Definition

Noun

  • A petty officer who assists the gunner in keeping the guns and their carriages in proper order.

Origin

Unknown.

Comments

A position in the days of sailing. This person would assist in maintaining the guns, carriages, filling the cartridges, scaling the barrels, etc. Quarter gunners were appointed on ships at the rate of one for every four guns.

References

Kemp, P. (1994). The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. Oxford University Press.

King, D., Hattendorf, J.B, & Estes, J.W. (1997). A Sea of Words: A Lexicon and Companion for Patrick O’Brian’s Seafaring Tales (2nd Ed.). Owl Books.