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
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
W/Cdr	Wing Commander
W/O	Warrant Officer
W/O2	Warrant Officer (2nd class)

Position / Role / Job

Abbreviation	Name	Description
A/B	Air Bomber	-
A/G	Air Gunner	-
B/A	Bomb Aimer	-
F/E	Flight Engineer	-
F/Eng	Flight Engineer	-
I	Instructor	-
MU/AG	Mid Upper Air Gunner	-
Nav	Navigator	-
P	Pilot	-
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
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	-
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	-
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	-
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	-
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
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	-
SBA	Standard Beam Approach	-
SFTS	Service Flying Training School	-
SNCO	Senior NCO	-
SNCO	Senior Non-Commissioned Officer	-
SOC	Struck Off Charge	-
Sqdn	Squadron	-
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

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