RAF Abbreviations

[Steve Brew]

In March 1945, the runways at B.88 Heesch, B.90 Petit Brogel and B.100 Goch were made of “PSP”, as opposed to brick, for example. What was this “(something) steel plating”, perhaps?

In March 1945, several units were based at Eindhoven and I need help with the unit abbreviations, please. These were:

91 FSP in the Terminal Building
361 ALS and 2 ADLS serviced the Wing
The Wing drew their stores from 401 ASP
83 Group’s Main HQ included an Air POW Int Section and an AM Tech Int Section.
70 MTLRU was also based in the town as was13 PTC
Meals were provided at the NAAFI/EFI manned by 206 BIS
Several dental units were available, thereunder 108 MDS
Unattached units in Eindhoven also included 72 Wing’s Northern Detachment and 123 AMES, and 80 Wing’s 8 C & D Unit

In April 1945, the units at Twente included A Section, 426 R&R Unit

In April 1945, the units in Celle included B Flight, 1 CAEU (2 Group)

Any help with these abbreviations would be most appreciated

Thanks
Steve

[Andy Saunders]

PSP = Perforated Steel Planking

AMES = Air Ministry Experimental Station (usually Radar stations)

Those from memory. Will try to look up the rest unless someone else fills in the missing detail.....!

Int is usually Intelligence, so POW Intelligence and Air Ministry Intelligence Sections.

ADLS might be Air Despatch Letter Squadron.

[Peter Clare]

Have a look at this Steve.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marsden_Matting


Marsden Matting is standardized, perforated steel matting material originally developed by the United States at the Waterways Experiment Station shortly before World War II, primarily for the rapid construction of temporary runways and landing strips. The material is also commonly known as Marston mats for a town in North Carolina adjacent to Camp Mackall airfield where the material was first manufactured[1] and used in November 1941.[2] The material was also used in the Korean and Vietnam Wars where its common name, from its NSN nomenclature, is pierced (or perforated) steel planking or PSP.

[Peter Clare]

MTLRU = Mechanical Transport Light Repair Unit.

ASP = Air Stores Park.

FSP = Forward Staging Post.

CAEU = Casualty Air Evacuation Unit.

ALS = Air landing School.

Regards
Peter

[Bill Walker]

FSP = Forward Staging Post

ASP = Air Stores Park

MTRLU = Mechanical Transport Light Repair Unit

PTC = Personnel Transit Camp or Centre

CAEU = Casualty Air Evacuation Unit

All from Jason Gaudet's abbreviation page, http://www.heritagecharlotte.com/doc...reviations.pdf

Peter just beat me!

[Amrit1]

PSP - Pierced steel planking

FSP - Forward Staging Post

ADLS - Air Delivery Letter Service

ASP - Air Stores Park

AM Tech Int - Air Ministry Technical Intelligence(?)

MTLRU - Mechanical Transport Light Repair Unit

EFI - Expeditionary Forces Institute

BIS - Bulk Issue Stores

MDS - Military Dental Services(?)

AMES - Air Ministry Experimental Station (code for mobile radar)

C & D Unit - Concealment and Display Unit (they created dummy aircraft and carried out camouflage)

CAEU - Casualty Air Evacuation Unit

EDIT - blimey, one starts typing and everyone posts before me

[Steve Brew]

Thanks Andy, Peter, Bill and Amrit

I appreciate your quick and helpful responses.

Any ideas as to the purpose of the Air Landing School at a frontline base? I'm not yet 100% sure that ALS is Air Landing School in this instance, and have the impression it had rather something to do with aircraft servicing from the way it's laid out on the document I'm looking at (83 Group ORB Appendix). Moreover, each Wing within 83 Group was allocated an ALS, which moved from base to base as each Wing moved forward on the front between March and May 1945. Would an Air Landing School do that? Wouldn't it rather be a stationary unit behind the front, rather than this situation? Sorry, I'm not suggesting you're wrong Peter, I'm just questioning it as I'm a bit confused by the circumstances.

Otherwise, does anyone have any idea on the remaining one, "426 R&R Unit", please?

Also a new one, "3 AFAS", which I believe had something to do with airfield construction. Any ideas?

Thanks
Steve

[Sammi434]

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