What does the term Tommies mean?
soldier
Tommies is a word used to refer to a common British soldier. An example of tommies is a term used during World War I to refer to a common British soldier. noun. Plural form of Tommy. noun.
What were British soldiers called?
redcoats
The British military wore bright red coats as part of their uniform. Because of this, many people in the colonies referred to the British soldiers as “redcoats.”
What was the nickname for British soldiers and why?
Due to their long redcoats, British soldiers were nicknamed “lobsters” and “bloody backs” by the colonists.
Why were German soldiers called Jerry’s?
The nickname was originally created during World War I. The name Jerry was possibly derived from the stahlhelm introduced in 1916, which was said by British soldiers to resemble a chamber pot or Jeroboam. Alternatively, it may be a simple alteration of the word German.
What did German soldiers call British soldiers?
It can be used as a term of reference, or as a form of address. German soldiers would call out to “Tommy” across no man’s land if they wished to speak to a British soldier. French and Commonwealth troops would also call British soldiers “Tommies”.
Why are US soldiers called GIS?
The term G.I. has been used as an initialism of “Government Issue,” “General Issue,” or “Ground Infantry,” but it originally referred to “galvanized iron,” as used by the logistics services of the United States Armed Forces. Next, the use of “G.I.” expanded from 1942 through 1945. American five-star General Dwight D.
Why did British soldiers wear red?
There is no universally accepted explanation as to why the British wore red. As noted above, the 16th century military historian Julius Ferretus asserted that the colour red was favoured because of the supposedly demoralising effect of blood stains on a uniform of a lighter colour.
Why was a toilet called a Jerry?
I was given to understand that when the petrol or fuel was finished that the troops in the Western Desert used the cans as a convenient urinal. The slang word in England for a Potty or Po which usually was kept in bedrooms for the same purpose at night was commonly called a Jerry.