Canadian Expeditionary Force Study Group
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ABBREVIATIONS

There are a wide array of abbreviations / acronyms / definitions in use in the research of the Great War.  This page will be dedicated to providing a comprehensive list of all short forms that will assist the Great War researcher.

The following abbreviations were compiled for the Matrix.  We have removed any submissions by others that have not been released or verified.  As such, you will find two different lists if you compare the Matrix to the Forum.  Hopefully if you use both you will find the information that you are seeking.

In addition to those that appear on this list, we have also provided a copy of the abbreviations that are contained on pages 557 to 559 of the Nicholson text.  This is a new addition to the Matrix, along with a number of other Nicholson components you will find in the Nicholson Utilities.

Nicholson Abbreviation List

For the situations where the abbreviation or acronym came from the British, Australian or New Zealand forces you may find this list of interest:

Wakefield Abbreviation List

The Matrix Abbreviation List which has been compiled from a number of resources, other than those on the CEFSG Forum, are listed as follows:

2nd COR 2nd Battalion Central Ontario Regiment
11th IF of C 11th Regiment (Irish Fusiliers of Canada) [Source: Regiments.org]
15th ALI 15th Regiment (Argyll Light Infantry) [Source: Regiments.org]
29th HLI 29th Regiment (Highland Light Infantry of Canada) [Source: Regiments.org]
60th VRC 60th Battalion (Victoria Rifles of Canada) [Ref: 60th Bn War Diary entry]
a/ acting (rank) e.g. a/Adj  , Acting Adjutant
A/A AA Anti-Aircraft
A & D Books Admission & Discharge Books
AA Assistant Adjutant
AA&QMG Assistant Adjutant & Quartermaster General
AAG Assistant Adjutant General
Acc Kd Accidentally Killed
ACI Army Council Instruction
Act acting (rank) e.g. Act.Adj., Acting Adjutant
ADC Aide-de-Camp
ADDS Assistant Director of Dental Services
Adj Adjutant
adm admitted
ADMS Assistant Director of Medical Services
ADS Advanced Dressing Station
ADVS Assistant Director of Veterinary Services
AEF American Expeditionary Force
AFC Air Force Cross
AG Adjutant General
AG 1, 2 or 3 Adjutant General Staff Officer
AGH ? {followed by a date}
AHQ Army Headquarters
AIF Australian Imperial Force
AKA Also known as
ALI (15th Regiment) Argyll Light Infantry [Source: Regiments.org]
ALQ R Algonquin Regiment
Alta Alberta
AM Air Mechanic
Amb Ambulance
Amm/Ammn Ammunition
Amm/Ammn Col Ammunition Column
AMS Assistant Military Secretary
ANZAC Australia & New Zealand Army Corps
Appces/Appx Appendices/Appendix
Apptmts Appointments
AQMG Assistant Quartermaster General
ARD Alberta Regimental Depot
Arm/Armr Armourer
Art (Arty) Artillery
ASC Army Service Corps
att/Attchd  att'd / attached
auth authorized / authority 
Auto Automobile
Aux Auxiliary
AWL (AWOL) Absent without leave
Batt'n Bn (Batt/Btln) / Battalon
BC British Columbia
BCR British Columbia Regiment
BCRD British Columbia Regimental Depot
BCRM British-Canadian Recruiting Mission [Source: Forum Posting]
Bde Brigade
Bdr Bombardier
BEF British Expeditionary Force
BGGS Brigadier General General Staff
BGS Brigadier General Staff
BHQ Brigade Headquarters
BL Breech Loading
BM Brigade Major
Bn Battalion
BOH British Official History
BRCS British Red Cross Society
B Report Burial Report
Brig-Gen Brigadier-General
Brit British
BSM Battery/Brigade Sergeant Major
Bty/Btty Battery
