Outside of the relationship of a knowledgeable, caring adult with kids - none of it actually matters.

1. The Game
2. Tommy's Tongue
3. WW1 Encyclopedia
4. Great War Curriculum
5. Great War Resources

M - Emma

Macaroni:

An Italian Soldier.

Maconachie:

Tinned vegetable stew ration, named after the manufacturer. Maconochie (sic), a dinner in a tin, was my favourite, and I could polish one off with gusto, but the usual share-out was one tin for four men. - Pte George Coppard MM, The Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment.

Maconachie Medal:

Military Medal (MM). The inscription on the back of the MM says for bravery in the field, and some soldiers maintained that the Maconachie ration (see above) was so terrible that only a brave man would eat it and thus be awarded a medal for doing so. Alternatively, an allusion to the notion that the Military Medal was given out so often that it came up with the rations.

Mad Minute:

Firing off fifteen (or more) rounds of rapid fire aimed shots from a bolt action .303 Lee Enfield rifle in one minute. Many regular soldiers of the BEF were expert shots due to the incentive of extra pay for marksmen.

Mafeesh:

Nothing, all gone. From Arabic. Mafeesh was used by troops in Egypt, Gallipoli, Mesopotamia and Palestine in the same way that napoo was used by those on the Western Front.

Mafficking:

Celebrating. From the general air of excitement that followed the relief of Mafeking during the Boer War.

Maiden's Prayer:

Barrage balloon. From the large, phallic shape.

Matlow:

Sailor. From French matelot, although the expression is pre-war.

Mesopolonica:

Hypothetical posting in the East, regarded by those on the Western Front to be a comparatively safe destination. The word is a composite of Mesopotamia and Salonica.

Mick:

A soldier in an Irish regiment. Specifically, The Micks is the nickname of the Irish Guards.

Mickey:

Louse. Origin of the phrase taking the mickey, to tease.

Mills Bomb:

British No. 5 grenade. Invented by William Mills (1856-1932) of Birmingham in 1915, it remained in service in a modified form with the British army until the 1960s.

Minniewerfer:

German trench mortar. A variety of calibers were employed. From German Minenwerfer, mine thrower.

Moaning Minnie:

Shells fired from a German Minenwerfer. From the noise of flight and the name given by the British to the weapon (see above).

Mob:

Battalion or other unit.

Monty Bong:

Montauban. French village in the Somme region.

Muckim:

Butter. From Hindustani.

Mufti:

Civilian clothes. From Arabic mufti, free.

Murphy:

A potato. From the common Irish surname.

Mutt & Jeff:

(1) The pair of Great War campaign medals (British War Medal & Victory Medal) given to those who served from 1916 onwards. Named after the cartoon characters created originally in the United States by Bud Fisher, but popular in Britain by 1920, the time when campaign medals were being sent out. (2) Deaf. From Cockney rhyming slang.

Mutton Lancers:

The Queens (Royal West Surrey) Regiment, from their cap badge which shows a sheep (or lamb) with a lance.

Myrrh:

Rum.