Glossary of terms
| scapegoat | a person who is publicly blamed for something bad that has happened, even though it was not their fault |
| screening | a military tactic that uses either a body of cavalry to screen the advance of an attacking infantry force or a naval force to protect the main body of ships |
| scuttle | to sink a ship deliberately |
| separatist | a person who wants their own separate government or is involved in separatist activities |
| serge | a strong woollen cloth used to make clothes, such as nurses' uniform dresses |
| shell | a metal container full of an explosive substance and fired from a large gun; (verb) to fire shells at something from a large gun - shelled, shelling, shellfire |
| shell shock | a confused or nervous mental condition of people who have been under fire in a war |
| shrapnel | consists of small pieces of metal that are scattered from exploding bombs or shells |
| siege | a military tactic where soldiers surround a place in an attempt to force its people to come out or give up control of the place |
| signaller | a radio or telephone operator in the armed forces who relays messages from the battle field to headquarters, governments or non-government organisations |
| skirmish | a small short-lived military battle |
| smoke shell | a shell filled with white phosphorus fired by artillery to screen advancing troops |
| sniper | a person who shoots at people from a hidden position |
| Somme | a river in northern France where battles took place during World War I |
| sovereignty | the power a country has to govern itself or another country or state |
| squalor | very dirty, unpleasant conditions |
| stalemate | a military situation where two opposing forces find that further action is either impossible or pointless |
| stall | a compartment in a stable or shed for confining or feeding an animal |
| Stolen Generations | describes the children of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent who were forcibly removed from their families from the mid-1800s to the 1970s under various federal and state laws |
| strafe | to attack a place from an aircraft by flying low and firing a lot of bullets - also 'ground strafing' |
| stretcher case | someone who has to be taken away on a stretcher because they are too injured or sick to walk |
| strong-point | a crucial point in a defensive position, usually strongly fortified and heavily armed, and protected by other positions nearby |
| surrender | to give up to an enemy or to relinquish control or power over something |
| teleradio | an electric receiver and transmitter set used for wireless communication in World War II |
| terrorism | The use of violence to achieve political aims or to force government action. |
| theatre of | area or region where a war or conflict is happening, on land, on the sea or in the sky |
| torpedo | a bomb that is shaped like a tube and travels under water |
| tour of duty | a period of time when a soldier is involved in a particular duty or stationed in a particular place such as a war zone. |
| tourniquet | a strip of cloth tied tightly around an injured arm or leg to stop bleeding |
| tow | a towboat or tug used for pushing a barge or group of barges |
| transport | a military vehicle, especially a ship or plane, that's used to carry soldiers or equipment |
| traverse | a protective bank or other barrier across a trench |
| treaty | a written agreement between countries to show they agree a particular action or to help each other |
| triage | the practice of sorting battle casualties (sick and wounded people) into categories of priority for treatment |
| troopship | a ship that carries a large number of soldiers from one place to another |
| truce | an agreement between 2 parties to stop fighting for a short time |
| trusteeship | administration or government of a territory by a foreign country under the supervision of the Trusteeship Council of the United Nations |
| Turk | a person from the principal ethnic group of Türkiye or, formerly, the Ottoman Empire; a Turkic-speaking person |
| Türkiye | the centre of the Ottoman Empire; became a republic in 1923 |
| U-boat | a German submarine |
| ultimatum | a final offer issued in negotiations, the rejection of which can lead to a break in relations and some action |
| undercarriage | the part of a plane, including the wheels, that provides support when it is on the ground and when it is landing or taking off |
| unexploded ordnance | any sort of military ammunition or explosive ordnance that has failed to function as intended |
| United Kingdom (UK) | refers to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 January 1801 to 5 December 1922, or the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from 5 December 1922 |
| upper class | describes a group of people in a society who have the highest economic or social status |
| vanguard | the part of a military force that goes into battle first; 'van' for short |
| veteran | a person who served in the armed forces of their country during a war or peacekeeping mission |
| Victoria Cross (VC) | the highest decoration for gallantry in the face of the enemy awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces |
| Vietcong | a communist guerrilla force that sought to overthrow the South Vietnamese government, later allied with North Vietnam |
| war cry | a rallying cheer or slogan shouted by combatants in battle |