Glossary

This booklet is intended to be of interest to young people, as well as veterans. As the former may not be acquainted with basic military terminology, a simple glossary of 1944 British Army terms relating to variously sized commands is included here. These commands are listed in descending order of size with the rank of the commander shown in italics.

TERM	DESCRIPTION
Army Group General or Field Marshal	The largest military command deployed by the British Army, comprising two or more armies, and containing 400,000–600,000 troops.
Army Lieutenant-General	A military command controlling several subordinate corps, plus supporting forces, amounting to 100,000–200,000 troops.
Corps Lieutenant-General	A military command controlling two or more divisions, as well as other supporting forces, amounting to 50,000–100,000 troops.
Division Major-General	The standard 1944 British Army formation, an infantry or armoured division, containing 10,000–20,000 personnel.
Brigade Brigadier	A formation that contains several battalions or regiments that amount to 3000–6000 personnel, which exists either independently or else forms part of a division.
Regiment Lieutenant-Colonel	A unit typically of armoured or artillery forces, amounting to 500–900 soldiers, that equates in status and size to an infantry battalion.
Battalion Lieutenant-Colonel	A unit usually comprising 500–900 soldiers (such as an infantry, engineer or signals battalion).
Squadron Major	Typically, a sub-unit of an armoured or recce regiment that equates in status and size to an infantry company.
Company Major	A small sub-unit of a battalion. A typical infantry company could contain around 150–180 soldiers.
Battery Major	A small sub-unit, usually of artillery, that forms part of a battalion.
Unit	A small military grouping that ranges in size from a section (of 10 soldiers) up to a battalion or regiment (500–900 personnel).
Formation	A large military grouping that ranges in size from brigade up to army group.
Amphibious	Operation launched from the sea against an enemy shore.
Attrition	Constant wearing-down to weaken or destroy.
Axis	Alliance of Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy and Japan.
Beachhead	An area on a beach that has been captured from the enemy and on which troops and equipment are landed.
Coalition	An alliance between groups or parties.
Counterattack	An attack in response to an attack.
Panzer	German fast mechanised armoured tanks or vehicles.
Subordinate	Person of a lower rank in the military chain of command.

Monte Cassino: linchpin of the German Gustav Line, a bottleneck in the mountains

Acknowledgements
Author: Dr Christopher Pugsley, Department of War Studies, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Confederation of British Service and Ex-Service Organisations (COBSEO)
Department for Education and Skills
Imperial War Museum
Italy Star Association
The Monte Cassino Veterans Association
The National Archives
New Opportunities Fund
The Royal British Legion Remembrance Travel
Veterans Agency
The Victoria Cross and George Cross Association

Photography and maps
All photography reproduced with the permission of the Imperial War Museum and Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Maps in the text taken from the Official History, The Mediterranean and Middle East series, C.J.C. Molony. Maps 1 and 2 Vol V (HMSO 1973), Map 3 Vol VI (HMSO 1984).

Last Updated: 22 Jun 04