"Coy" or "Corp" or something else?

• by IKINAWANA

  I've come across this a lot! Take a look at this page - 5 DIVISION: 1 Battalion Devonshire Regiment , specifically, look at the entry for 25th March. "No's 1 and 4 Coy" or "Corp" or something else??? Another page I worked on earlier today, a comment was made by another tagger and he/she thought this was "Coy". I've not heard of this word being used. Just curious what you think since I see it a lot lately. Thanks!

  Posted July 21, 2014 12:49 AM

• by wildcatjenny moderator

  Hi Ikinawana!
  It looks to me like it is "Coy" which is used as a short hand for "company".

  Posted July 21, 2014 1:06 AM

• by IKINAWANA in response to wildcatjenny's comment.

  Thank you! "Company" makes sense now that you mention it! I guess this is a good example of how the written language has changed. Thanks again!

  Posted July 21, 2014 1:14 AM

• by ral104 moderator, scientist

  Coy is still the shortened form of Company in the British Army today. I always assumed it was the same in the US, but I must have been wrong.

  Posted July 21, 2014 9:53 AM

• by IKINAWANA in response to ral104's comment.

  Interesting! In the US military, the acronym for "Company" is "Co" although it could have been the same during WWI.

  Posted July 26, 2014 6:49 AM

• by ral104 moderator, scientist

  We need to get our hands on the American Expeditionary Force diaries (or equivalent) so we can check this...

  Posted July 26, 2014 2:44 PM