WWI Army Abbreviations

First World War Army Abbreviations are of four main sorts

1) Generally in use across the Army but need explanation and description
2) Publication specific
3) So rare or specialist that they do not appear in any list
4) So commonly known that they don't appear in any list.

To take each in turn:

1) Generally in use across the Army but need explanation and description

These abbreviations are readily found through abbreviation lists on the web.  There are many good sites of which some of the longer ones are:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/records/abbreviations-in-world-war-one-medal-index-cards-rank.pdf

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/records/abbreviations-in-world-war-one-medal-index-cards-unit.pdf
 
http://www.westernfrontassociation.com/great-war-on-land/general-interest/881-abreviations-army-list.html
 
http://www.1914-1918.net/abbrev.htm
 
http://www.thelincolnshireregiment.org/abbreviations.shtml

The first - the National Archives - is Medal index specific, but most are similar lists.

2) Publication Specific

These are publication specific, for example, the Jan-Mar Army list for 1914 has the following:

3) So rare or specialist that they do not appear in any list

These can be difficult to track down and often specialist help is required.

4) So commonly known that they don't appear in any list.

There are some abbreviations that are so 'obvious' that they do not appear on any lists.  'Obvious', that is, unless you don't know them.  So for example there are the abbreviations in the Army List of 'R Art' and 'R Mar'.  These don't appear in the standard abbreviation lists indicating that they are either very obscure of very common.  Googling the terms indicate they are very common.

And it is these are abbreviations which, once you know them, are 'ah-ha' moments, for of course they mean 'Royal Artillery' and 'Royal Marines'.