kamikaze | An attack on an enemy where the actor knows that they will be killed doing it |
kriegies | military slang term for an Allied prisoner of war in a German camp during World War II |
landmine | an explosive placed on the ground or just beneath the surface |
light case | patient with lower-grade wounds or illness |
lighter | a flat-bottomed barge used for transporting cargo, especially to load or unload a ship |
mackintosh | a waterproof material made by cementing layers of cloth with rubber |
mandate | the authority to carry out a particular policy or task as a result of winning an election or vote |
manoeuvre | a military training exercise that involves the movement of soldiers and equipment over a large area |
mateship | comradeship of friends, usually male, viewed as an institution |
mediate | trying to settle an argument between 2 groups by talking to them both and finding things that they can both agree to |
medic | a doctor who works with the armed forces, as part of a medical corps |
mention in despatches | an official report by a superior officer naming a person in recognition of their bravery or distinguished service |
merchant ship | a ship that is part of a country's commercial shipping fleet, involved in transporting goods or carrying passengers; also known as a 'merchantman' |
militant | describes a person with a very strong belief who tries to bring about political or social change, often in extreme ways that others find unacceptable |
military junta | a government led by a committee of military leaders |
military observer | a military official deployed as part of a peacekeeping force to provide support to a coordinated mission or peace operation |
militia | a group that operates like an army but whose members are not professional soldiers |
mine | a bomb hidden in the ground or in water that explodes when something touches it |
minelayer | a warship or aircraft designed for the carrying and laying of mines |
mobilise | to prepare a military forces for a conflict; mobilisation (noun) |
Morse code | a telegraph code used for sending messages |
musketry | the technique of using small arms |
mustard gas | a chemical weapon used during World War I that caused blistering, sore eyes and internal injuries |
muzzle velocity | the speed of a projectile as it leaves a gun's muzzle |
Nasho | someone called up for national military service |
national service | a period of compulsory service in the armed forces |
neutral | describes a country that does not support any belligerent in a war or conflict |
no-man's-land | an area of land that is not controlled by any side during a battle |
obelisk | a tall stone pillar built to commemorate a person or an important event |
objective | a place or position towards which forces are directed |
occupation | the control of a territory by a foreign military power |
offensive | a carefully planned attack made by a large formation or group of soldiers |
Order of Battle | the units, formation and equipment of a military force; might include its identification, strength and command structure, and the disposition of the personnel |
Ottoman Empire | the former Turkish empire in Europe, Asia and Africa, from the late 13th century until the end of World War I |
outflank | to go around the flank of an opposing army by moving past it so it can be attacked from the side |
outpost | a small group of buildings used for military purposes in a distant part of the country or in a foreign country |
palliasse | a straw-filled mattress |
parapet | a low wall along the edge of a tall structure, such as a bridge or roof |
paratrooper | soldier trained to be dropped by parachute into battle or enemy territory |
peacekeeper | a member of a peacekeeping force deployed to maintain or restore peace, often defence force or police personnel |
peacekeeping force | a special force formed to maintain or restore peace |
peacemaker | a person who brings about peace, especially by reconciling adversaries |
periscope | a vertical tube inside a submarine that lets a person see above the surface of the water |
pillbox | a small building made of concrete used to defend a place in a battle |
pinnace | a small boat carried on a large ship, used to carry goods and people from the ship to the shore |
plateau | a large area of high and fairly flat land |
plebiscite | a direct vote by the people of a country or region in which they say whether they agree or disagree with a particular policy |
posthumous | something that happens after a person's death but relates to something they did before they died |
prisoners of war | a person who is held captive by a belligerent power, such as their enemy, during or after an armed conflict |
promontory | a cliff or high point of land that points out into the sea |