1930s British colonial terminology: deportation 'DBS'?

Factual Questions
1

I’ve just been reading Black Mischief, by Evelyn Waugh. It’s set in the 1930s in a fictional east African island empire, Azania, which ends up being colonised by the British and French.

At the end of the novel two British colonial officials discuss the need to get one of the characters out of Azania:

Anyone know what DBS might have stood for? Possibly destitute but…something?

2

From the context (and from trawling the web) it seems it may have stood for “Distressed British Subject” – or possibly “Distressed (or Displaced) British Seaman”. It seems to have been understood to mean any of those, at various times and to different people.

At any rate, the result is the same: the British Government or colonial authorities repatriating someone stranded abroad without funds.

3

Ah, that makes perfect sense. Thanks.

4

No problem – it was an easy Google once I guessed that BS stood for British Subject.

I initially thought it might be something similar to PDQ – “Bloody Damned Sharpish” or something. :smiley:

5

thanks for both the OP and the answer - interesting!

6

And vice-versa.

sorry