Glossary of Slang and Peculiar Terms in Use in the A.I.F.

Original Manuscript

1921-1924

This is a transcribed version of the second typescript of the Glossary, dated 1924. It retains all typographical errors and grammatical and other idiosyncrasies. It is occasionally misalphabetised. We hope to make available in the near future some scanned pages of both the first and second typescript versions of the Glossary.

This section contains a selection of AIF slangs Original Manuscript, their meanings, and their etymologies.

Filter by alphabet

All A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

J

JACK JOHNSON.

A large German or Austrian low-velocity shell. Facetious use of personal name.

JACKO.

Nickname for the Turks used by the A.I.F. on Gallipoli and in Palestine.

JACKS.

Military Police.

JAG.

A Drinking bout.

JANE.

A Girl.

Jericho Jane

JERKS.

Physical exercise.

JERRY.

A nickname for the German soldiers and aeroplanes. It was more commonly used amongst the English troops than Australians. Also used as a question. "Do you jerry" - do you understand: To "take a jerry" - change (for the better) ones [sic] course of conduct.

JAKERLOO OR JAKE.

"Jake" was in use before the war, in Australia by drivers & others to indicate that the load and harness were secure and everything ready for a start. It was also used to indicate that all was well with the speaker. The addition of the last two syllables appear to have been made in the A.I.F. abroad; perhaps the outcome of the observation by certain members of the "force" of the opportunity to with "Bakerloo" the name of the underground railway that connected Waterloo station with Baker Street, both in London. Some contend that the term was introduced on the Western Front by the Canadians and that it is a relic of the French Revolution when the plotters were knwn as "Jaques 1", "Jaques 2" etc. in order to avoid detection.

JIT.