Glossary
In our collection you will encounter military terminology and acronyms. Here you can find out what they mean.
Air Force Reserve
Research and Development
Rest and Convalescence
Royal Australian Infantry Corps
Royal Australian Corps of Signals
Royal Australian Survey Corps
The Royal Berkshire Regiment (Princess Charlotte of Wales')
Replenishment Centre (RAAF)
The Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's)
Australian Army Reserve (Reserve of Officers)
Royal Corps of Signals
Rail Supply Officer
The Royal Sussex Regiment
Royal Tank Corps
Rank and File
Small German minesweeper (Second World War)
Radio Telegraphy (ie by voice)
Radio?telephone (VHF radio equipment) (RAAF)
Radio transmitter
Rear Admiral
Royal Artillery
Reserve Aircraft
Royal Australian Artillery
Royal Australian Army Chaplains Department
Royal Australian Army Provost Corps
Royal Australian Armoured Corps
Royal Australian Army Dental Corps
Royal Australian Army Dental Corps
Royal Australian Army Education Corps
Royal Australian Air Force
RAAF Command
RAAF Field Post Office
RAAF Hospital
RAAF Meteorological Office
RAAF Station
Royal Australian Air Force Nursing Service
RAAF Postal Unit
RAAF Staff School
Royal Australian Army Medical Corps
Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps (1951- )
Royal Australian Army Nursing Service
Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps
Royal Australian Army Pay Corps
Royal Australian Army Service Corps
Royal Armoured Corps
Royal Australian Corps of Transport
Radio
Radioactive
Radiation Hazard
Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Radio Mechanic
Radio Officer
Radiographer
Radiographer 12
Radiographer 6
Radio Operator
Radio Technician Air
Radio Technician Ground
Royal Australian Engineers
Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
Royal Air Force
Royal Australian Field Artillery
Royal Air Force Landing Officer
Reserve of Air Force Officers
Royal Air Force Photographic Reconnaissance Unit
Royal Australian Fleet Reserve
Royal Air Force Staff College
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
River Assault Group (Vietnam War)
Royal Australian Garrison Artillery
Royal Australian Infantry Corps
Radar Absorbent Material
Royal Army Medical Corps (First World War)
Royal Army Medical Corps (Special Reserve) (First World War)
Royal Army Medical Corps (Territorial Force) (First World War)
Royal Army Medical Corps (temporary commission) (First World War)
Rear Airfield Maintenance Organisation
Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy (Emergency)
An officer originally commissioned in the Royal Australian Navy who retired but was placed on an emergency list for recall if required
Royal Australian Naval Air Station
Royal Australian Navy Bridging Train/Team
Royal Australian Naval College
The tactical military project for the aerial spraying of herbicides in South Vietnam (WSAF OEHL Technical Report)
Royal Australian Navy Clearance Diving Team
An officer originally commissioned in the Royal Australian Navy who retired but was placed on an emergency list for recall if required
Position aircraft on carrier prior to taking off (RAAF)
Royal Australian Navy Helicopter Flight Vietnam
Royal Australian Naval Nursing Service
Royal Australian Naval Reserve
Royal Australian Naval Reserve (Seagoing)
Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve
Royal Army Ordnance Corps
Regimental Aid Post
Royal Army Pay Corps
Repatriation of Allied Prisoners of War and Internees
Regular Army Reserve (USA)
Royal Army Reserve
Royal Australian Regiment (Battalions designated as 1RAR, 2RAR, etc)
Rarotongan Detachment [First World War New Zearland Unit]
Replenishment at sea
Royal Army Service Corps (First World War)
Replenishment at Sea Control Position
Royal Australian Signal Corps
Rear Airfield Supply Organisation
Regular Army Special Reserve
Ration
Radio Telephone
Radio Telegraphy
Rocket Assisted Take Off
Radio Teletype
Royal Army Veterinary Corps
The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)
Reserve Brigade Australian Artillery
Recruiting Centre (RAAF)
Roman Catholic
Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force Transport Command
Rifle Company Butterworth Malaysia
Resources Control Check Point (Vietnam War)
Railway Construction Engineer (Second World War)
Recoilless rifle or gun
Radio Counter Measures
Royal Canadian Navy
Royal College of Nursing
Reconnaissance Long Range (USA)
Regimental Command Post
Royal College of Surgeons
Rescue and Communication Squadron
Regimental Combat Team (USA)
Royal Corps of Transport
Recruit Depot
Reserve Officers' Decoration (Naval)
