.T.S. - Auxiliary Territorial Service
A.V.C. - Army Veterinary Corps
A.Y. - Ayrshire Yeomanry
ANZAC - Australian & New Zealand Army Corps
Argylls - Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
B.R. - Border Regiment
B.M.R. - Not Known - tbc
B.R.C.S. - British Red Cross Society
B.W. - Royal Highlanders (Black Watch)
B.W.I.R. - British West Indies Regiment
B.W.N.R - Black Watch, National Reserve
C.C. - Canadian Contingent (Note: G.G. may look similar on memorials)
C.E.F. - Canadian Expeditionary Force
C.F.A. - Canadian Field Artillery
C.F.C. - Canadian Forestry Corps
C.G. - Coldstream Guards
C.L.H. - Canadian Light Horse
C.L.Y. - City of London Yeomanry
C.M.P. - Corps of Military Police
C.M.R. - Canadian Mounted Rifles
C.M.R.S - Canadian Mounted Rifles
C.R. - Connaught Rangers
Cam H. - Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
Cam Hldrs - Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
Cameronians - Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
Camerons - Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
Can - Canadians
Can F.S. - Canadian Fire Service
D.C.L.I. - Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry
D.F. - Royal Dublin Fusiliers
D.G. - Dragoon Guards
D.L.I. - Durham Light Infantry
D.W.R. - Duke of Wellingtons Regiment
DoWtns - Duke of Wellingtons Regiment
E.S.R. - East Surrey Regiment
E.Y.R. - East Yorkshire Regiment
F & F Yeo. - Fife & Forfar Yeomanry
F.A.A - Fleet Air Arm
F.A.N.Y. - First Aid Nursing Yeomanry Corps
F.F. - Frontier Force (Indian Army)
G.G - Grenadier Guards (Note: C.C. may look similar on memorials)
G.H. - Gordon Highlanders
G.M.G.R. - Guards Machine Gun Regiment
G.P.R - Glider Pilot Regiment
G.Y. - Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry
Gord. Hldrs - Gordon Highlanders
Gordons - Gordon Highlanders
H.A.C. - Honourable Artillery Company
H.C.B. - Highland Cyclist Battalion
H.G. - Home Guard
H.K.V.D.C - Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps
H.L.I. - Highland Light Infantry
H.M.C.G. - His Majesty's Coast Guard
H.M.D - His Majesty's Drifter
H.M.S. - His Majesty's Ship
H.M.T. - His Majesty's Transport or His Majesty's Trawler
Ind. - Indian Army
K.A.R. - King's African Rifles
K.D.G. - Kings Dragoon Guards
K.E.H. - King Edwards Horse
K.O.S.B. - Kings Own Scottish Borderers
K.O.Y.L.I. - King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
K.R.R. - Kings Royal Rifle Corps
K.R.R.C. - Kings Royal Rifle Corps
K.S.L.I. - King's Shropshire Light Infantry
L & B.H. - Lothian & Border Horse
L.D.V. - Local Defence Volunteer (Home Guard)
L.F. - Lancashire Fusiliers
L.G. - Life Guards
L.I. - Light Infantry
L.N.L.R. - Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
L.R. - London Regiment
L.S. - Lovat's Scouts or London Scottish
L.Y. - Lanarkshire Yeomanry
Lon. Scot. - London Scottish
Lond. R. - London Regiment
Lovats - Lovat's Scouts
M.F.A. - Mercantile Fleet Auxiliary
M.F.P. - Military Foot Police
M.G.C. - Machine Gun Corps
M.M. - Merchant Marine
M.M.P. - Military Mounted Police
M.M.R. - Mercantile Marine Reserve
M.N. - Merchant Navy
M.P. - Military Police
M.T. - Motor Transport
M.T.B. - Motor Torpedo Boat
M.V. - Motor Vessel
N.A.A.F.I. - Navy, Army and Air Force Institute
N.C.B. - Northern Cyclist Battalion (based in Northumberland)
N.F. - Northumberland Fusiliers
N.I.H. - North Irish Horse
N.Z. - New Zealand
N.Z.E.F. - New Zealand Expeditionary Force
N.Z.I.F. - New Zealanders
O & B.L.I. - Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
O.C. - Ordnance Corps
O.T.C. - Officer Training Corps
P.P.C.L.I. - Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Para. - Parachute Regiment
P.M.R.A.F.N.S - Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service
Q.A.I.M.N.S. - Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service
