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The term Alleyman is a corruption of the French Allemand, which in English is a literal translation of "German." Along with the name Fritz, Alleyman was another name for a German soldier used by the British in the early days of the First World War. It eventually gave way for the more common and still widely-known derogatory name, Jerry.[1] Conversely, the German equivalent of these names for the British soldier was Tommy. See also Tommy Atkins
References / notes
- ↑ Edward Fraser and John Gibbons (1925). Soldier and Sailor Words and Phrases. Routledge, London p.6.
The above term is listed in our Compendium of the Great War.
This compendium forms the central hub of words, phrases, people, and places relative to the Great War period of 1914–1918. These also include battles, political events, ships, trench slang, British and American service terms and expressions in everyday use, nicknames, sobriquets, the titles of British and Commonwealth Regiments and their origins, and also warfare in general. These words and phrases are contemporary with the war, which is reflected in the language used, some of which may seem derogatory by today's standards. Feel free to expand upon and improve this content.