C, Can or Cdn Canadian
CA (AF) Canadian Army Active Force
CADC Canadian Army Dental Corps
CAHC Canadian Army Hydrological Corps [Source: Regiments.org]
CAMC Canadian Army Medical Corps
CAN/Can/Cdn Canadian
Can Cav Bde Canadian Cavalry Brigade
Can Cyc(list) Bn Canadian Cyclist Battalion
Can D(Div) Cyc Canadian Divisional Cyclists
Can Div Cav Canadian Divisional Cavalry
Can Div HQ Canadian Divisonal Headquarters
Can Div Sig Canadian Divisional Signals
Can Eng Canadian Engineers
Can Fd Art Canadian Field Artillery
Can For C Canadian Forestry Corps
Can Hy By Canadian Heavy Battery
Can Inf Bde Canadian Infantry Brigade
Can Inf Wks C Canadian Infantry Works Corps
Can LH Canadian Light Horse
Can Labr Bn Canadian Labour Battalion
Can MMG Bde Canadian Machine Gun Brigade
Can Mtd Rif Canadian Mounted Rifles
Can Ord C Canadian Ordnance Corps
Can Pnr Bn Canadian Pioneer Battalion
Can Postal C Canadian Postal C.
Can Remt D Canadian Remount Depot
Can Rly Cons C Canadian Railway Construction Corps
Can San Sec Canadian Sanitary Section
Can Scts Canadian Scouts
Can Siberian Exp Fce Canadian Siberian Expeditionary Force
Can Tank C Canadian Tank Corps
CAOC Canadian Army Ordnance Corps
CAPC Canadian Army Pay Corps
Capt Captain
CASC Canadian Army Service Corps
Cav Cavalry
CAVC Canadian Army Veterinary Corps
CB Companion of the Order of the Bath
CBD Canadian Base Details or Canadian Base Depot
CBE Commander of the Order of the British Empire
CBSO Counter Battery Staff Officer
CCAC Canadian Casualty Assembly Centre
CCB Canadian Cavalry Brigade
CCBMGS Canadian Cavalry Brigade Machine Gun Squadron [Reference: Regiments.org]
CCB Canadian Cyclist Battalion
CCCC Canadian Corps Composite Company
CCCS Canadian Casualty Clearing Station
CCD Canadian Convalescent Depot / Canadian Corps Depot
CCHA Canadian Corps Heavy Artillery
CCRC Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp
CCS Casualty Clearing Station
CDA Canadian Divisional Artillery
CDC Canadian Divisional Cavalry
CDD Canadian Discharge Depot
CDAC Canadian Divisional Ammunition Column
C de G (F) Croix de Guerre (France or Belgium)
CDF Canadian Defence Force
CDHQ Canadian Divisonal Headquarters
CDS Canadian Divisional Signals
CE Canadian Engineers
CEF Canadian Expeditionary Force
CERD Canadian Engineer Reinforcement Depot
CFA Canadian Field Ambulance
CFA Canadian Field Artillery
CFC Canadian Forestry Corps
CG Canada Gazette
CGA Canadian Garrison Artillery
CGH Canadian General Hospital
CGR Canadian Garrison Regiment
CGR Canadian Graves Registrar/Registration? {followed by "Prev. Reported Died now Reptd. Killed in Action"}
CGS Chief of the General Staff
Chap Chaplain
CIB Canadian Infantry Brigade
CIGS Chief of the Imperial General Staff
C-in-C Commander-in-Chief
CIRU Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit
CIWC Canadian Infantry Works Corps
CL Casualty List
CLB Canadian Labour Battalion
CLH Canadian Light Horse [Reference: Regiments.org]
CLP Canadian Labour Pool
CMBG Canadian Mechanised Brigade Group
CMG ? (Source: 6 Fd Amb War Diary - 4 Jun 1916)
CMG Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George
CMG Bde Canadian Machine Gun Brigade
CMGC Canadian Machine Gun Corps
CMH Canadian Military Hospital
CMMGC Canadian Motor Machine Gun Corps
CMP / CMPC Canadian Military Police
CMR Canadian Mounted Rifles
Cnd Canadian
C of I Court of Inquiry
CO Commanding Officer
Co Company
COC Canadian Ordnance Corps
Col Column
Col Colonel
Com (Comd) Command
Comd Commander
Comp Composite
Conv Convalescent