Q.A.I.M.N.S.R. - Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve
Q.A.R.A.N.C. - Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps
Q.A.R.N.N.S. - Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service
Q.M.A.A.C. - Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps
Q.O.C.H - Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
Q.O.R.G.Y - Queen's Own Royal Glasgow Yeomanry
R Hldrs - Royal Highlanders (Black Watch)
R.Innis.Fus. - Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
R.A. - Royal Artillery
R.A. Ch. D - Royal Army Chaplains Department
R.A.A.F - Royal Australian Air Force
R.A.C. - Royal Armoured Corps
R.A.F. - Royal Air Force
R.A.F.V.R. - Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
R.A.M.C. - Royal Army Medical Corps
R.A.N. - Royal Australian Navy
R.A.O.C. - Royal Army Ordnance Corps
R.A.P.C. - Royal Army Pay Corps
R.A.R. - Royal Australian Regiment
R.A.S.C. - Royal Army Service Corps
R.A.V.C. - Royal Army Veterinary Corps
R.Aus.R. - Royal Australian Regiment
R.C.A.F. - Royal Canadian Air Force
R.C.D. - Royal Canadian Dragoons
R.C.N. - Royal Canadian Navy
R.C.N.V.R. - Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve
R.C.S. - Royal Corps of Signals
R.D.C. - Royal Defence Corps
R.D.F. - Royal Dublin Fusiliers
R.D.Fus - Royal Dublin Fusiliers
R.E. - Royal Engineers
R.E.M.E. - Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
R.F. - Royal Fusiliers
R.F.A. - Royal Field Artillery
R.F.C. - Royal Flying Corps
R.F.R. - Royal Fleet Reserve
R.G.A. - Royal Garrison Artillery
R.H - Royal Highlanders (Black Watch)
R.H.A. - Royal Horse Artillery
R.H.G. - Royal Horse Guards
R.H.R. - Royal Highlanders (Black Watch)
R.I.N. - Royal Indian Navy
R.I.R. - Royal Irish Rifles
R.M. - Royal Marines
R.M.A. - Royal Marine Artillery
R.M.B. - Royal Marine Band
R.M.E. - Royal Marine Engineers
R.M.F - Royal Munster Fusiliers
R.M.L.I. - Royal Marine Light Infantry
R.M.S.M. - Royal Marine Submarine Miners
R.N. - Royal Navy
R.N.A.S. - Royal Naval Air Service
R.N.C.V.R. - Royal Navy Canadian Volunteer Reserve
R.N.D. - Royal Naval Division
R.N.F. - Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
R.N.M.W.S. - Royal Navy Mine Watching Service
R.N.P.S. - Royal Naval Patrol Service
R.N.R. - Royal Naval Reserve
R.N.R.T. - Royal Naval Reserve Trawler Section (WW1, forerunner of RNPS)
R.N.S.R. - Royal Naval Special Reserve
R.N.V.R. - Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
R.O.C. - Royal Observer Corps
R.R. OF CAV - Reserve Regiment of Cavalry
R.S. - Royal Scots
R.Scots - Royal Scots
R.S.F. - Royal Scots Fusiliers
R.S.Fus. - Royal Scots Fusiliers
R.T.R - Royal Tank Regiment
R.U.R. - Royal Ulster Rifles
R.W.Kents - Royal West Kent Regiment
R.War.R. - Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Rif. Brig. - Rifle Brigade
S.A.I. - South African Infantry
S.A.E. - South African Engineers (Corps)
S.A.S - Special Air Sevice
S.G. - Scots Guards
S.H. - Seaforth Highlanders or Scottish Horse
S.R. - Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
S.S. - Steam Ship
Sco. H. - Scottish Horse
Sco Hse - Scottish Horse
Sco Rif - Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
Sco. Gds. - Scots Guards
Sea. H. - Seaforth Highlanders
Sea. Hldrs - Seaforth Highlanders
Seaforths - Seaforth Highlanders
T.A.N.S. - Territorial Army Nursing Service
T.C. - Tank Corps
Tanks - Tank Corps
V.A.D. - Voluntary Aid Detachment
W.A.A.F - Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WW2)
W.A.R. - West Africa Regiment
W.G. - Welsh Guards
W.I.R. - West India Regiment
W.L.A. - Women's Land Army
W.R.A.F - Women's Royal Air Force (Great War)
W.R.N.S - Women’s Royal Naval Service
Y & L.R. - York and Lancaster Regiment
W.Y.R.- West Yorkshire Regiment
Yeo. - Yeomanry

