Peter furness Posted 9 July , 2009 Share Posted 9 July , 2009 I have my great grandfathers compass from ww1. The leather case has the following: "J Furness - W Coy - 19th DLI" What does the coy part mean/refer to? Apologies if this is a silly question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 9 July , 2009 Share Posted 9 July , 2009 Company Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter furness Posted 9 July , 2009 Author Share Posted 9 July , 2009 Thanks - I feel quite silly now. Pete Company Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 9 July , 2009 Share Posted 9 July , 2009 No need to be so coy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiegeGunner Posted 9 July , 2009 Share Posted 9 July , 2009 The formation of 'Coy' is unusual as English abbreviations go. Is there a history to it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinY43 Posted 9 July , 2009 Share Posted 9 July , 2009 Interesting Regiment the 19th DLI (Formed as "Bantams" - 5ft-5ft 3in) Service: 1916 Bazentin, Somme. 1917 Ypres. 1918 Albert, Somme, Ypres, Courtrai. - they were certainly in the thick of it! Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthergw Posted 9 July , 2009 Share Posted 9 July , 2009 The formation of 'Coy' is unusual as English abbreviations go. Is there a history to it? I wonder if it was used to distinguish from CO ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiegeGunner Posted 9 July , 2009 Share Posted 9 July , 2009 CO or Corps, perhaps. Actually, thinking about it, using the first couple of letters and the final letter of the word as an abbreviation is not that unusual, it's more that the resulting abbreviation just 'looks funny'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete1052 Posted 9 July , 2009 Share Posted 9 July , 2009 Around 1980 the U.S. Army had to decide whether RTO stood for Radio-Telephone Operator or Rail Transport Officer. There were tens of thousands of guys talking on radios and telephones and once upon a blue moon a few of the rail transport variety. The latter retained the official acronym because it was the first to be given the abbreviation during the Great War. My belief is that American military acronyms were a curse learned from the British army in 1917-1918. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted 9 July , 2009 Share Posted 9 July , 2009 Breed of wild dog, also referred to as "Coyote", and "Coy Dog". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 9 July , 2009 Share Posted 9 July , 2009 And yet we use Co as the standard abbreviation for a business company. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter furness Posted 9 July , 2009 Author Share Posted 9 July , 2009 aye - from what my family knows he was wounded at ypres (shrapnel wounds to his leg) and came home. We know he signed up at brancepeth castle, but dont know any dates. All we have is 2 photos of him in uniform and his compass and his medals. Interesting Regiment the 19th DLI (Formed as "Bantams" - 5ft-5ft 3in) Service: 1916 Bazentin, Somme. 1917 Ypres. 1918 Albert, Somme, Ypres, Courtrai. - they were certainly in the thick of it! Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthergw Posted 9 July , 2009 Share Posted 9 July , 2009 QUOTE (Phil_B @ Jul 9 2009, 02:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> And yet we use Co as the standard abbreviation for a business company. Because we do not often refer to commanding officers in civvy street. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piorun Posted 10 July , 2009 Share Posted 10 July , 2009 Because we do not often refer to commanding officers in civvy street. The " standard" abbreviation for "company" is not "Co" - it is "Co." and the abbreviation for Commanding Officer is not "Co", it is "CO" or "C.O." If one uses "Co" or "co", it implies "with" - as in co-habiting or co-existing. Hence, the abbreviation of "Coy", to prevent confusion where it might be inferred to mean "with". As it is past my bedtime in Toronto, please don't ask me to give an example of when that might happen. I'm tired enough trying to remember what was taught to me by my old English master, "Baggy" Aston Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dycer Posted 10 July , 2009 Share Posted 10 July , 2009 From a War Diary. 12th March 1919-Comdg. Officer proceeds home for demobilization. George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 10 July , 2009 Share Posted 10 July , 2009 Could refer to mistresses - a Marvellous usage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piorun Posted 12 July , 2009 Share Posted 12 July , 2009 Could refer to mistresses - a Marvellous usage. Wicked man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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