Australian soldiers in WW2 were widely known as "Diggers," a nickname originating from the 1850s gold rushes and solidified during World War I for their trench-digging prowess, embodying Australian traits of mateship, resilience, and resourcefulness, with the term also applying to New Zealand troops as ANZACs. They were also part of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) or the Militia (later CMF), and those fighting in North Africa were sometimes derisively called "Rats of Tobruk" by the enemy, a name they embraced.
After New Zealanders objected to the colonial catch-all of 'Australasia', the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps became the official name, quickly shortened to ANZAC. But their informal name was the Diggers. The first specialised use of digger in Australian English dates back to the 1850s gold rush in Victoria.
This army was known as the Permanent Military Forces (PMF). A larger, part-time militia force also existed. It was known as the Militia until 1942, and the Citizen Military Forces (CMF) from 1943. The purpose of the PMF was to instruct and lead the CMF if war came to Australian shores.
In WW2, soldiers were “GI's. or some called them Dogfaced soldiers, or Doggies.
Diggers: The word Digger has been around since the early days of the gold rush in Australia and anecdotally there is evidence that some Colonial Australians were given the nickname Digger because of their mining endeavors.
like your bum is your fanny. In Australia, your front bum is your fanny, if you're a girl.
"Ozzy Ozzy Ozzy, Oi Oi Oi" (often written as "Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi") is a patriotic Australian sports chant, a rallying cry of national pride, originating from older British cheers like "Oggy Oggy Oggy," with "Aussie" being slang for Australian, and "Oi" functioning as an emphatic interjection, similar to "Hey!" or "Go!". It's used at sporting events, sometimes considered a bit cheesy or "cringey" by some Australians, but generally seen as an inclusive way to support national teams.
Profanity wasn't just touted by Marines in the Pacific, however. The F-word became such a notable part of the G.I. vocabulary that British soldiers on the Western Front identified American soldiers of the 84th Infantry Division as friendlies due to their incessant swearing.
squaddie. squaddy (British, slang) trooper. warrior.
The "D" in D-Day simply stands for "Day," a military term used to denote the start date of a major operation, with the specific date kept secret until the last minute, making it "the Day" of the invasion. Military planners used "D-Day" and "H-Hour" (start time) as placeholders, referring to days before as D-2, D-3, and days after as D+1, D+2, etc., though the term is now famously associated with the June 6, 1944, Normandy landings.
WW2 soldiers carried condoms primarily for disease prevention (STDs like syphilis and gonorrhea) and for practical combat uses, such as keeping sand and mud out of their rifle barrels, protecting small items, or even as makeshift waterproof bags, although the weapon-protection use is sometimes exaggerated in popular culture. The military distributed them widely (often in "prophylactic kits") to maintain troop strength, recognizing the significant manpower lost to venereal diseases in past conflicts.
In the Australian Army, a signaller is often referred to as a Chook (Australian Slang for Chicken) by soldiers outside the Signal Corps, because the Morse code used by Signallers has been likened to the chirping of chickens.
Field Marshal Erwin Rommel held great respect for Australian soldiers, viewing them as tough, skilled, and formidable fighters, especially in attack, famously stating he'd use Australians to take hell and New Zealanders to hold it, though some historians question the exact phrasing while confirming his admiration for their fighting prowess in North Africa, documented in his letters.
A blue is a fight, dispute or row. You can bung on a blue, stack on a blue or turn on a blue. The slang word has been around since the 1940s and is used to refer to everything from fisticuffs at the pub to a brawl on the footy field.
ANZAC as an acronym
As well as referring to specific units, the term ANZAC also came to refer to soldiers themselves: originally those who participated in the Gallipoli landings, then all Australians and New Zealand soldiers in WWI and now more broadly to all Australian and New Zealander defence personnel.
From what I know they are camp nicknames. Digger is just referring someone who digs earth but could mean dig other things like gossips or tattle tales or even a derogatory slang of being less than human.
Trench Monkey – Widely considered to be a derogatory term, trench monkey has a negative connotation and is also meant to refer to a soldier or any other Army service member.
A military "klick" is a colloquial way to express the distance of one kilometer, or about 0.62 miles. Using this shorthand word of one syllable, instead of the longer four-syllable word, allows for briefer and more efficient communication, a hallmark of military culture.
The smallest unit in an army is the squad, which contains 7 to 14 soldiers and is led by a sergeant. (A slightly larger unit is a section, which consists of 10 to 40 soldiers but is usually used only within headquarters or support organizations.)
"Crap" is generally considered mild profanity or vulgar slang, not a true "bad word" like a stronger expletive, but it's inappropriate for formal or professional settings and depends heavily on context, audience, and intent; it can express frustration (e.g., "This crap isn't working") but is best avoided around bosses, teachers, or elders, while being fine with friends.
"Oscar Tango Mike" (OTM) uses the NATO phonetic alphabet to mean "On the Move," indicating readiness, mobility, or ongoing progress, often used in military or tactical communication to signal movement or a unit's active status. It's formed from Oscar (O) + Mike (M). Other phrases include "Tango Mike" for "Thanks Much," and "Lima Charlie" for "Loud and Clear".
"During prolonged shelling," he wrote, "I often had to restrain myself and fight back a wild, inexorable urge to scream, to sob, and to cry." For airman Bennett it was the feeling of helplessness.
Another classic case of Australians shortening everything. Meaning 'thank you', ta is usually used for the times when you are in a rush or want to send a quick text to show your appreciation for something.
The most Australian thing to say often involves casual abbreviations, laid-back optimism like "She'll be right" or "No worries," and unique slang for everyday items, such as "Arvo" (afternoon) or "Barbie" (barbecue), often delivered with "mate," making phrases like "G'day, mate, chuck us a coldie at the barbie this arvo?" quintessentially Aussie.
White Australian