Medals & Awards

A.F.C - Air Force Cross
C.B.E. - Commander of the Order of the British Empire
C.d.G. - Croix de Guerre
D.C.M. - Distinguished Conduct Medal
D.F.C. - Distinguished Flying Medal
D.F.M - Distinguished Service Medal
D.S.C. - Distinguished Service Cross
D.S.M. - Distinguished Service Medal
D.S.O. - Distinguished Service Order
G.C. - George Cross
G.M. - George Medal
K.B.E. - Knight of the Order of the British Empire
M.B.E. - Member of the Order of the British Empire
M.C. - Military Cross
M.M. - Miltary Medal
Med. Mil. - Medaille Militaire
O.B.E. - Officer of the Order of the British Empire
V.C. - Victoria Cross

Ranks

2 Lt - Second Lieutenant
2/Lt - Second Lieutenant
A.B. - Able-bodied Seaman
A.C.1 - Aircraftman First Class
A.C.2 - Aircraftman Second Class
A.G. - Air Gunner
C.P.O. - Chief Petty Officer
C.S.M. - Company Sergeant Major
Capt - Captain
Cpl - Corporal
D.H. - Deck Hand
Dmr - Drummer
Dvr - Driver
E.R.A - Engine Room Artificer
F. Lt - Flight Lieutenant
F.O. - Flying Officer
F.S. - Flight Sergeant
Fl. Lt - Flight Lieutenant
Fl. Off. - Flying Officer
Fus - Fusilier
Gdsm - Guardsman
Gnr - Gunner
L.A.C. - Leading Aircraftman
L.S. - Leading Seaman
L/Cpl - Lance Corporal
L/Sgt - Lance Sergeant
Ldg Smn - Leading Seaman
Lt. - Lieutenant (not Leftenant as I saw on a UK news website recently!)
Lt. Col. - Lieutenat Colonel
Mjr. - Major
Mun Wkr - Munitions Worker
O.S. - Ordinary Seaman
Ord Smn - Ordinary Seaman
P.O. - Pilot Officer (RAF) or Petty Officer (Navy)
Pte - Private
Pvt. - Private
R.S.M. - Regimental Sergeant Major
S.S. - Shoeing Smith or Farrier
S/FM - Senior Fireman
Sgt - Sergeant
Sig - Signaller / Signalman
Signr - Signaller
Sjt - Serjeant
Smn - Seaman
Sq Ldr - Squadron Leader
Tpr. - Trooper
W.O. - Warrant Officer or Wireless Operator
W.Op - Wireless Operator

Adam

spoons · Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2007 5:04 pm Post subject:

Mun Wkr - Munitions Worker

Adam Brown · Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2007 8:55 pm Post subject:

Thanks spoons. I've added it to the list.

Adam

Roxy · Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 10:16 am Post subject:

There are a couple on the Lossiemouth Memorial that have foxed me. Any ideas?

SAI = South African Infantry (I guess)
SAE = South African Engineers (?)
CAN FS = Canadian ?

Roxy

PS

You have CMR twice! But a great effort nonetheless!
_________________
Remembering my ggf, Pte Thomas Roberts, 10 SR, killed 25 Sep 15 at Loos.
Also remembering Flt Lt Al Squires and CXX/3 killed 2 Sep 06 in Afghanistan.

Adam Brown · Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 10:18 am Post subject:

Roxy

I'll check out your photos of Lossiemouth's WM and try and work them out. I'll also remove one of the CMRs.

Cheers

Adam

Roxy · Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 10:43 am Post subject:

Adam,

I don't think the piccies sent have a good enough resolution. I wil post the original here - you can then delete when required.

Cheers,

Roxy
_________________
Remembering my ggf, Pte Thomas Roberts, 10 SR, killed 25 Sep 15 at Loos.
Also remembering Flt Lt Al Squires and CXX/3 killed 2 Sep 06 in Afghanistan.

Adam Brown · Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 10:44 am Post subject:

Roxy

Your first two are right but I think CAN FS is Canadian Forestry Service or Canadian Forestry Corps. I don't know what the rank S/FM is.

Regards

Adam

Roxy · Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 10:55 am Post subject:

I think that this may be my Pte David Campbell; therefore SAI = South African Infantry.

Casualty Details
Name: CAMPBELL
Initials: D
Nationality: South African
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: South African Infantry
Unit Text: 4th Regt.
Date of Death: 21/10/1918
Service No: 22770
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 351.
Cemetery: LOSSIEMOUTH BURIAL GROUND
_________________
Remembering my ggf, Pte Thomas Roberts, 10 SR, killed 25 Sep 15 at Loos.
Also remembering Flt Lt Al Squires and CXX/3 killed 2 Sep 06 in Afghanistan.

Adam Brown · Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 11:06 am Post subject:

Roxy

Looks like we're crossing posts since I've just posted those details on the Lossimouth thread!

According to this Lossiemouth WM website

http://www.lossiefowk.co.uk/content/history/Warmem.htm

CAN FS is actually Canadian Fire Service. John Coull was killed in London in 1944.
S/FM is Senior Fireman

Regards

Adam

jamiemcginlay · Joined: 20 Dec 2006 Posts: 897 Location: Glasgow

The abbreviations SIG. AND SGMN etc. got me wondering, I've seen both Signaller and Signalman on memorials and I wondered if these terms are interchangable or if there is a correct form? For instance is Signalman a correct term in the navy but Signaller correct in the artilley or army?
Jim

Adam Brown · Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 2:02 am Post subject:

KevinStoke · Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 2:58 pm Post subject:

on Newtongrande there is a H.C, as an abbreviation for a unit. Does anyone know what H.C. stands for please

K

David McNay · Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 3:16 pm Post subject:

Probably Household Cavalry.

KevinStoke · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 8:18 am Post subject:

cheers David, 2 more I cant work out

H.C.B. and

B.W.N.R.

both appear on Kinconquhar ww1 memorial

could they be Household Cavalry something and
Black Watch something something

Kevin

another is R.T.S. on Kilrenny ww1

Adam Brown · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 11:19 am Post subject:

Kevin

HCB is listed above. It is Highland Cyclist Battalion.

Cheers

Adam