antedating: "staging area"

[Jonathan Lighter]

OED has this important military term only from 1945.
 
1918 (July 27) in  _Records of the World War: Field Orders 1918, 5th Division_ (Washington, D.C.: G.P.O., 1921) 35: In principle, the elements will only remain at the staging area one day or less depending on the hour of their arrival.
 
1919 _Official History of the 82nd Division, American Expeditionary Forces_  (Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill) 257: Upon the relief of the Division in the Argonne, the Military Police force was divided into three sections. One went ahead to the staging area and assisted the placing of units when they arrived.
 
1921 Hugh Stewart _The New Zealand Division, 1916-1919_ (Auckland: Whitcombe and Tombs) 252: The 4th Brigade reached a staging area north of Hazebrouck.




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