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Glossary
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Does
the RAF have a language all of its own. Do airmen really say things like....'chocks
away'....'wizard prang' or 'poor show' as films and TV would
have us believe? Do they really say 'Get some in' Well yes they do
and a lot more besides. Slang, made up words, phrases, acronyms and abbreviations
were all part of RAF life, and were used without a second thought to whether
anyone would understand them or not, though usually new or imported slang
was soon picked up by newcomers. All of the above are used extensively
through out this site as it gives the narrative a more RAF feeling than
if I used the correct words like aeroplane, officer or missed out acronyms
and abbreviations altogether.
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| Commissioned Ranks |
Non-Commissioned Ranks |
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Pilot Officer (Plt Off) |
Aircraftsman 2nd Class (AC2) Erk! |
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Flying Officer (FO) |
Aircraftsman 1st Class (AC1) |
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Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) |
Leading Aircraftsman (LAC) |
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Squadron Leader (Sqn Ldr) 'Squabbling Bleeder' |
Senior Aircraftsman (SAC) |
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Wing Commander (Wg Com) 'Winco' |
Corporal (Cpl) |
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Group Captain 'Groupie' |
Sergeant Sgt) |
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Air Commodore |
Flight Sergeant (Flt Sgt) |
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Air Vice-Marshal |
Warrant Officer (W/O) |
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Air Marshal |
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Air Chief Marshal |
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Marshal of the Royal Air Force |
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Glossary...This list is not in any sort of order other than under letter heading. Some of the
listings are peculiar to the RAF Regiment only
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Ablutions |
Washing & Bathing |
CO |
Commanding Officer |
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AMWD |
Air Ministry Works Directorate |
C in C |
Commander-in Chief |
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AMQ |
Airman's Married Quarters |
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AOC |
Air Officer Commanding |
CSE |
Combined Services Entertainment |
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Bowser |
Mobile Water Container |
Crate / Kite |
An Aeroplane |
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BFPO |
British Forces Post Office |
Crap |
Utter Rubbish |
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Bit of Fluff / Bin |
A Girl |
Chai |
Tea |
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Blackouts. |
WRAF / WREN issue knickers usually dark blue or black |
Casavac |
Casualty Evacuation |
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Blood or Meat Wagon |
An Ambulance |
C.B |
Confined to Barracks |
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Brassed, Cheesed or Browned Off |
Absolutely fed up |
Cyps |
Cypriots |
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Brown Job or Pongo |
An Army chap |
Dohbi Wallah |
Chap who does the laundry |
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Bed space |
An area around an Airman's bed |
Don R |
Despatch Rider |
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Bullfight. |
Wednesday night when billets and surrounding areas are cleaned |
D.I |
Drill Instructor |
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Bull |
The process of cleaning everything & anything |
Duff Gen |
Incorrect information |
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Blighty |
The UK |
Drogue/Drone |
A sausage shaped Ack - Ack target towed through the air |
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Bumper |
An implement which is used to polish floors |
Erk |
An AC2 |
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Brats |
Boy entrants |
Flap |
A state of panic or excitement |
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Burst |
2/3 rounds fired from an automatic weapon |
Flak |
Anti-Aircraft fire or a telling off |
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BO |
Battle Order |
FFI |
Free From Infection |
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Bumped |
RT speak for having been fired on |
Frog |
Webbing that holds bayonet |
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Bondou |
Middle-Eastern scrub |
Flannel |
Talk Rubbish |
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Bought it |
Killed |
Flip |
To fly in an aeroplane |
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BO |
Battle Order |
Bullets |
Sweets |
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GDT |
Ground Defence Training |
NS |
National Service |
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GWM |
Ground Wireless Mechanic |
O Group |
A Meeting of commanders in the field |
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Gen |
Information of any kind |
Penguin |
Any airman of any rank who is not in the RAF Regiment |
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Get some in |
A taunt aimed at someone who had not been in the RAF as long as yourself |
Get your knees brown |
A taunt aimed at some one who has arrived recently on an overseas tour |
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Gash |
Free |
Put
your tapes
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Promoted to NCO |
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Get Cracking / Weaving |
Get Going |
Pig |
An (APC) Armoured Personnel Carrier |
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Gong |
A Medal |
Pig sticker |
Bayonet that was used with a Lee-Enfield .303 rifle |
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Housewife |
A Sewing & Darning Kit |
Pit |
Bed |
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HQ |
Headquarters |
PBX |
Telephone Exchange |
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Info |
Information |
Pull yourfinger
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Get a move on |
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Jankers |
A Punishment (CB) |
PTI |
Physical Training Instructor |
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KD |
Khaki Drill |
Piece of Cake |
Some thing done with ease |
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Lob |
Offer a cigarette |
Prang |
Crash |
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Lob slob |
Impatient request for a cigarette |
Put your props
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Promotion to LAC or SAC |
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Mega |
Huge / Many more than N |
Pukka Gen |
Really accurate information |
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Mooney |
Someone who has just arrived at an overseas posting where it is hot |
QCS |
Queens Colour Squadron |
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Matelot |
Any rank in the Royal Navy |
Rounds |
Ammunition |
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Medic / Doc |
Medical Orderly |
Snowdrop |
RAF Police |
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Mae West |
Life Jacket |
SP |
Station Police (RAF Police) |
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MO |
Medical Officer |
SIB |
Special Investigations Branch |
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MT |
Motor Transport |
SWOman |
Station Warrant Officer |
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NAAFI |
Navy, Army & Air Force Institutes |
Sprog |
New Recruit |
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NCO |
Non-Commissioned Officer |
Snakes |
RT speak for aircraft |
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N |
Lots of |
Stag |
A two hour period of guard or similar duty |
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NAAFI Break |
A short spell of service i.e National Service |
Sunray |
Any OC |
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Stay bright |
Coated buttons or badges that do not require polishing |
Saturday Night Finger |
Finger next to the index finger |
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Stand by your
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Be alert |
Schoolies |
Girls of a dubious age who hang around with airmen |
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Tourex |
Completion of an overseas tour |
Wizard |
Super, of the highest class or praise |
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TABT |
An inoculation (Typhoid Para Tetanus) |
WRAF |
Women's Royal Air Force |
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TAF |
Tactical Air Force |
WTO |
Weapon Training Order |
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Tail-End Charlie |
Last man in a patrol or similar |
WRVS |
Women's Royal Voluntary Service |
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Tapes |
Non-Commissioned Officers Stripes |
WVS |
Women's Voluntary Service |
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Type |
A classification referring to people. Good, bad , officer etc. |
Zobbit |
An Officer |
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u/t |
Under training |
Saturday Night Finger |
Finger next to the index finger |
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u/s |
Unserviceable / useless |
View |
Airmen always take a 'view' of things. Dim, poor etc |
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VIP |
Very Important Person |
Puttees |
Strips of cloth worn round the ankle & over the top of the boot |