CORCC Canadian Overseas Railway Construction Corps
CORCT Canadian Overseas Railway Construction Troops
CORD Central Ontario Regimental Depot
Cos Companies
COTC Canadian Officer’s Training Corps
Coy Company
CPB Canadian Pioneer Battalion
CPC Canadian Postal Corps
CPF Canadian Patriotic Front {see explanation courtesy Peter Broznitzky & Bill Alexander}
Cpl Corporal
CQMS Company Quartermaster Sergeant
CRA Commanding Royal Artillery
CRCC Canadian Railway Construction Corps
CRCR Canadian Reserve Calvary Regiment
CRD Canadian Remount Depot
CRE Commander Royal Engineers
CRO Canadian Records Office
Cr St Geo Cross of Saint George (russia)
CRT Canadian Railway Troops
CSEF Canadian Siberian Expeditionary Force
CSM Company Sergeant-Major
CSME Canadian School of Military Engineering
CT Communication Trench [Ref: 60th Bn War Diary]
CTC Canadian Tank Corps [Reference: Regiments.org]
CTD Canadian Training Depot?
CWNS Canadian War Narrative Section
CWRO Canadian War Records Office
Cyc Cyclist
DA Dominion Arsenal
DA&QMG Deputy Adjutant & Quartermaster General
DAC Divisional Ammunition Company
DADMS Deputy Assistant Director of Medical Services
DAG Deputy Adjutant General
DAP Divisional Aid Post
DAQMG Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General (?)
DCM Distinguished Conduct Medal
DCOR Duke of Connaughts Own Rifles
DCS Daily Casualty Summary
DCS Director of Chaplain Services
DD Deputy Director
DDMS Deputy Director of Medical Services
DDS Director of Dental Services
Dec Decoration
Dep Depot
Dept Department
Desp/Despatches Mentioned in Despatches
DFC Distinguished Flying Cross
DGMS Director General Medical Services
Dgns Dragoons
DHS (D Hist) Director Historical Section
Dir Director
D(iv)HQ Divisional Headquarters
dis or disch discharged
Distr District
Div(nl) Division(al)
Div Sig Divisional Signal(s) (Company)
DLI Durham Light Infantry
DM Deputy Minister
DMI Director of Military Intelligence
DMS Director of Medical Services
DND Department of National Defense
DNS Director of Naval Service
DO Daily Order (of a unit)
DOC Died of other causes
DOC District Officer Commanding
DOD Died of disease
DOH/Dom Orth Hosp Dominion Orthopaedic Hospital (Toronto)
D of W (DOW/Died of W) Died of wounds
D-Q Line Drocourt-Qu&eacuteant Line
Dr Driver
DRO Divisional Routine Order
DRS District Recruiting Services
DSC - Distinguished Service Cross
DSO Distinguished Service Order
Dvr Driver
E East
Ech Echelon
EEF Egyptian Expeditionary Force
emb embarked
Emp Employment
Eng Engineers
Eqpt Equipment
EOR Eastern Ontario Regiment
EORD Eastern Ontario Regimental Depot
Ex/Exp Expeditionary
Exptl Experimental
FA Field Ambulance
FA Field Artillery
FAP First Aid Post
Fd Amb Field Ambulance
FDS Field Dressing Station
FGCD Field General Court Martial
FGH Fort Garry Horse
FGHRR Fort Garry Horse Reserve Regiment
Fld Field
Flt Flight
FOH French Official History
FOO Forward Observation Officer
For Forestry
FP No (or #) 1 or 2 Field Punishment Number One/Two
Frac Fractured
FTCE Field Troop Canadian Engineers
Gaz Gazetted
g gassed
GC Badge Good Conduct Badge
GCMG Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George
Gen General
GGBG Governor General's Body Guard
GGFG Governor General's Foot Guards
GH General Hospital
GHQ General Headquarters
Gnr Gunner
GO General Order
GOC (in Chief) General Officer Commanding (in Chief)
GOH German Official History
Gov Gen Governor General
GS General Staff
GSO (I, II, III) General Staff Officer
GSW Gunshot Wound
H/ Honorary (Rank)
Hdqrs Headquarters