RAF Bomber Command signals used in 1940-1941

[cz_raf]

Hi all, I am trying to decipher meaning of some codes used by the Bomber Command RAF during operation in 1940-1941. I have found several of them in debriefing reports and so far I have a very little success in decoding:

BAR - probably emergency release of bomb load (not sure)
FTR - ?
FTV - ?
NAP - ? (probably something to do with the bombs?)
NGZ - bombs on target
WJR - ?

Any help will be much appreciated

TIA


Pavel

[Nick Beale]

In reports on operations, FTR is usually "Failed To Return".

[cz_raf]

Thanks Nick, but this should be a code sent by wireless operator of the bomber to the ground station so it should have some different meaning.
In all cases there is always a time + code with no other infromation except well known QDM when there is stated the course and station which has provided it.



Pavel

[MW Giles]

Not clear if you are saying these come from debriefing reports or from messages sent from a/c

If debriefing report then FTR is very likely Failed to Return

Do the letters take the form ABCxxx where xxx is a two or three figure number?

If so then they might be the sortie number for the raid, which was a system that was used early in the war. It is not a straight forward system but each squadron got a three letter code (nothing to do with what was painted on the side of the aircraft). These codes were changed very regularly. Each sortie would be referred to by the code and then a number, which went up in sequence. For example three a/c on a raid could be TOB175, TOB176 and TOB177. If the letters are changed regularly either randomly or when you get to 999 then anyone listening in from the other side cannot tell which squadron the letters relate to.

If this is not it then can you give an example of the use of each of your abbreviations - context is usually everything

If you find four letters followed by four numbers e.g ABCD 4567 then that is usually a map co-ordinate

Martin

[RSwank]

Reference here to NGZ meaning "Bombs Gone".

https://books.google.com/books?id=qg...signal&f=false


NAP mentioned here, but meaning is not clear (search for NAP on page):

https://75nzsquadronremembered.wordp...ch-office-log/

[cz_raf]

Thank you for additional inputs.
Martin, I am sorry, my description might be a little bit confusing, I will try to describe the source better.
It is a folder of debriefing reports but for each raid there is sometimes an additional sheet of paper with something what we can call a timeline where all signals received of each aircraft of this squadron is recorded in manner:


23:55 NGZ
02:15 QDM, 223 deg
etc.


So FTR for sure does not mean "Filed to return". Actually I am thinking about a possibility that it means meeting with an enemy fighter, but I have no prove for this.


Pavel

[Carsten Petersen]

QDM Magnetic bearing to a station

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by cz_raf

So FTR for sure does not mean "Failed to return". Actually I am thinking about a possibility that it means meeting with an enemy fighter, but I have no prove for this.

Pavel

You could be right. I've seen "ftr." (lower case letters, full stop) used as an abbreviation for fighter in operations summaries etc.