Glossary

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

L d'H

Legion d'Honneur

L Force

Lark Force (Rabaul) (Second World War)

L of C

Lines of Communication (Second World War)

L of M

Legion of Merit (USA)

L/Air

Leading Airman (RAAF)

L/BDR

Lance Bombardier (Rank above a Gunner)

L/Cpl

Lance Corporal

L/M/H TM Bty

Light/Medium/Heavy Trench Mortar Battery

L/S

Leading Seaman

L/Sgt

Lance Sergeant - Rank above a Bombardier

L/T

Line Telegraphy

LA

Licensed Airfield (RAAF)

Low Angle (As applied to guns)

LAA

Light Anti aircraft

LAB

Labour

Laboratory

Lab Tech

Laboratory technician (Peacekeeping)

LABTECH10

Laboratory Technician 10

LABTECH6

Laboratory Technician 6

LAC

Leading Aircraftsman

LACW

Leading Aircraftwoman

LAD

Light Aid Detachment (Second World War and Vietnam War)

LADS

Laser Airborne Depth Sounder

Lahore DAC

Lahore Divisional Ammunition Column [First World War Indian Artillery Unit]

LAM (Bty)

Light Armoured Motor (Battery)

LAMPS

Light airborne multipurpose system

LAMT

Landing Site Marshalling Team (RAN)

LAN

Local apparent noon (Navigation)

LANG

Language

LAOS

Laos

LARC

Light Amphibious Resupply Cargo

LASER

Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation

LASH

Lighter Aboard Ship

LASU

Local Air Supply Unit

LAT

Latitude

LAW

Light Anti Tank Weapon

LAWC

Land Air Warfare Committee

LBE

Landing Barge Emergency Repair

LBF

Landing Barge, Flak

LBO

Landing Barge, Oiler

Liquid Breathing Oxygen

LC

Lines of Communication (USA)

LCA

Landing craft, assault

Land Commander Australia

LCAC

Landing craft, air cushion

LCBS

Land Command Battle School (East Timor)

LCC

Landing craft, control

LCCO

Landing Craft Control Officer

LCCP

Landing Craft Control Primary

LCDR

Lieutenant Commander

LCF

Landing craft, Flak

Light cruiser force

LCG

Landing craft, gun

LCG(L)

Landing craft, gun (large)

LCH

Heavy Landing Craft

LCI

Landing craft, infantry

LCI(L)

Landing craft, infantry (large)

LCL

Less than carload

LCM

Landing craft, mechanised

Landing craft (medium)

LCM 8

Land Craft medium type 8

LCM(3)

Landing craft, mechanised (larger type)

LCM(6)

Landing craft, mechanised (larger type (56' long)

LCP

Landing craft, personnel

LCP(5)

Landing craft, personnel with ramp

LCP(L)

Landing craft, personnel (large)

LCP(Svy)

Small personnel landing craft fitted for survey duties

LCR

Landing craft, rubber

LCR(L)

Landing craft, rubber (large)

LCR(S)

Landing craft, rubber (small)

LCS

Landing craft, support

Light Cruiser Squadron

LCS(S)

Landing Craft, support (Small)

LCT

Landing craft, tank (Designed to land tanks)

Land clearing team

LCT(6)

Landing craft, tank (Accommodates any type of tank)

LCT(R)

Landing craft, tank (Fitted with rocket projectors)

LCU

Landing Craft Utility

LCV

Landing craft, vehicle

Lorry Command Vehicle

LCVP

Landing craft, vehicle personnel

LCZR

Localiser

LD

Line of Departure

LDF

Local Defence Flotilla

Ldg

Landing

LDGSTO

Leading Stoker

LDR

Leader

LDV

Local Defence Volunteers (British Home Award Prior to July 1940)

LDY

Laundry (Vietnam War)

LE

Low Explosive (USA)

Lower Establishment

LEC

Locally Employed Civilians

LEDETS

Law Enforcement Detachments

Leicesters

The Leicestershire Regiment

LEP

Locally enlisted personnel (British in India)

LEUT

Lieutenant (RAN)

LEX

Landing Exercise

LF

The Lancashire Fusiliers

Low Frequency

LFT

Light Fire Team. A LFT consists of two gunships (armed helicopters).

LG

The Life Guards (1st and 2nd)

Lieutenant General

Landing Ground

LGA

Lieutenant General in charge of Administration

LGO

Lewis Gun Officer

LGROC

Light Gauge Railway Operating Company

LH

Legion of Honour

Light Horse

LH Bde

Light Horse Brigade

LH Dtls

Light Horse Details

LH Fld Amb

Light Horse Field Ambulance

LH Tng Dep

Light Horse Training Depot, Tidworth [First World War AIF Light Horse Unit]

LHA

Landing ship(s) assault

LHBMG Sqd

Light Horse Brigade Machine Gun Squadron

LHFA

Light Horse Field Ambulance

LHQ

Land Headquarters

LHR

Light Horse Regiment

LHRR

Light Horse Reserve Regiment

LHTR

Light Horse Training Regiment

LIB

Light Infantry Brigade (Vietnam War)

LIBO

Library Officer

LIC

Local Indigenous Civilian

Lieut

Lieutenant (First of the commissioned ranks)

Lieutenant (E)

