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Tommy Atkins (A)

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A British soldier, as a Jack Tar is a British sailor. The term arose from the little pocket ledgers served out, at one time, to all British soldiers. In these manuals were to be entered the name, the age, the date of enlistment, the length of service, the wounds, the medals, and so on of each individual. The War Office sent with each little book a form for filling it in, and the hypothetical name selected, instead of John Doe and Richard Roe (selected by lawyers), or M. N. (selected by the Church), was “Tommy Atkins.” The books were instantly so called, and it did not require many days to transfer the name from the book to the soldier.

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Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.

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Tom Tailor
Tom Thumb
Tom Tidler’s Ground
Tom Tug
Tom and Jerry—i.e
Tom, Dick, and Harry
Tom oBedlams
Tomboy
Tomahawk
Tomb of Our Lord
Tommy Atkins (A)
Tommy Dodd
Tommy Shop
To morrow never Comes
Tonans
Tongue of the Trump (The)
Tongues
Tonna (Mrs.)
Tonsure
Tonsures
Tontine

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Tommy Atkins