Abbreviations

This section will assist in the identification of unit abbreviations used on RAF Service Records, particularly World War 2 records. Due to the method of entry, the different styles and quality of handwriting used and the age of the records, care should be taken when reading the records as letters can often be misread.

The list below is by no means exhaustive and should you come across others not listed, feel free to contact me and I can hopefully clarify them.

Abbreviation	Unit Title	Notes
AAC	Anti-Aircraft Co-operation
AACU	Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit
A & AEE	Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment
AAS	Air Armament School
ACDC	Air Crew Despatch Centre
ACDW	Air Crew Disposal Wing
ACRC	Air Crew Receiving Centre
ACSB	Aviation Candidates Selection Board
ACSEA	Air Command South East Asia
AD	Aircraft Depot
AFDU	Air Fighting Development Unit
AFEE	Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment
AGS	Air Gunner School
AHQ	Air Headquarters
AONS	Air Observer and Navigation School
AOS	Air Observer School
AP	Aircraft Park
APC	Armament Practice Camp
APS	Armament Practice Station
AS	Air School	South Africa
ASP	Air Stores Park
BAT	Beam Approach Training
BB	Barrage Balloon
BC	Balloon Centre
BD	Bomb Disposal
BFTS	British Flying Training School	In USA
BTU	Balloon Training Unit
CFS	Central Flying School
CGS	Central Gunnery School
CME	Central Medical Establishment
Coy	Company
Conv Flt	Conversion Flight
CU	Conversion Unit
EANS	Empire Air Navigation School	Also Elementary Air Navigation School (early WW2)
ECFS	Empire Central Flying School
EFTS	Elementary Flying Training School
EU	Embarkation Unit
E & WS	Electrical and Wireless School
FIS	Flying Instructors School
FIU	Fighter Interception Unit
Flt	Flight
FPP	Ferry Pilot Pool
FTU	Ferry Training Unit
Gp	Group	Also Grp
GTS	Glider Training School
HCU	Heavy Conversion Unit
HE	Home Establishment
HQTC	Headquarters Transport Command
ITS	Initial Training School
ITW	Initial Training Wing
LFS	Lancaster Finishing School
MAEE	Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment
MCU	Marine Craft Unit
MCS	Marine Craft Section
ME ARU	Middle East Aircraft Repair Unit
ME (TS)	Middle East (Training Squadron)
Met	Meteorological
MT	Motor Transport
NICTS	Northern Ireland Central Training School
(O) AFU	(Observer) Advanced Flying Unit
OADU	Overseas Air Despatch Unit
OAPU	Overseas Aircraft Packing Unit
OCTU	Officer Cadet Training Unit
OTU	Operational Training Unit	(C) as a prefix meant Coastal
(P) AFU	(Pilot) Advanced Flying Unit
PC	Personnel Centre
PDC	Personnel Disposal Centre/Despatch Centre
PDU	Photographic Development Unit
PHU	Personnel Holding Unit
PRC	Personnel Reception Centre
PRU	Photographic Reconnaissance Unit
PT	Physical Training
PTC	Personnel Transit Centre
(P) FTS	(Polish) Flying Training School
RC	Recruit Centre
Regt	Regiment
Res	Reserve
RS	Radio School
R & SU	Repair and Salvage Unit
RW	Recruit Wing
Sch	School
SD	Stores Depot
SFTS	Service Flying Training School
SoGR	School of General Reconnaissance
SoTT	School of Technical Training	Als S. TT
SP	Staging Post
SS	Signals School	Also Sg Sc
Sqdn	Squadron	Also Sqn. and Sq.
Trg	Training
TT	Target Towing
TTU	Torpedo Training Unit
UAS	University Air Squadron
WAAF	Womens' Auxiliary Air Force
Wg	Wing