Lieutenant - engineering branch

Lieutenant (N)

Lieutenant - navigator

Lieutenant (O)

Lieutenant - ordnance

Lieutenant (S)

Lieutenant - supply branch

LIN

Line Item Number

Lincolns

The Lincolnshire Regiment

LINGUIST12

Linguist 12

LINGUIST6

Linguist 6

LIR

The London Irish Rifles

Lit D

Doctor of Literature

Litt D

Doctor of Letters

LKA

Assault cargo ship(s)

Amphibious Cargo Ship

LL B

Bachelor of Laws

LL D

Doctor of Laws

LL M

Master of Laws

LLAD

Low Level Air Defence

LLOH

Line of Communication

LM

Land Mine (USA)

Legion of Merit (USA)

LMAN

Lineman

LMC

Local Modification Committee

LMF

Lacking in moral fiber (Second World War RAF term indicating unfit for duty due to battle stress)

LMG

Light Machine Gun

LMP

Amphibious Personnel Transport

LMUSIC

Leading Musician

Ln O

Liaison Officer (USA)

LO

Liaison Officer

LOA

Living Out Allowance

LOB

Left out of battle

Loc

Line of Communication

Locate

Location

LOCORD

Load Coordinator

LOCSTAT

Location statements

LOFC

Line of Communication

log

logistic(s)

Log Spt

logistic support (Peacekeeping)

LogCC

Logistic Component Commander (East Timor)

LOH

Light Observation Helicopter (Commonly used to refer to HUGHES OH 6A Cayuse and nicknamed LOACH)

LOI

List of Items

LOLEX

Low Level Extraction

LONG

Longitude

Long Tom

155mm M1a1 Field Gun

LOPU

Logistics Organisation Planning Unit (USA)

LORAN

Long Range Aid to Navigation

Loring's Gp, 1st ANZAC Hvy Arty

Loring's Group, 1st ANZAC Corps Heavy Artillery [First World War AIF Artillery Unit]

LOSC

Law of the Sea Convention

LOT

Life of Type

LOTS

Logistic Over the Shore (Operation)

LOX

Liquid Oxygen

Loyals

The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire)

LP

Landing Point

LPA

Amphibious Transport Personnel

LPD

Landing platform(s), dock

Amphibious Transport Dock (United States Navy)

Assault Ship (Royal Navy)

LPE

Limit of Prudent Endurance (coastal command anti sub patrols)

LPH

Landing platform(s), helicopter

Commando Ship (Royal Navy)

Amphibious Assault Ship (Helicopter) (United States Navy)

LPV

Landing Pontoon Vehicle

LR

Long Range

LRCP

Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians (of England)

LRDG

Long Range Desert Group

LREF

Long Range Equipment Forecast

LRMP

Long Range Maritime Patrol

LRO

Light Railway Officer

LRO Coy

Light Railway Operating Company

LROC

Light Railway Operating Company

LRPG

Long Range Penetration Group

LRRP

Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol. Normally conducted by Ranger type units.

LRV

Light Reconnaissance Vehicle

LS

Leading Seaman

Long Service

Landing Site

LSD

Landing ship(s), dock

LSE

Logistic Support Element

LSF

Logistic Support Force

LSGC

Long Service Good Conduct Medal

LSH

Heavy Landing Ship

Landing Ship Headquarters

LSI

Landing ship(s), infantry

LSL

Landing Ship Logistic

LSM

Landing ship(s), medium

Long Service Medal

Landing Ship Medium

LSN

Line Sequence Number

LSO

Legal Staff Officer

LSSIG

Leading Seaman Signals

LST

Landing ship(s), tank

Local standard time

LSTD

Leading Steward

LSV

Landing ship(s), vehicle

Lt

Lieutenant

Light

Lt Cdr

Lieutenant Commander

Lt Cr

Lieutenant Commander

Lt-Col

Lieutenant Colonel (Rank above a Major)

Lt?Gen

Lieutenant General

LTC

Local Technical Committee

LTD

Leave and Transit Depot

LTGEN

Lieutenant General

LTL

Less Then Truckload

LTM

Light Trench Mortar (First World War)

LTMB

Light Trench Mortar Battery (First World War)

LTR

Letter

LUB

Lubricate

LUC

Land use Concurrence

LUP

Line up Position

Lying up Position

LUR

Land use Request

LUTH

Lutheran

LV

Leave

LVO

Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order

LVT

Landing Vehicle, Tracked

LVT(1)

Landing Vehicle, Tracked (known as "The Alligator")

LVT(2)

Landing Vehicle, Tracked (known as "The Water Buffalo")

LVT(A?1)

Landing Vehicle, Tracked (Armoured)

LVT?(A)?4

Landing Vehicle, Tracked (Has an armored turret carrying a 75mm howitzer)

LVT?3

Landing Vehicle, Tracked (An experimental type)

LVT?4

Landing Vehicle, Tracked (An armored cargo carrying amphibian with machine guns and a stern ramp)

LW

Local Warning

LW/ AW

Light Weight/Air Warning

LW/GCI

Light Weight/ground Control Intercept

LWC

Land Warfare Centre

LWOP

Leave without pay

LWR

Line of Weapon Release

LWT

Light weight torpedo(s)

LZ

Landing Zone