The Gunnery Pocket Book, B.R. 224/45, 1945 was created near the end of WW II and therefore represents the peak of British WW II gunnery. This edition has a few small corrections and updates that were added by hand in 1949 that are reflected in the text.
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B.R. 224/45-The Gunnery Pocket Book, 1945, having been approved
by My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty is hereby promulgated for
information and guidance.
B.R. 224-The Gunnery Pocket Book, dated 1932 and reprint of 1938, and
B.R. 154-The Ammunition Pocket Book, 1935, are hereby superseded and all
copies should be disposed of in accordance with the instructions in B.R.1-B.R. Catalogue.
By Command of Their Lordships,
To Flag Officers and Commanding
Officers of H.M.
Ships and Vessels concerned.
Cartridges-Tubes and primers-Ammunition packages-Colouring of ammunition packages-Projectiles-Supply and care of projectiles-Tracers and Igniters-Colouring and marking on projectiles-Fuzes-Fuzing of shell-Gaines
Small arms ammunition-Rifle grenades-Fireworks supplied for Naval service-Fireworks supplied for use in aircraft-Firework boxes-Line-throwing guns-Line-carrying rockets
The fire control team-Composition of the team-Organization for night action-Standard methods of passing orders-Method of using telephones-Positions of controlling and methods of firing the guns-Gun-layer's control
This list is not exhaustive. Certain abbreviations have been omitted, e.g., those
for the greater part found on packages to which reference should be made in the
appropriate handbook, particularly the Handbook on Ammunition.
A.
Letter usually denoting foremost centre-line turret or mounting.
(A)
Annealed. [ed. Letter A with a full circle around it.]
A.A.
Anti-aircraft.
A.A.1
Anti-aircraft rating 1st class.
A.A.2
Anti-aircraft rating 2nd class.
A.A.3
Anti-aircraft rating 3rd class.
A.A.D.
Apparatus Air Defence.
A.B.U.
Auto Barrage Unit.
A/C
Aircraft.
Admy.
Admiralty.
A.D.O.
Air Defence Officer.
A .D.P.
Air Defence Position.
A.F.C.C.
Admiralty Fire Control Clock.
A.F.C.T.
Admiralty Fire Control Table.
A. F.O.
Admiralty Fleet Order.
A/G.
Anti Gas.
A.G.O.
Air Gunnery Officer.
A.I.C.
Action Information Centre.
A .I.N.O.
Assistant Inspector of Naval Ordnance.
A.L.O.
Air Lookout.
A.M.C.
Armed Merchant Cruiser.
Ammn.
Ammunition.
A.P.
Armour Piercing, Air Ministry Publication.
a.p.v.
Average Projectile Velocity.
A.S.
Angle of Sight. Admiral Superintendent.
A/S.
Anti-Submarine.
A. S.A.
Ammunition, Small Arms.
A. S .0.
Armament Supply Officer.
Aux.
Auxiliary.
A.V.G.I.
Auxiliary Vessel Gunnery Instructor.
A.V.G.O.
Auxiliary Vessel Gunnery Officer.
B.
Letter usually denoting second foremost centre-line turret or mounting.
B.C.
Ballistic Cap.
B.D.
Between Deck (Gun mountings).
Bg.
Bearing.
B.H.
Ballistic Height.
B.H.C.
Ballistic Height Correction
B.L.
Breech Loading.
B.M.
Breech Mechanism.
B.P.T.
Battle Practice Target.
B.R.
Book of Reference.
B.T.U.
Bearing Transmission Unit.
C.A.F.O.
Confidential Admiralty Fleet Order.
Cal.
Calibre.
C.B.
Confidential Book.
C.B.R.
Confidential Book allowed to Ratings.
C.E.
Composition Exploding.
C.G.
Captain of Gun.
e.g.
Centre of Gravity.
Chg.
Charge.
C.N.F.
Common Nose Fuzed.
C.O.
Control Officer.
C.O.A.
Chief Ordnance Artificer.
Comd. Gnr.
Commissioned Gunner.
Convtd.
Converted.
C.O.O.
Commissioned Ordnance Officer.
C.O.S.
Change Over Switch.
C.P.
Central Pivot. Calculating Position. Common Pointed.
C.P.B.C.
Common Pointed Ballistic Capped.
C.P.C.
Common Pointed Capped.
C.R.
Calibre Radius. Commencement of Rifling. Close Range.
c.r.h.
Calibre Radius Head.
C.R.1
Control Rating First Class.
C.R.2
Control Rating Second Class.
C.R.3
Control Rating Third Class.
Ctg.
Cartridge.
C.W.P.
Wooden Packing Case.
D.A.
Direct Action (Delay Action occasionally).
D.a.
Deflection in Azimuth.
D.A.I.
Direct Action Impact.
D.B.
Dive Bombing.
xi
D.C.
