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  Battle Atlas of the Falklands War 1982 by Land, Sea and Air

READING NOTES and ABBREVIATIONS

Sea Harriers of 801 Naval Air Squadron

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Reading Notes

Distances - All distances are statute miles, unless stated otherwise.

Times - All times are local. The British forces operated on Greenwich Mean Time or "Zulu" time, 3 or 4 hours ahead of the Falklands and Argentina. Few books are consistent or clear on the subject, and there will no doubt be discrepancies in this one. However, the aim has been to use a local time equal to "Zulu" minus three hours for the Falklands.

 

Abbreviations

[a. ] - Argentine (Argentine aircraft lost)
AA - anti-aircraft
AAC - Army Air Corps
AAM - air-to-air missile
AB - Able Seaman
ADC - Aide-de-Camp
AEM(L, M or R) - Air Engineering Mechanic (Electrical, Mechanical or Radio)
AFC - Air Force Cross
ammo - ammunition
ARA - Armada Republica Argentina (Argentine Navy)
Arty Bty - Artillery Battery
Asst - Assistant
ASW - anti-submarine warfare

[b. ] - British (British aircraft lost)
BAS - British Antarctic Survey
Bde - Brigade
Bdr - Bombardier
BEM - British Empire Medal
Brig - Brigadier
Bty, bty - Battery, battery

c - circa
CAB - Battalion de Aviacion de Combate (Combat Aviation Battalion of Argentine Army)
CANA - Comando Aviacion Naval Argentina (Argentine Naval Aviation Command)
CAP - combat air patrol
Capt - Captain
casevac - casualty evacuation
CB - Companion of the Bath
CBAS - Commando Brigade Air Squadron
CBE - Commander of Order of British Empire
CBU - cluster bomb unit
Cdo - Commando
Cdo Bde - Commando Brigade (British 3rd)
Cdo Regt - Commando Regiment
CGM - Conspicuous Gallantry Medal
Ch - chartered
Cdr - Commander
CO, co - commanding officer
Cdre - Commodore
Coy, coy - Company, company
Cpl - Corporal
CPO - Chief Petty Officer
CV - aircraft carrier
CVBG - Carrier Battle Group

DCM - Distinguished Conduct Medal
DD - destroyer
DFC - Distinguished Flying Cross
DFM - Distinguished Flying Medal
DSC - Distinguished Service Cross
DSM - Distinguished Service Medal
DSO - Companion of Distinguished Service Order

ECM - electronic counter-measures
EEC - European Economic Community
EOD - Explosive Ordnance Disposal
Eng Off - Engineering Officer
Esc - Escuadrilla (CANA squadron)
EW - Electronic Warfare

F - Fighter
FAA - Fleet Air Arm (Royal Navy)
FAA - Fuerza Aerea Argentina (Argentine Air Force)
Flt - Flight
Flt Lt - Flight Lieutenant
FOB - forward operating base
FR - frigate
FSB - forward support base

GBE - Knight Grand Cross of British Empire
Gdsm - Guardsman
GM - George Medal
GPMG - general purpose machine gun (7.62mm)
grt - gross registered tonnage

H - helipad
HAS. - anti-submarine helicopters (primarily)
HC. - assault helicopters (primarily)
HMS - Her Majesty's Ship
HQ - headquarters
HU. - assault/utility helicopters (primarily)

Ind Cdo Sqdn - Independent Commando Squadron
Inf Bde - Infantry Brigade (British 5th)
Inf Regt - Infantry Regiment
IPV - ice patrol vessel (HMS Endurance)

KBE - Knight Commander of Order of British Empire
KCB - Knight Commander of Order of the Bath

LAW - light anti-armour weapon (66mm)
L/Cpl - Lance Corporal
LCU - landing craft, utility
LCVP - landing craft, vehicle and personnel
Ldg - Leading
LS - Leading Seaman
L/Sgt - Lance Sergeant
LSL - landing ship, logistic
LST - landing ship, tank
Lt - Lieutenant
Lt Cdr - Lieutenant Commander
Lt Col - Lieutenant Colonel
LVTP - landing vehicle, tracked, personnel

Maj - Major
M & AW Cadre - Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre (Royal Marines)
MAW - medium anti-armour weapon (84mm Carl Gustav)
MBE - Member of British Empire Order
MC - Military Cross
MCMS - Mine Countermeasures Squadron
MEA(M or P) - Marine Engineering Artificer (Mechanical or Propulsion)
MEM(L or M) - Marine Engineering Mechanic (Electrical or Mechanical)
MEZ - maritime exclusion zone (excluded Argentine naval vessels from zone 200 nautical miles in radius from Falkland Islands as from 12th April 1982)
MID - Mention in Despatches
MM - Military Medal
Mne - Marine
MR - maritime reconnaissance
MVO - Member of Royal Victorian Order

NAS - Naval Air Squadron
NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
NCO - non-commissioned officer
NGFO - Naval Gunfire Forward Observer
NP - Naval Party

OAS - Organisation of American States
OBE - Officer of British Empire Order
Off - Officer

Para - Parachute Battalion
paras - paratroopers
PNA - Prefectura Naval Argentina (Argentine Coastguard)
PO - Petty Officer
post - posthumous
POW - prisoner-of-war
Pte - Private
PTI - Physical Training Instructor

QGM - Queen's Gallantry Medal

RA - Royal Artillery
RAF - Royal Air Force
RAOC - Royal Army Ordnance Corps
RAPC - Royal Army Pay Corps
RAS - replenishment-at-sea
RCB - Red Cross Box (to north of Falklands)
RCT - Royal Corps of Transport
RE - Royal Engineers
Recon - Reconnaissance
Regt, regt - Regiment, regiment
REME - Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
Req - requisitioned
RFA - Royal Fleet Auxiliary
RM - Royal Marine(s)
RMAS - Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service
RMP - Royal Military Police
RN - Royal Navy
RO-RO - roll-on, roll-off
RO(W) - Radio Operator (Warfare)

SAM - surface-to-air missile
SAR - search and rescue
SAS - Special Air Service
SBS - Special Boat Service
SC - Satcom (satellite communication)
Sgt - Sergeant
SN - Satnav (satellite navigation)
Sqdn, sqdn - Squadron, squadron
Sqdn Ldr - Squadron Leader
SS - submarine - conventionally-powered
SSM - surface-to-surface missile
SSN - submarine - nuclear-powered
Stuft - ships taken up from trade
STWS - ships torpedo weapon system
Sub Lt - Sub Lieutenant

TB - Torpedo Bomber
TEZ - total exclusion zone (excluded all Argentine vessels and aircraft from zone 200 nautical miles in radius from the Falkland Islands as from 30th April 1982; and outside 12 nautical mile zone from Argentine coast from 7th May)
TF - Task Force
TG - Task Group
TRALA - Tug, Repair and Logistic Area (to east of Falklands)

UK - United Kingdom
UN - United Nations
US - United States
UXB - unexploded bomb

vertrep - vertical replenishment (by helicopter)
VC - Victoria Cross

WEA(-/App) - Weapon Engineering Artificer (including Apprentice)
WEM(O or R) - Weapon Engineering Mechanic (Ordnance or Radio)
Wing Cdr - Wing Commander
WO1/2 - Warrant Officer Class I/II

 
 

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revised 31/5/13