Glossary

In our collection you will encounter military terminology and acronyms. Here you can find out what they mean.

G

Papua New Guinea (RAAF)

General Staff

Air Gunner Officer (RAF)

G Howards

The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales' Own Yorkshire Regiment)

G-1

Military Personnel Section (USA)

G-2

Military Intelligence Section (USA)

G-3

Military Operations and Training Section (USA)

G-4

Military Supply and Evacuation Section (USA)

G/force

Force of gravity (Second World War)

G2

Abbreviation for General Staff Officer Grade 2 (GSO2) also United States staff designator for Intelligence

G77

Group of Seventy Seven (Peacekeeping)

GA

Chinese Integrated Group Army

Garrison Adjutant

General Assembly (United Nations Organisation - UNO)

Ground Attack

GAC

Gun Angle Computer

GAF

German Air Force

Government Aircraft Factory

GAL

Gallon

GAS

Gasoline

GATT

General Agreement on Trade and Tarrifs (United Nations - UN)

GBD

General Base Depot

GBE

Knight Grand Cross or Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire

GC

George Cross

Group Captain

GC(1)

Refers to a secret radar instrument

GC/BS

Gallantry Cross with Bronze Star (Vietnam War)

GC/GS

Gallantry Cross with Gold Star (Vietnam War)

GC/PUC

Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation (Vietnam War)

GCA

Ground Control Approach Officer

GCB

Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath

GCDR

Guard Commander

GCH

Knight of the Grand Cross of Hanover

GCI

Ground Control Intercept

GCIE

Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire

GCLH

Knight Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour

GCLO

German Civil Labour Organisation

GCM

General Courts Martial. Highest Army court of justice.

Good Conduct Medal

GCMG

Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George

GCO

Gun Control Officer (Naval)

GCSI

Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India

GCT

Greenwich Civil Time (USA)

GCVO

Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order

GD

General Duties

Ground Defence

GDD

General Details Depot

GDP

Gross domestic product

GDS

Guards

GDSM

Guardsman

GE

Garrison Engineer

Germany

GEMO

Ground Equipment Maintenance Officer

GEMS

Ground Equipment Maintenance Squadron

Gen

General

Gen Hosp

General Hospital

GENCARP

General Carpenter

GENFITT

General Fitter

GEOREF

Geographical Reference System

Geronimo

Nickname for US CH47 I Chinook. Based on aircraft call signs. (Vietnam War)

GES

General Engineering Squadron

GESTAPO

Geheime Staats Polizei (Secret State Police) (Second World War)

GFA

Gun Fire Area

GG

Grenadier Guards

Governor General

GGS

Gyro gun sight

GHAND

General Hand

GHE

Ground Handling Equipment

GHQ

General Headquarters (First World War)

GHQ AF

General Headquarters Air Force (USA)

GHZ

Gigahertz

GI

General Issue (USA)

Gunnery Instructor

GL

Gun Laying

GL Sect

Ground Liaison Section (Vietnam War)

GLO

Ground Liaison Officer

Glosters

The Gloucestershire Regiment

GM

George Medal

Guided Missile

GMT

Greenwich Mean Time

GND

Ground

GNP

Gross national product

Gnr

Gunner

GO

General Order

GOC

General Officer Commanding (First World War)

GOC (in C)

General Officer Commanding (in Chief) (First World War)

GOC AIF Deps in UK

General Officer Commanding AIF Depots in UK [First World War AIF Headquarters Unit]

GOC RA 2nd ANZAC Corps

General Officer Commanding, Royal Artillery, 2nd ANZAC Corps

GOC RA IIIrd Corps

General Officer Commanding, Royal Artillery, IIIrd Corps [First World War British Artillery Unit]

GOC RA IInd Corps

General Officer Commanding, Royal Artillery, IInd Corps [First World War British Artillery Unit]

GOC RA XIVth Corps

General Officer Commanding, Royal Artillery, XIVth Corps [First World War British Artillery Unit]

GOCRA

General Officer Commanding Royal Artillery

GOP

Gunnery Observation Post

GOR

Gun Operation Room

Gordons

The Gordon Highlanders

Goums

Moroccan troops trained in mountain warfare

GOVT

Government

GP

General purpose bomb (RAAF)

Gun Position

Group

GP Capt

Group Captain (RAAF)

GP/S

Group(s)

GPMG

General purpose machine gun

GPO

Gun Position Officer

GPS

Global Positions System

GPV

General Purpose Vessel

GR

General Reconnaissance

Grid Reference

Greece

Gramoxone

Gramoxone (paraquat). Gramoxone was the commercial name for an Australian supplied herbicide used by the Australian Force in Vietnam. (Interdepartmental Report: Pesticides used in Vietnam hostilities and their use in Agriculture: A Comparative Study, A

Gren

Grenadier

Gren Gds

Grenadier Guards

Greys

The Royal Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons)

Grn

Garrison

GRO

General Routine Order (First World War)

