The Sutlers Supreme

Glossary  & Abbreviations

As NAAFI is a military-oriented organisation, this blog features numerous abbreviations and specialised terms.

When an abbreviation appears for the first time, the full term will be provided followed by the abbreviation in brackets—for example, Royal Army Service Corps (RASC). Subsequent mentions will use the abbreviation only.

This glossary is updated regularly as new terms appear across the archive.

Jump to:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

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A

• ACC — Army Canteen Committee
• AMS — Army Map Service (US)
• APO — Army Post Office

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B

• BEF — British Expeditionary Force
• BIS — Bulk Issue Store
• BTA — British Troops Austria

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C

• CMCS — Canteen and Mess Co‑operative Society
• CRA — Commander Royal Artillery

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D

No entries yet.

E

• EFC — Expeditionary Force Canteen
• EFI — Expeditionary Force Institutes
• ENSA — Entertainments National Service Association

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F

• F&E — Fixtures and Equipment
• FFI — Field Force Institutes
• FMA — Forward Maintenance Area

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G

• GI — Government Issue (term for an American soldier)
• GOC — General Officer Commanding

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H

• HMT — His/Her Majesty’s Troopship
• HQ — Headquarters
• HQ Div — Headquarters Division

I

• Institute — A catering, recreational and social centre for servicemen.

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J

• JHQ — Joint Headquarters

K

No entries yet.

L

• LCT — Landing Craft, Tank
• Lt‑Col — Lieutenant Colonel

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M

• MBE — Member of the British Empire
• MC — Military Cross
• Medloc — Mediterranean leave and transit route
• MASH — Mobile Army Surgical Hospital
• Mess — Dining and social space for service personnel
• MSR — Main Supply Route

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N

• NACB — Navy and Army Canteen Board
• NAAFI — Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes
• NCS — Naval Canteen Service
• NORMASH — Norwegian Mobile Army Surgical Hospital

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O

• OBE — Officer of the British Empire
• OC — Officer Commanding

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P

No entries yet.

Q

No entries yet.

R

• RAAF — Royal Australian Air Force
• RAF — Royal Air Force
• RAOC — Royal Army Ordnance Corps
• RASC — Royal Army Service Corps
• RE — Royal Engineers
• REA — Royal Engineers Association
• RMS — Royal Mail Ship

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S

• SDF — Shanghai Defence Force
• Servitor Servientium — Latin for “Serving the Services”

T

No entries yet.

U

• UN — United Nations

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V

• VC — Victoria Cross

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W

• WRVS — Women’s Royal Voluntary Service (post‑1966)
• WVS — Women’s Voluntary Service (pre‑1966)

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X

No entries yet.

Y

No entries yet.

Z

No entries yet.