Revolutionary Development. RD was the Government of [South] Vietnam (GVN) agency responsible for upgrading the economy, government, education, social welfare, and lines of communication of hamlets and villages throughout Vietnam. The personnel performing
Radio Development and Installation Unit (RAAF)
Radar Station (RAAF)
Road(s)
Research and Development Centre
Radio Direction Finding
Rapid Deployment Force (Peacekeeping)
Radio Direction Finding Wing (RAAF)
Radio Direction Finding Installation & Maintenance Unit (RAAF)
Radio Direction Finding School
Relief Driver Increment (Australian Army Service Corps)
Radar
Radar Officer
Corps of Royal Engineers (British Engineers)
Re-Allocate
Recovery
Receive
Recapitulate
Reconnaissance, or reconnoiter
Reconnaissance flight (Vietnam War)
Record
Code name for the Allied Air Reconnaissance group responsible for seaward reconnaissance of whole sphere of Supreme Allied Command, South West Pacific
Reclassify
Recommend
Reconnaissance
Reconnoiter
Recover
Recreation
Recruit Training Unit
Refer
Regular
Regulating Station
Reglone (diquat). Reglone was the commercial name for an Australian supplied herbicide used by the Australian Force in Vietnam. (Interdepartmental Report: The Pesticides Report Note: Reglone was supplied in blue containers)
Regiment
Regimental Adjutant (USA)
Regimental Intelligence Officer (USA)
Regimental Plans and Training Officer (USA)
Regimental Supply Officer (USA)
Rehabilitate
Reinforcement
Reinforcements
Release
Relief
Relieve
Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
Re-engage
Reinforcement
Receipt
Representative
Repair
Represent
Repatriation and Demobilisation, AIF [First World War AIF Repatriation and Demobolisation Unit]
Report
Request
Requisition
Reserve
Resident Engineer
Reserve Brigade Australian Artillery [First World War AIF Artillery Unit]
Response Force (East Timor)
Restricted
Retired
Reuters Telegrams, Intelligence, General Headquarters, Egyptian Expeditionary Force [First World War British Headquarters Unit]
Range Finder
The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)
Representative Fraction
Regional Forces. The RF were locally recruited units employed under the direction of the province chief, normally within their home province. (Vietnam War)
Radio Frequency
Regional and Popular Forces
Royal Field Artillery
Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps Communiques and Press Reviews [First World War British Flying Corps Unit]
Reserve Forces Decoration
Reserve Forces Medal
Republic of Fiji military Forces (Peacekeeping)
Rifleman
Royal Fleet Reserve
Reinforcement
Reinforcements
Refresher Flying Unit
Royal Garrison Artillery
Royal Guernsey Artillery
Reconnaissance Group
Royal Gurka Rifles
Royal Horse Artillery
Rail Head
Royal Horse Guards (The Blues)
Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat
Rhodesia Medal
Regimental Headquarters (USA)
RAAF Historical Section
Reinforcement Holding Unit
Republic of Indonesia
Royal Indian Artillery
Royal Indian Air Force
Royal Indian Army Service Corps
Royal Irish Constabulary
Royal Indian Engineers
Reconnaissance in Force
Royal Indian Marines
Pacific Rim (Exercise)
Radio Installation & Maintenance Unit (RAAF)
Royal Indian Navy
Reserve Infanterie Regiment (German, First World War)
Road junction (USA)
Rocket
Retired List
Rocket Launcher
Repair Loan Store
Regimental Landing Team
Railway
Railway Company
Royal Marines
Rear Maintenance Area
Royal Marine Artillery
Royal Military Academy
Royal Malaysian Air Force
Royal Military College
Rifled Muzzle Loading Gun
Royal Marine Light Infantry
Regimental Medical Officer (Unit Doctor) (First World War)
Regimental Sergeant Major
Rendering Mines Safe
Royal Mail Steamship (Second World War)
Remount Unit
Royal Navy (British Navy)
Royal Naval Ammunition Depot
Royal Naval Auxiliary Hospital
Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Naval Artillery Volunteers
Royal Naval Division
Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
Royal Netherlands Indies Army
Resident Naval Officer
Royal Naval Reserve
Royal Naval Staff College
Royal Navy Special Reserve (Second World War)
Royal Naval Training Unit
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
Royal New Zealand Artillery
Royal New Zealand Air Force
Royal New Zealand Army Service Corps
Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment
Royal New Zealand Navy
Radio Operator
Regimental Orders (USA)
Roads Officer
Routine Orders
Romania
Roll on, roll off
Railway Operating Group
Royal Observer Corps
Republic of China
Radio Operating Division
Railway Operating Division (First World War)
Rules of Engagement
Republic of Korea Forces
A Rome Plough (Plow) was a device fixed to a bulldozer for land clearing operations. It gained its name from the manufacturer, the Rome Plow Company of the United States.