Damage Control. Depth Charge.
D.C.T.
Director Control Tower.
D.E.
Director Elevation.
Def.
Deflection.
D.E.M.S.
Defensively Equipped Merchant Ship.
Det.
Detonator.
Dir.
Director.
D.1
Lateral Deflection.
D.N.P.
Di-Nitro-Phenol.
D.O.
Director Officer.
D.T.
Director Training.
D.v.
Vertical Deflection.
E.A.O.
Explosives Accounting Officer.
E.B.I.
Enemy Bearing Indicator.
E.M.F.
Electro-Mechanical Firing.
Exd.
Examined.
Expl.
Exploder.
F.A.
Fixed Ammunition.
F.C.
Fire Control. Full Charge.
F.C.B.
Fire Control Box.
F.C.T.
Fire Control Table.
F.D.O.
Fighter Direction Officer.
F.K.C.
Fuze Keeping Clock.
F.O.G.M.O.
Fitting Out Gun Mounting Officer.
F.O.G.O.
Fitting Out Gunnery Officer.
F.O.B.
Forward Observer (Bombardment).
F.O.S.
Fall of Shot.
f.s.
Feet per Second.
F.T.
Field Training.
F.T.P.
Follow the Pointer.
Fzd.
Fuzed.
G.
Followed by a number indicates Gunpowder Grain size.
G.A.
Gunnery Aircraft (Radar Set).
G.B.
Gunnery Barrage (Radar Set).
G.B.I.
Gyro Bearing Indicator.
G.C.
Gunnery Close Range (Radar Set).
G.C.O.
Gunnery Control Officer.
G.C.T.
Gun Control Tower.
G.E.
Gun Elevation.
G.I.
Gunnery Instructor (R.M.)
G.L.
Gunlayer.
G.L.O.
Gunnery Liaison Officer.
G.L.W.
Gunnery Lieutenant's Writer.
G.M.
Gunner's Mate.
Gne.
GaMe.
Gnr.
Gunner.
Gnr. †
Dagger Gunner (Gunner Instructional).
G.O.
Gunnery Officer.
G.P.
Gunpowder, General Purpose.
G.Q's.
General Quarters.
G.R.
Gun Range.
G.R.U.
Gyro Rate Unit.
G.S.
Gunnery Surface (Radar Set).
G.S.
General Service.
H.A.
High Angle.
H.A.C.P.
High Angle Calculating Position.
H.A.C.S.
High Angle Control System.
H.A.D.E.S.
High Angle Director Eyeshooting Sight.
H.A.D.T.
High Angle Director Tower.
H.E.
High Explosive.
H.E.S.
High Explosive Substitute.
H.G.R.
Hitting Gun Range. Higher Gunnery Rating.
H.O.
Hostilities Only.
How.
Howitzer.
H.S.C.T.
Hot Solventless Carbamite Tubular (cordite).
H.V.
High Velocity.
Hyd.
Hydraulic.
Hyg.
Hygrometer.
Ig.
Igniter.
Incl.
Inclination.
I.N.O.
Inspector of Naval Ordnance.
L.A.
Low Angle.
L.D.S.
Local Director Sight.
L.E.
Lee Enfield.
L.G.
Lewis Gun. Large Grain (gunpowder).
L.P.
Low Power.
L.R.1
Layer Rating First Class.
L.R.2
Layer Rating Second Class.
L.R.3
Layer Rating Third Class.
L.S.T.
Line of Sight Training.
M.A.C.
Main Armament Control.
Mag.
Magazine.
M.C.
Modified Cracked (Cordite).
M.D.
Modified (Cordite).
M.D.T.
Modified Tubular (Cordite).
xii
M.G.
Machine Gun.
Mk.
Mark.
M.L.
Metal Lined. Muzzle Loading.
M.P.I.
Mean Point of Impact.
M.T.
Temporary local colloquial mark for an emptied package.
Mtg.
Mounting.
M.V.
Muzzle Velocity.
N.
Letter on Armament Stores for Naval Service.
N.A.D.
Naval Armament Depot.
N.C.
Nitro-Cellulose.
N.C. R.
Naval Cordite Regulations.
N.M. & E.R.
Naval Magazine and Explosive Regulations.
N.O.I.O.
Naval Ordnance Inspecting Officer.
N.R.V.
Non-Return Valve.
N.T.
Night Tracer.
O.
Marking of certain watertight doors (see Chapter 12).
O.A.
Ordnance Artificer.
O.A.(O)
Ordnance Artificer qualified in Optical Instruments.
O.B.L.
Ordnance, Breech Loading.
Oer.
Oerlikon.
O.F.I.
Open Face Indicator.
O.M.
Ordnance Mechanic.
O.O.Q.
Officer of Quarters.
O.P.
Observation Post (bombardment).
Opr.
