Nick Names

[Broznitsky]

Caveat: I pinched this from another forum. I found this fellow's post quite fascinating. Much I'm sure would apply to the CEF and maybe the AIF?? Any Pals like to add/amend any nick name??

"A large number of the members of my Regimental Association referred to their friends and comrades by their nicknames and were completely unable to remember their Christian names. Some of these nicknames were universal, some peculiar to the services, some particular to the Regiment, and some specific to the individual.

Those in universal use related to place of origin or physical characteristics. 'Jock', 'Taffy' and 'Mick' were instantly recognizable for Scotsmen, Welshmen and Irishmen respectively, as well as 'Digger' for those from the land down under and 'Yank' [often changed to 'Hank']. 'Paddy' Feehily was a married veteran of Dunkirk, Sicily, D-Day, Arnhem and the Rhine whose spouse was inevitably known as 'Missus Paddy'.

The main physical features giving rise to nicknames were height and weight, but there were several others. Above average height attracted the sobriquet 'Lofty', but in a perverse way the many lofty giants in the Regiment were known as 'Tiny'. Those of particularly diminutive height [average height at that time being 5' 5"] were often nicknamed 'Tich', or sometimes, 'Shorty' - and again, conversely, as 'Lofty'. Those of wider girth were awarded various names: 'Fatty', 'Jumbo', 'Tubby' and 'Piggy', but 'Busty' is probably the most common in the Army.

Hair colour most often resulted in the nickname 'Ginger', along with 'Blue'. Other features were indicated by 'Bucket' [head], 'Jug' [ears], and 'Curly'. 'Bunny' Baker was an accomplished trumpet player in the Regiment with prominent front teeth.

Some sobriquets were abbreviations of the surname, as for example: 'Froggy' or 'Frenchy' French, 'Hutch' Hutchinson, 'Robbo' Robinson or Robertson, and 'Simmo' Simpson or Simmons. 'Tommo' was appropriate for Thomas and Thompson as well as for Tomlinson. 'Nick' or 'Nicky' went with Nicholls or Nicholson, 'Dusty' with Rhodes [roads], 'Nosey' with Parker, 'Dicky' with Bird and 'Ali' with Barber [derived from Ali Baba] – although the last four are more associations than abbreviations. 'Apple' Appleyard and 'Happy' or 'Hap' Appleton were similar variations from the same orchard rootstock.

It is by direct association that such nicknames were bestowed as 'Chalky' White [alternatively 'Snowy'], and '******' Black or Brown. Other name associations included 'Jack' Frost, 'Frosty' Snow, 'Dinger' Bell, 'Dogs' Barker, and 'Windy' Gale, the divisional commander.

There is another group of nicknames which were classed as 'inevitable', especially in the Army. These included 'Smudger' Smith [due to a blacksmith being perpetually covered in smudge, or soot], 'Dusty' Miller [a grain miller being dusted in fine flour], 'Nobby' Clark [because clerks in the City of London used to wear Nobby hats, or tophats], 'Pedlar' Palmer [cartmen peddling their wares being sleight of hand], 'Bung' Cooper [from the wood plug used in barrelmaking], 'Chips' Turner [from the wood residue produced by a carpenter], 'Spud' Murphy [named after the main item in Irish sustenance], 'Dinty' Moore [named after a popular brand of bully beef] and 'Johnny' Walker [sergeants being entitled to a bottle a week].

The nicknames, actual names, or name abbreviations of famous people [and cartoon characters] are often assigned to those with the same surname, as in 'Dixie' Dean or Deane, derived from the nickname of the famous 1920s Everton footballer, W.R. Dean, known as 'Dixie' to his fans. 'Tex' Ritter derived from the cowboy star of the silver screen. Most of those associations were forgotten after a few years, or replaced by others that became more contemporary. One cartoon name was 'Flash' Gordon. Another was 'Buck' Rogers or Rodgers. Other nicknames were derived from characters of notoriety, such as 'Ned' Kelly - after the armoured Australian bandit - or 'Sweeney' Todd - after the demon barber of Fleet Street. Conversely, every Sweeney in the British Army was nicknamed 'Todd'.

