The term air defence was probably first used by Britain when Air Defence of Great Britain (ADGB) was created as a Royal Air Force command in 1925. However, arrangements in the UK were also called 'anti-aircraft', abbreviated as AA, a term that remained in general use into the 1950s. After the First World War it was sometimes prefixed by 'Light' or 'Heavy' (LAA or HAA) to classify a type of gun or unit. Nicknames for anti-aircraft guns include AA, AAA or triple-A, an abbreviation of anti-aircraft artillery; "ack-ack" (from the spelling alphabet used by the British for voice transmission of "AA"); and archie (a World War I British term probably coined by Amyas Borton and believed to derive via the Royal Flying Corps from the music-hall comedian George Robey's line "Archibald, certainly not!").
The term air defence was probably first used by Britain when Air Defence of Great Britain ( ADGB ) was created as a Royal Air Force command in 1925 . However , arrangements in the UK were also called ' anti - aircraft ' , abbreviated as AA , a term that remained in general use into the 1950s . After the First World War it was sometimes prefixed by ' Light ' or ' Heavy ' ( LAA or HAA ) to classify a type of gun or unit . Nicknames for anti - aircraft guns include AA , AAA or triple - A , an abbreviation of anti - aircraft artillery ; " ack - ack " ( from the spelling alphabet used by the British for voice transmission of " AA " ) ; and archie ( a World War I British term probably coined by Amyas Borton and believed to derive via the Royal Flying Corps from the music - hall comedian George Robey 's line " Archibald , certainly not ! " ) .
What George Robey line is believed to have started the archie nickname?
What George Robey line is believed to have started the archie nickname ?
"Archibald, certainly not!"
"Archibald, certainly not!"