R.T.O. - Regimental Train Officer?

[Nick Thornicroft]

Reading through a report about wounded soldiers being brought back to a railhead, it states that the men were under the care of the R.T.O. when they arrived. I'm assuming this is the Regimental Train Officer? Or am I mistaken?

[Terry_Reeves]

Nick

Railway Transport Officer. His many and various duties included ensuring the train was properly loaded and documented on dispatch from his station, and on arrival to ensure that passengers found billets after detraining where appropriate. This would include arrangements for casualties as well. The man in charge of the train whilst on it's journey was the Train Conducting Officer.

Terry Reeves

[Tom Morgan]

Nick - close..... it's Railway Transport Officer.

Tom

[Graham Stewart]

Nick,

R.T.O. could be one of two things i.e. at Regimental level he could be the Regimental Transport Officer and at a railhead the Railway Transport Officer. Never heard of a Regimental Train Officer.

Graham.

[Nick Thornicroft]

Many thanks for clearing that one up. It just goes to show you should never assume anything!

[Pete1052]

In the U.S. Army as of circa 1980 it was either rail transport officer or railroad transport officer. Radio-telephone operators were also called RTOs, and when it was noticed that the acronym had two different meanings radio-telephone operators were redesignated as "ROTELOs."

I cordially detest the overuse of acronyms. Now the U.S. and Brit armed forces speak in tongues, undermining effective communication, IMHO.