s.a. bullet"

[Murray]

I came across the following in the diary of the 2nd LAA Battery (part of 2nd LAA Regiment 1st Cdn Division.)

On Sept. 20, 1944, “Gnr. Shumyhara, M. was seriously wounded by s.a. bullet”

Michael Shumyhara died the next day in hospital. This incident occurred SW of Rimini, Italy.

Both Michael Shumyhara’s brother Ed Feschuk and myself were wondering what an “s.a. bullet" could be. Does anyone have any idea?

[Bill Murray]

A wild guess would be "small arms".
Bill

[Murray]

Guess I had a brain belch, I should have thought of that.

Thanks

[Bill Murray]

Murray:

Well, I could still be wrong, but the American Forces would say "wounded by small arms fire" which would mean the same thing and that is why that is my guess.
Interesting to see if anyone else can come up with "s.a." as a common Canadian abbreviation. I myself have never seen it presented that way.
Cheers
Bill

[Frank Misztal]

Originally posted by Bill Murray
Murray:

Well, I could still be wrong, but the American Forces would say "wounded by small arms fire" which would mean the same thing and that is why that is my guess.
Interesting to see if anyone else can come up with "s.a." as a common Canadian abbreviation. I myself have never seen it presented that way.
Cheers
Bill

It is still in use today in the Canadian Forces as a common abbreviation. Examples: SA wpns (weapons), SA Range, SA fire, SA competition, etc.

I am not sure when the change to remove periods in abbreviations came into effect, but believe it to be sometime in the mid 60s. However, I stand to be corrected.

[Mark W. Tonner]

"s.a." = small arms