Glossary of terms
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 navy | the ships or crew engaged in a nation's commercial shipping |
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 |
Militia | an armed force of part-time members trained for Australia's home defence that operated from 1930 to 1942. Its members were all volunteers until conscription was introduced on 1 January 1940. Militiamen could not serve outside Australia and its territories. |
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 |