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Why is a British soldier called a Tommy?

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Rudyard Kipling's poems helped popularize the term, eventually replacing the "Thomas Lobster," a reference to the red uniforms of British soldiers. However, the term was not always popular or positive; during World War I, British soldiers disliked being called "tommies" and used it derisively, imitating the jingoistic language of certain newspapers. read more

Tommy Atkins or Thomas Atkins has been used as a generic name for a common British soldier for many years. The origin of the term is a subject of debate, but it is known to have been used as early as 1743. read more

The British were still called Tommies by the Germans in World War II. The phrase — "for you Tommy the War is over!" — has become a stock phrase, expressed by a German upon the capture of a British soldier or airman. read more

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