Ground Based

Any means of dispensing herbicide from equipment operated on the ground. This includes the use of hand spray and power spray equipment. (USMACV Directive 525-1)

Ground Clearance

Permission given by a land force commander for air or artillery clearance to fire/fly into or over his area of operations

Growth Retardant

A chemical compound applied to the soil which retards plant growth for extended periods. This material has been used extensively in the United States as sprays and as granular or pelleted herbicide for vegetation control in non-crop areas. Such sites in

GRS

General Reconnaissance School (RAAF)

GS

Branch of the General Staff

General Service

GS GHQ BEF

General Staff, General Headquarters, British Expeditionary Force [First World War British Headquarters Unit]

GS GHQ EEF

General Staff, General Headquarters, Egyptian Expeditionary Force [First World War British Headquarters Unit]

GS GHQ MEF

General Staff, General Headquarters, Mediterranean Expeditionary Force [First World War British Headquarters Unit]

GS HQ 1st ANZAC Corps

General Staff, Headquarters, 1st ANZAC Corps [First World War AIF Headquarters Unit]

GS HQ 1st Aust Div

General Staff, Headquarters 1st Australian Division [First World War AIF Headquarters Unit]

GS HQ 2nd ANZAC Corps

General Staff, Headquarters 2nd ANZAC Corps [First World War AIF Headquarters Unit]

GS HQ 2nd Army

General Staff, Headquarters 2nd Army [First World War British Headquarters Unit]

GS HQ 2nd Aust Div

General Staff, Headquarters 2nd Australian Division [First World War AIF Headquarters Unit]

GS HQ 3rd Aust Div

General Staff, Headquarters 3rd Australian Division [First World War AIF Headquarters Unit]

GS HQ 4th Army

General Staff, Headquarters 4th Army [First World War British Headquarters Unit]

GS HQ 4th Aust Div

General Staff, Headquarters 4th Australian Division [First World War AIF Headquarters Unit]

GS HQ 5th Aust Div

General Staff, Headquarters 5th Australian Division

GS HQ ANZAC

General Staff, Headquarters, Australian & New Zealand Army Corps [First World War AIF Headquarters Unit]

GS HQ ANZAC Mtd Div

General Staff, Headquarters ANZAC Mounted Division [First World War AIF Headquarters Unit]

GS HQ Aust Corps

General Staff, Headquarters Australian Corps [First World War AIF Headquarters Unit]

GS HQ Aust Mtd Div

General Staff, Headquarters Australian Mounted Division [First World War AIF Headquarters Unit]

GS HQ Dardanelles Army

General Staff, Headquarters, Dardanelles Army [First World War British Headquarters Unit]

GS HQ Desert Column

General Staff, Headquarters Desert Column [First World War British Headquarters Unit]

GS HQ Desert Mtd Corps

General Staff, Headquarters Desert Mounted Corps [First World War British Headquarters Unit]

GS HQ III Corps

General Staff, Headquarters, III Corps [First World War British Headquarters Unit]

GS HQ Imp Mtd Div

General Staff, Headquarters Imperial Mounted Division (GS HQ Imp Mtd Div) [First World War British Headquarters Unit]

GS HQ NZ&A Div

General Staff, Headquarters New Zealand & Australian Division [First World War AIF Headquarters Unit]

GS HQ V Corps

General Staff, Headquarters, V Corps [First World War AIF Headquarters Unit]

GS HQ XI Corps

General Staff, Headquarters, XI Corps [First World War British Headquarters Unit]

GS HQ XIV Corps

General Staff, Headquarters, XIV Corps [First World War British Headquarters Unit]

GS HQ XV Corps

General Staff, Headquarters XV Corps [First World War British Headquarters Unit]

GS INT

General Staff, Intelligence

GS OPS

General Staff, Operations Command Headquarters

GS Rfts

General Service Reinforcements

GS SD

General Staff, Staff Duties

GS TNG

General Staff, Training

GS Waggons

General Service Waggons (First World War)

GS/SS

Gallantry Cross with Silver Star (Vietnam War)

GSC

General Service Corps

General Staff Corps (USA)

GSE

Ground Support Equipment

GSM

General Service Medal (1918 or 1962)

GSO

General Staff Officer

GSR

General Service Reinforcements

GST

General Staff Target

GSW

Gun Shot Wound (First World War)

GT

General Transport

GTC

Girls' Training Corps

GTE

Ground Telecommunication Equipment

GTS

Ground Training School (RAAF)

GUARD

Guard

Gunner (T)

Gunner who specialises in firing torpedoes from torpedo tubes; as opposed to shells from a gun (RAN)

GUNSHIP

Helicopter armed with an attached weapons system

GVK

Intelligence test used in RAF. The initials refer to components of the test, measuring general, verbal and spatial (or practical) intelligence respectively.

GVN

Government of Vietnam (South Vietnam)

GW

Guided missile(s)

Gunshot Wound

GYA

German Youth Programme

GZ

Ground Zero