RAF Abbreviation Reference

[Bill Walker]

In Canada the Personnel Depots were holding units for people in between postings. Back then travel from one unit to another could take several days, and during that time both the last unit and the next unit would be without the services of the travelling individual, so it wasn't fair to burden either of them with his pay and upkeep - or to have the traveller show on the unit strength. The Personnel Depot was a holding unit that allowed the person to be paid and housed while travelling, and still allowed the operational units to have the right number of "effectives". In some cases, a person was never physically at the Depot, just on their books while travelling.

[munro]

To Bill and Dee,

thank you for your explanation regarding to holding units. I´m seeking more info about another unit from group of support units - STAGING POST.
Any information will be very helpful

Milan

[Rob Stuart]

Would anyone know what the abbreviation LFP in a pilot's log book might be?

[Resmoroh]

Rob,
It might just be "Low Flying Practice"? Thus making it authorised low flying - as opposed to the un-authorised low flying practice indulged in by some resulting in their demise???
HTH
Peter Davies

[grounded]

I know that the original request on this thread is for RAF abbreviations.
But there seems to be some wiggle-room to add other information.
Hey, it's a forum...
I received my late father's service records from the Canadian government.
Along with the other papers was a list of RCAF abbreviations.
Here is the list (it's incomplete as there are abbreviations in the service records not on the list):
=====================
The following is a list of some of the abbreviations which might occur in the enclosed
Royal Canadian Air Force personnel records.

adm. – admitted
Air B. – Air Bomber
AC1 or AC2 – Aircraftsman 1st Class or 2nd Class
ACHQ – Air Command Headquarters or Area Combined Headquarters
ACU – Aircrew Conditioning Units
ADC – Air Detection Corps
AEM – Air Engine Mechanic
AFHQ – Air Force Headquarters
AFM – Air Frame Mechanic
AFS – Advanced Flying School
AFU – Advanced Flying Unit
AG – Air Gunner
AGGTS – Air Gunner Ground Training School
AGS – Air Gunnery School
AGTS – Air Graduate Training School
AHU – Administrative and Holding Unit
AID – Aeronautical Inspection District
AMD – Auxiliary Manning Depot
ANS – Air Navigation School
AOC – Air Officer Commanding
AOS – Air Observer School
APE – Address Prior to Enlistment
ARC – Appraisal and Refresher Course
Arm (B or G) – Armourer (Bombs or Guns)
auth. – authority, authorised
AWL (or AWOL) – Absent Without Leave
BAT – Beam Approach Training
B&GS – Bombing and Gunnery School
B&GFU – Bombing and Gunnery Flying Unit
BR – Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron
BSU – Bombing Survey Unit
CFS – Central Flying School
CIU – Clinical Investigation Unit
CLK – Clerk
CMU – Construction and Maintenance Unit
CTS – Composite Training School
CU – Conversion Unit
CVSM – Canadian Volunteer Service Medal
dis. – discharged
DRO – Daily Routine Order
D.T. – Driver Transport
EA – Enemy Aircraft (or Enemy Action)
EAC – Eastern Air Command
ED – Equipment Depot or Efficiency Decoration
EFTS – Elementary Flying Training School
Elect. – Electrician
Emb. – Embarked
Eqpmt. Ass’t. – Equipment Assistant
F/C – Flight Commander
FIS – Flying Instructor School
FL – Flying List
F/Lt – Flight Lieutenant
Flt. Eng. – Flight Engineer
Flt/Sgt (or F/S) – Flight Sergeant
F/O – Flying Officer
FTU – Flying Training Unit
FW – Fighter Wing
G/C – Group Captain
GD – General Duties
GIS – Ground Instructors School
GRS – General Reconnaissance School
HE – Home Establishment (or High Explosive)
HCU – Heavy Conversion Unit
HWE – Home War Establishment
IFS – Instrument Flying School
ITS – Initial Training School
KIA – Killed in Action
LAC – Leading Aircraftman
LAW – Leading Aircraftwoman
LG – London Gazette
LWOP – Leave Without Pay
LWP – Leave With Pay
Mach. – Machinist
MD – Manning Depot
MID – Mentioned in Despatches
MM – Motor Mechanic
Nav. – Navigator
NETD – Non-Effective Transit Depot
N/E Unit – Non-Effective Unit
NWAC – North West Air Command
OTS – Operational Training Squadron
OTU – Operational Training Unit
P/L – Privilege Leave
P/O – Pilot Officer
PRC – Personnel Reception Centre
PTU – Port Transit Unit
RC – Recruiting (or Release or Reselection) Centre
RD – Repair (or Repatriation) Depot
RDF – Radio Direction Finding (Radar)
RNS – Radio and Navigation School
RU – Radio Unit
SAN – School of Air Navigation
SE – Servicing Echelon
SFTS – Service Flying Training School
Sgt. Plt. (or Sgt. P.) Sergeant Pilot
S/L – Squadron Leader
SLTW – Special Leave Travel Warrant
SOS – struck off strength
SR – Special Reserve
SU – Staging Unit
TAC – Tactical Air Command
TAF – Tactical Air Force
TD – Temporary Duty
TOS – taken on strength (of a unit)
TTS – Technical Training School
U.T. – Under Training
WAC – Western Air Command
WAG (or WOAG) Wireless Operator/Air Gunner
W/C – Wing Commander
w.e.f. – with effect from
WEM – Wireless and Electrical Mechanic [Radar]
Wg – Wing
Wg Hq – Wing Headquarters
W/Mech. – Wireless Mechanic
W/O or (W/Op) – Wireless Operator
WOI or WOII – Warrant Officer (Class 1 or Class 2)
WS – Wireless School
“Y” Depot – Overseas Transit Depot
======================

[CZ_RAF]

Hi all, after consultation with Jagan I made this post Sticky. Requests for abbreviation explanation are quite common and I think it might be helpful for all of us to keep postings on this subject in one thread only.

So if you have any further post regarding any abbreviations please post here.

TIA

Pavel

[Andy Fletcher]

Would anyone know what the abbreviation LFP in a pilot's log book might be?

Hi Rob,

LFP = Local Flying Practice. ie flying around the immediate area of the aerodrome.

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher

[Resmoroh]

LOCAL Flying Practice/LOW flying practice:- close enough for Govt Work as we used to say!
HTH
Peter Davies

[robstitt]

This is a very good idea. I wonder too if we could from time to time consolidate the content of these threads and add a link to a single document on the Home Page. Same for Form 78 abbreviations and other useful listings for which there are frequent requests and contributions.

Robert

[grounded]

WETP - War Emergency Training Program (Canada):
The Youth Training Act of 1939 enacted the War Emergency Training Program (1940-46) to provide technical training for individuals in the armed services and war industries. Recruiting Officers were trained to identify recruits who showed a potential to succeed in the WETP.