MILITARY FORMATIONS AND ACRONYMS

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The following formations were used in World War I:

Army: Three or four army corps, commanded by a general, totalling approximately 150,000–200,000 men.

Army Corps: Three or four divisions, commanded by a lieutenant-general, totalling approximately 50,000–80,000 men.

Division: Four brigades, along with artillery, commanded by a major-general. A division usually consisted 16,000–20,000 men.

Brigade: Four battalions, commanded by a Brigadier General. A brigade consisted of 4,000–5,000 men.

Battalion: Four companies commanded by a lieutenant-colonel, usually consisting of 1,000 men.

Companies were generally divided into platoons and then sections.

AIF: Australian Imperial Force. This was the name given to the force of men formed in Australia in August 1914 to go to Europe. The same name was used in World War II.

ANZAC: Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. Initially, an ANZAC was an Australian or New Zealand soldier who fought at Gallipoli, but it later came to signify all Australian and New Zealand soldiers who fought in World War I.

AWM: Australian War Memorial, located in Canberra.

AWRS: Australian War Records Section. Established in London in May 1917, the AWRS collected records, publications, films, photographs, artefacts, and works of art. The collection was shipped to Australia in 1919, and formed the basis of the AWM.

CWRO: Canadian War Records Office. The CWRO was formed by Max Aitken (Lord Beaverbrook) to collect records relating to Canada’s role in World War I.

GHQ: General Headquarters. In the British army, each theatre of war was under the overall command of a General Headquarters. Within a particular area within the theatre of war, an individual general might establish a Headquarters (HQ), which would then report to GHQ.