Question on Abbreviations for German and Allied Units

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CV60
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Joined: 01 Oct 2018, 20:43
Location: USA

Question on Abbreviations for German and Allied Units

#1

Post by CV60 » 01 Oct 2018, 21:11

I am working on a game dealing with World War II, and a question has arisen regarding the proper abbreviations used by all the major allied and axis ETO powers (US/UK/France/USSR/Germany/Italy) for designating a unit. For example, in the US Army, "A" company, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment would be designated as "A/1-15". What we would like to have is the proper abbreviation format for all the major powers, from squad to division, (as well as a reference citation, if possible) In the US Army it looks like this:

Squad: Number
Platoon: Number
Company: Letter
Battalion: Number
Regiment: Number
Division: Number

Can anyone on the list steer me in either an answer to this question for each of the major combatants in WWII, and/or possible ways to research this issue? Any guidance would be appreciated.

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Andy H
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Re: Question on Abbreviations for German and Allied Units

#2

Post by Andy H » 02 Oct 2018, 15:43

Hi

The British Army (Infantry) would be

Section: Number
Platoon: Number
Company: Letter
Battalion: Roman Numeral with Name
Brigade: Number
Division: Number

So for example I could be serving in 3Section 1st Platoon of A Company, II Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment, 203rd Infantry Bde (Home) 77th Inf Division.
Other Arms would have a slightly different nomenclature

Regards

Andy H


CV60
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Joined: 01 Oct 2018, 20:43
Location: USA

Re: Question on Abbreviations for German and Allied Units

#3

Post by CV60 » 02 Oct 2018, 21:01

Thank you. That is very Helpful!

Gary Kennedy
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Joined: 28 Mar 2012, 19:56

Re: Question on Abbreviations for German and Allied Units

#4

Post by Gary Kennedy » 03 Oct 2018, 19:39

I'll slightly disagree with Andy as I've not seen Roman numerals used to identify a British Battalion; example 8RB for 8th Bn of the Rifle Brigade, but not VIII Bn. There would also be variations in how the Pls were numbered through a British Bn, depending on the type of Bn and the period, and while most Bns had Coys A to D inclusive some used W to Z, while the first two Guards Regiments numbered their Coys and the Scots Gds did something completely different.

On a general note US Army and Mar Inf Regts lettered their Coys consecutively, always omitting J Co and not including Bn HQ Co in the system. I must admit I don't know if the Pls were numbered consecutively through the US Inf Bn or just through the parent Coy?

German Regts numbered their Coys, excluding Bn HQ units but including the Inf Gun (13th) and Inf Atk (14th) Coys. Bns were identified by Roman numerals. When they disbanded the III Bn in the 1943-45 period Regts there was no change to the other Coy designations. Again I'm not sure if they numbered Pls just through their parent Coy or through the Bn.

What you do notice is that there's not always an imperative to specify the Bn when using shorthand ID, as if you're referring to say E Co, 5th Marines, that's automatically showing it in 2d Bn.

Gary

CV60
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Joined: 01 Oct 2018, 20:43
Location: USA

Re: Question on Abbreviations for German and Allied Units

#5

Post by CV60 » 08 Oct 2018, 20:13

Gary-Thank you for the clarification!

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