Operator.
O.Q.F.
Ordnance, Quick Firing.
Ord. Lt.
Ordnance Lieutenant.
O.U.
Official Use (books).
P.
Letter signifying Pedestal type mounting.
Followed by a number may indicate a gun, or mounting on the Port side.
On a package may indicate the size of gunpowder (pebble).
P.A.
Picric Acid.
P.A.C.
Parachute and Cable.
P.C.O.
Principal Control Officer.
Pdr.
Pounder, as in 2 pdr., 3 pdr.
Perc.
Percussion.
P.HD.
Priddy's Hard. Note.-Suitable initials or monograms are used for
all Armament Depots. A complete list may be found in Regulations for Naval Armament Services, Part 2, Appendix 1.
Phos.
Phosphorus.
P.P.
Picric Powder.
P.P.I.
Plan Position Indicator.
Prac.
Practice.
Proj.
Projectile.
P.S.
Powder Substitute (practice projectiles).
P.S.G.I.
Patrol Service Gunnery Instructor.
P.S.G.L.
Patrol Service Gunlayer.
P.S.S.G.
Patrol Service Seaman Gunner.
Q
Letter usually denoting third centre-line turret where more than four such turrets are fitted.
Q.E.
Quadrant Elevation.
Q.F.
Quick Firing.
Q.O.
Rating Qualified in Ordnance.
Q.R.1.
Quarters Rating First Class.
Q.R.2.
Quarters Rating Second Class
Q.R.3.
Quarters Rating Third Class.
R.
Repairable.
R.C.1.
Radar Control Rating First Class.
R.C.2.
Radar Control Rating Second Class.
R.C.3.
Radar Control Rating Third Class.
Rcpr.
Recuperator.
Rcvr.
Receiver.
R.D.
Research Department usually followed by a letter or figure to indicate formulae.
R.D.F.
Term superseded by RADAR.
Red. Ch.
Reduced Charge.
R/E & D.U.
Range to Elevation and Deflection Unit.
REFLD.
Refilled.
REPD.
Repaired.
R/E.U.
Range to Elevation Unit.
R.F.
Rangefinder. Rim Fire.
RF/D.
Rangefinder Director.
R.G.F.
Royal Gun Factory.
xiii
R.L.
Royal Laboratory.
R.N.C.
Letters preceding Naval S.C. Cordite lot numbers.
R.O.
Rate Officer.
R.P.C.
Remote Power Control.
R/T.
Radio Telephony.
R.T.U.
Range Transmission Unit.
R.Y.P.A.
Roll, Yaw, Pitch, Alteration of course (Instructional Apparatus).
S.
Denoting Tube for Strikerless lock.
When followed by a number may indicate a gun or mounting on the starboard side.
S.A.
Semi-Automatic. Small Arms.
S.A.P.
Semi Armour Piercing.
S.A.S.O.
Superintending Armament Supply Officer.
S.C.
Solventless Carbamite (Cordite).
S.D.V.
Screw Down Valve.
S.G.
Seaman Gunner. (Obsolescent term.)
Shrap.
Shrapnel.
S.S.
Sight Setter. Star Shell.
Sub. Cal.
Sub. Calibre.
S.V.
Stop Valve.
S.V.G.L.
Small Vessel Gunlayer.
T.
Tracer.
T & P.
Time and Percussion.
T.B.I.
Target Bearing Indicator.
T.E.
Tangent Elevation.
Temp.
Temperature.
T.I.C.
Time Interval Compensation.
T.I.O.
Target Indication Officer.
T.I.R.
Time Interval Receiver. Target Indicating Room.
T.I.U.
Target Indication Unit.
T.N.T.
Tri-Nitro-Toluene.
T.O.F.
Time of Flight.
T.P.I.
Target Position Indicator.
T.S.
Transmitting Station.
T.S.S.
Target Smoke Shell.
U.P.
Unrotated Projectile.
U.D.
Upper Deck (mountings).
V.A.
Vickers Armstrong.
V.S.
Vent Sealing.
V.S.G.
Variable Speed Gear.
V.S.M.
Vickers, Sons and Maxim.
W.A.
Warning of Aircraft (Radar Set).
W.B.
William Beardmore.
W.C.
Warning Combined surface and aircraft (Radar set).
W.O.O.
Warrant Ordnance Officer.
W.S.
Warning of Surface craft (Radar set).
W.T.
Water Tight.
W/T.
Wireless Telegraphy.
Wt.
Weight
X.
Letter usually denoting the turret or mounting on the centre line next before the after one.
Used as a watertight door marking. (See Chapter XII.)
Y.
Letter usually denoting the after turret or mounting on the centre line.
Used as a watertight door marking. (See Chapter XII.)
Z
Mark indicating Lead Azide Detonator.
Used as a watertight door marking. (See Chapter XII.)