Remain Overnight
Railhead Ordnance Officer
Report of Proceedings (RAN)
Reserve Officers' Training Corps (USA)
1st The Royal Dragoons
Radio Plotter
Refilling/Replenishment Point
Regimental Police
Relay Post (First World War)
Rocket projectile (RAAF)
Rules of Procedure
Republic of Philippines
Royal Papuan Constabulary (Second World War)
Royal Pioneer Corps
Radio Physics Department and Training Establishment
Rocket Propelled Grenade from the Russian abbreviation of Reaktivniy Protivotankniy Granatomyot meaning 'rocket anti-tank launcher' (Vietnam War)
Rounds Per Gun
Rounds per gun
Round per gun per minute
Repair Parts List
Rounds per minute
Rounds Per Mortar
Royal Pakistan Navy
Reserve Personnel Pool (RAAF)
Repeat
Remotely piloted vehicle(s)
Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant
Railroad (USA)
Recoilless rifle (Vietnam War)
Refilling Point
Radio Relay
Recruit Reception and General Details Depot
Member of the Royal Red Cross
Redbank Reinforcement Depot
Regimental Reserve Line (USA)
Radio Supervisor
Radio School (RAAF)
Records Section (USA)
The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment)
Royal South African Air Force
Republic of Singapore Air Force
Royal South Australian Regiment
Regimental Supervisor Communications (Warrant Officer)
Railway Supply Detachment
Returned Stores Depot
Resettlement Officer
The Royal Scots Fusiliers
Regimental Supernumerary List (Officers)
Returned Services League subsequently the Returned and Services League
Reference Standards Laboratory
Regimental Sergeant Major
Range Safety Officer
Railhead Supply Officer
Research School of Pacific Studies
Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies
Raiding Support Regiment
Returned Sailors', Soldiers' and Airmen's Imperial League of Australia
Returned Sailors' and Soldiers' Imperial League of Australia
Rung Sat Special Zone, area of swamp south of Saigon (Vietnam War)
RAAF School of Technical Training
Regimental Supervisor Technical Telecommunications (Warrant Officer)
Repair and Salvage Unit (RAAF)
Repair and Servicing Unit
Returned to Australia
Royal Thai Army
Royal Thai Air Force
Royal Thai Army Vietnam Force
Royal Thai Army Volunteer Force
Recruit Training Battalion
Replacement Training Center (USA)
Return to Duty
RAAF Transport Flight Vietnam
Railway Traffic Officer
Railway Transportation Officer
Royal Tank Regiment
Recruit Training Section/Squadron (RAAF)
Recruit Training Unit
Jump Ship; Deserted
The Royal Ulster Rifles
Re?entry vehicle(s)
Rendezvous
Request for Variation to Entitlement
Republic of Vietnam (South)
Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces
Request for Variation to Establishment
Royal Victorian Training Nurses Association
Royal Warrant, required for pay to be docked (First World War)
Royal Wing
Radar Wing, Headquarters
Royal West African Frontier Force
Rotary Wing Aviation Unit
Rwanda clasp to Australian Service Medal (ASM)
The Royal Welch Fusiliers
The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
Red Cross
Red Cross Society
Railway
Railway Telegraph