Kenora Great War Project

 

Understanding Military Records

To assist you in understanding military records, we have provided information from the Library and Archives Canada site for First World War Abbreviations Used in Personnel Records:

First World War Abbreviations Used in Personnel Records.

Abbreviation—Name.

  • Adj = Adjutant
  • adm = admitted
  • ARD = Alberta Regimental Depot
  • att’d = attached
  • auth = authorized, authority
  • AWL = Absent without leave
  • Batt’n, Bn = Battalion
  • BCRD = British Columbia Regimental Depot
  • BEF = British Expeditionary Force
  • Bty = Battery
  • CADC = Canadian Army Dental Corps
  • CAMC = Canadian Army Medical Corps
  • CASC = Canadian Army Service Corps
  • Cav = Cavalry
  • CBD = Canadian Base Details
  • CCAC = Canadian Casualty Assembly Centre
  • CCCC = Canadian Corps Composite Company
  • CCD = Canadian Convalescent Depot
  • CCRC = Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp
  • CCS = Casualty Clearing Station
  • CDD = Canadian Discharge Depot
  • CDAC = Canadian Divisional Ammunition Column
  • CE = Canadian Engineers
  • CEF = Canadian Expeditionary Force
  • CERD = Canadian Engineer Reinforcement Depot
  • CFA = Canadian Field Ambulance
  • CFA = Canadian Field Artillery
  • CFC = Canadian Forestry Corps
  • CGA = Canadian Garrison Artillery
  • CGH = Canadian General Hospital
  • CGR = Canadian Garrison Regiment
  • CL = Casualty List
  • CLH = Canadian Light Horse
  • CMGC = Canadian Machine Gun Corps
  • CMR = Canadian Mounted Rifles
  • C of I = Court of Inquiry
  • Com = Command
  • Conv = Convalescent
  • CORD = Central Ontario Regimental Depot
  • Coy = Company
  • CRCR = Canadian Reserve Calvary Regiment
  • CRT = Canadian Railway Troops
  • CSM = Company Sergeant-Major
  • DAC = Divisional Ammunition Company
  • DCM = Distinguished Conduct Medal
  • dis = discharged
  • Div = Division
  • DO = Daily Order (of a unit)
  • D of W = Died of wounds
  • Dvr = Driver
  • emb = embarked
  • EORD = Eastern Ontario Regimental Depot
  • FGH = Fort Garry Horse
  • FGHRR = Fort Garry Horse Reserve Regiment
  • Frac = Fractured
  • GC = Badge Good Conduct Badge
  • Gen = General
  • GHQ = General Headquarters
  • Gnr = Gunner
  • GSW = Gunshot Wound
  • GOC = General Officer Commanding
  • HMS = His Majesty’s Service
  • HMT = His Majesty’s Troopship
  • Hosp = Hospital
  • How = Howitzer
  • HQ = Headquarters
  • inv “wd” = invalided wounded
  • KIA = Killed in action
  • LG (Lon. Gaz.) = London Gazette
  • LM = Light Mortar Battery
  • LSH = Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians)
  • M&D = Medals & Decorations
  • MC = Military Cross
  • MD = Military District (or Depot)
  • MIA = Missing in action
  • MID = Mentioned-in-Despatches
  • Mil = Military
  • Miss = missing
  • MM = Military Medal
  • MRD = Manitoba Regimental Depot
  • NSRD = Nova Scotia Regimental Depot
  • NYD = not yet determined
  • OC = Officer Commanding
  • OMFC = Overseas Military Forces of Canada
  • O.S. = Overseas
  • P & S = Plaque & Scroll (Memorial)
  • Pnr = Pioneer
  • PPCLI = Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry
  • pres = presumed
  • Proc = proceeded
  • Pte = Private
  • Pt. II O = Part II Orders
  • PUO = Pyrexia of unknown origin
  • QRD = Quebec Regimental Depot
  • RAF = Royal Air Force
  • RCD = Royal Canadian Dragoons
  • RCHA = Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
  • RCR = Royal Canadian Regiment
  • rem = remained
  • rept = reported
  • Res = Reserve
  • RF = Reported from Base
  • RFC = Royal Flying Corps
  • RHC = Royal Highlanders Of Canada
  • RSM = Regimental Sergeant-Major
  • RTC = Returned to Corps
  • RTU = Returned to Unit
  • SEF = Siberian Expeditionary Force
  • SOS = Struck off strength (of a unit)
  • Spr = Sapper
  • SS = Steamship
  • Staty = Stationary (Hospital)
  • SW = Shrapnel (Shell) wound
  • TM = Trench Mortar Battery
  • TOS = Taken on strength (of a unit)
  • Tpr = Trooper
  • trans = transferred
  • unk = unknown
  • VDG = venereal disease, gonorrhea
  • VDS = venereal disease, syphilis
  • w, (w) = wounded
  • WORD = Western Ontario Regimental Depot

In addition, the following links will lead you to further resources which will aid your understanding of the records:

http://regimentalrogue.com/misc/researching_first_world_war_soldiers_part2.htm

http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/Pages/read-service-record-casualty-form.aspx

http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/Pages/military-abbreviations.aspx

http://www.associations.rafinfo.org.uk/acronyms.htm

http://www.1914-1918.net/abbrev.htm