Abbreviations

Definitions of the acronyms and abbreviations used on this site are included in the lists below.

See also: http://www.associations.rafinfo.org.uk/acronyms.htm for a wider list of air-force related acronyms.

Service Ranks

Abbreviation	Name
	Other/Unknown
-	Other/Unknown
A/F/L	Acting Flight Lieutenant
A/S/O	Acting Section Officer
F/L	Flight Lieutenant
F/O	Flight Officer
F/Sgt	Flight Sergeant
G/C	Group Captain
LAC	Leading Aircraftman
LACW	Leading Aircraftwoman
Maj	Major (TA)
N/A	Not Available
N/K	Not Known
P/O	Pilot Officer
S/L	Squadron Leader
S/O	Section Officer
S/Sgt	Staff Sergeant
Sgt	Sergeant
T/Sgt	Temporary Sergeant
W/Cdr	Wing Commander
W/O	Warrant Officer
W/O2	Warrant Officer (2nd class)

Position / Role / Job

Abbreviation	Name	Description
	Other/Unknown	-
-	Other/Unknown	-
A/B	Air Bomber	-
A/G	Air Gunner	-
ARM	Armourer	-
ARM(B)	Armourer (bombs)	-
B/A	Bomb Aimer	-
Chaplin	Chaplin	-
Elect	Electrician	-
F/E	Flight Engineer	-
F/Eng	Flight Engineer	-
F/Mech(Eng)	Flight Mechanic (engines)	-
FITTER	Fitter	-
I	Instructor	-
MT(Driver)	MT Driver	-
MU/AG	Mid Upper Air Gunner	-
Nav	Navigator	-
P	Pilot	-
P/F/Eng	Pilot/Flight Engineer	-
R/AG	Rear Air Gunner	-
R/G	Rear Gunner	-
S/O	Special Equipment Operator	-
W/Op	Wireless Operator	-

Decorations

Abbreviation	Name
AFC	Air Force Cross
AFM	Air Force Medal
AM	Air Medal (USA)
CdG	Croix de Guerre (France)
CGM	Conspicuous Gallantry Medal
DFC	Distinguished Flying Cross
DFC*	Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross
DFM	Distinguished Flying Medal
DSO	Distinguished Service Order
MM	Military Medal
TD	Territorial Decoration

Miscellaneous

Abbreviation	Name	Description
-	Fighter Affiliation	http://www.419squadron.com/faffiliation.html
A/A	air-to-air	-
A/G	air-to-ground	-
AAFS	Advanced Air Firing School	-
ACAC	Air Crew Allocation Centre	A clearing house for tour expired aircrew. e.g. Brackla near Nairn in Invernesshire.
ACC	Air Control Centre	-
ACD	Aircrew Despatch	-
ACRC	Air Crew Reception Centre	St Johns Wood, London. Centre HQ was at Lords Cricket Grounds
ACTU	Air Crew Transit Unit	-
AFU	Advanced Flying Unit	-
AGS	Air Gunners School/Aircrew Grading School	-
ASI	Air Speed Indicator	-
BCIS	Bomber Command Instructors School	-
Chiefy	Flight Sergeant	-
CNS	Central Navigation School (Canada training site)	-
Cookie	4000lb bomb	-
CU	Conversion Unit	-
CWGC	Commonwealth War Graves Commission	http://www.cwgc.org/
DNCO	Did Not Complete Operation	-
EAGS	Elementary Air Gunners School	-
ED	Embarkation Depot	-
ERK	Ground Crew Airman	-
Evd.	Evaded (capture)	-
FTR	Failed to Return	-
GPTD	???	-
HCU	Heavy Conversion Unit	A training unit to orient crews to heavy bombers: Lancasters & Halifaxes
HE	High Explosive	-
HGCU	Heavy Glider Conversion Unit	-
Inj.	Injured (crash)	-
ITS	Initial Training School	-
ITW	Initial Training Wing	-
KIA	Killed in Action	-
LFS	Lancaster Finishing School	Lancaster Finishing School was a training establishment to convert crews into the Lancaster. In the main the crews had trained, or already taken part on ops, on Wellingtons and Halifaxes before going to LFS. After LFS the crew would have been posted to an
MB	Master Bomber	An appointed Pathfinder (usually an experienced senior officer) circled the target, broadcasting radio instructions to both Pathfinders and Main Force aircraft, correcting aiming points and generally co-ordinating the attack
MO	Medical Officer	-
MU	Maintenance Unit	-
NCO	Non-Commissioned Officer	-
OTU	Operational Training Unit	-
PFF	Path Finder Force	Target marking squadrons in RAF Bomber Command during World War II.
PoW	Prisoner of War	-
PRDC	Personnel Reception and Despatch Centre	-
PRU	Photographic Reconnaissance Unit	-
RFS	Reserve Flying Squadron	-
RTO	Railway Transport Officer	-
SBA	Standard Beam Approach	-
SFTS	Service Flying Training School	-
SNCO	Senior Non-Commissioned Officer	-
SNCO	Senior NCO	-
SOC	Struck Off Charge	-
Sqdn	Squadron	-
SSQ	Station Sick Quarters	-
STT	School of Technical Training	-
Surv.	Survived (crash)	-
TI	Target Indicator	-
TTF	Target Towing Flight	-
WAAF	Women's Auxiliary Air Force	-
WCAD	War Casualty Accounts Department	Notified of crew missing with aircraft FTR
WO	Wireless Operator	-
WO	Warrent Officer	-

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