Some nicknames were specific to an individual, such as my mate 'Shag' Shingleton, a veteran of D-Day, Arnhem and the Rhine, but better known for his successes off the battlefield. 'Pranger' was often assigned to those who had made more than their appropriate share of crashes in glider training, 'Tug' was a standard sobriquet in the Regiment and 'Dinghy' was reserved for those members of the Regiment unfortunate enough to have joined the ranks of the Goldfish Club. 'I Like Dogs' Knowles was nicknamed after an casual observation made while completely inebriated.

My dear friend Lawrence Turnbull picked up the nickname 'Buck' during a winning streak at a Crown & Anchor game just before Dunkirk, where a drunk Geordie who he had never seen before or since kept slapping him on the back and yelling 'All right, Buck!' to all and sundry. By morning, the name had stuck, and five years later, he was introduced to the King as Lawrence 'Buck' Turnbull at his investiture for the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal [Air] after the Rhine Crossing."

Peter (amazed at the knowledge out there in cyberspace)

[Ski]

Peter, (Brozinsky)

But you of course you forgot the nickname Ski/Sky.

Given to all those individuals with Polish, Russian, East European Surnames ending with Ski or Sky that were never meant to be attempted, especially when intoxicated!

Cheers,

Ski

[Guest Hill 60]

Not WWI related, but related to my nicknames:

'Punchbag' or 'Lucky' - Due to the amount of times I was assaulted (& ended up in hospital) when I was a Security Officer at a shopping centre. (16 hospital visits in 8 years).

'Mutley' - Due to me muttering things under my breath when I was upset by someone at work, normally things like "That's it, I'm gonna nick 'im / punch 'im / kick 'im in a minute, the b*****d".

'Piglet' - But you'll have to ask Jean about that one

And it wasn't until I joined the RMP that I discovered that my real name was Lee and not 'Shut up, and go to your room'

[Guest Ian Bowbrick]

An ex Military Policeman called 'Piglet'

There will be grown men up and down the British Legion bars of this country crying into their beer tonight mate!!

Only kidding Lee, just between you and me mate - I won't tell a soul!

But it is impossible not to acquire one in the forces - mine was 'Wolfie'.

Ian

[Neil Burns]

Hi All,

Never picked up a nickname but everyone does seem to love yelling BURNS as loud as they possibly can whenever I enter a room. This is something my wife is just discovering as a High School Teacher.

Take care,

Neil

[paul guthrie]

We had a reunion of my college fraternity last week, my it was sweet to be called such endearing names as Fiend and Mad Dog again!

[BeppoSapone]

It is by direct association that such nicknames were bestowed as 'Chalky' White [alternatively 'Snowy'], and '******' Black or Brown. Other name associations included 'Jack' Frost, 'Frosty' Snow, 'Dinger' Bell, 'Dogs' Barker, and 'Windy' Gale, the divisional commander.

There is another group of nicknames which were classed as 'inevitable', especially in the Army. These included 'Smudger' Smith [due to a blacksmith being perpetually covered in smudge, or soot]

Then there was the WW2 Lieutenant General William 'Strafer' Gott, of the KRRC. He was due to command 8th Army, but was killed in a plane crash. This gave Montgomery his big break.

Gott aquired his nickname in WW1. Of course, from the German song "Gott

Straf England".

Somewhere I read of a Commonwealth (Australian?) soldier called "Smudger" Kowalski. Kowalski being Polish for Smith.

There was also an Italian-American, who runs/used to run a historical group who was nicknamed "Ski". When I enquired why I was told that he got the nickname in the USMC because, although he had a 'funny' name, he wasn't Polish!

[Guest Pete Wood]

So, by what nicknames were all the Evans, Williams, Jones et al known by in the Welsh Regiments....??

And what about all the Mc** and Mac*** in the Scottish Regiments

[BeppoSapone]

So, by what nicknames were all the Evans, Williams, Jones et al known by in the Welsh Regiments....??

By the last part of their numbers - 345 Evans, 567 Williams, 678 Jones??

[Guest A Mafia Man]

I would also guess that trade names came into it in a big way ! Such as; Dai 'central eating', (Only 1 tooth in his head; jones the 'plumber'; Williams the 'coal'

Mine in the Srmy was 'Sherlock'. You can guess what my surname is !!

Joe