master gunnern.
/ˈmɑːstə ˌɡʌnə/, /ˈmastə ˌɡʌnə/, U.S. /ˈˌmæstər ˈɡənər/ Military and Nautical.
(a) British. The chief gunner in charge of ordnance and ammunition (formerly spec. an officer under the Crown). Now historical except as an honorary title conferred on distinguished soldiers, e.g. Master Gunner of the Tower, Master Gunner of St James's Park. (b) British. A warrant officer in the Royal Artillery who has charge of the stores and equipment in a fortified position or other armed place. †(c) U.S. A cartographic specialist in the Coast Artillery Corps (see quot. 1918 at gunner n. 1d). Obsolete.
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society > armed hostility > warrior > soldier > leader or commander > officer by rank > [noun] > specific rank of artillery officer
Master (General) of the Ordnance1458
master gunner?c1475
Master of the Armoury1485
rotmaster1523
Mr1669
artillery officer1707
bombardier1844
lance-bombardier1935
?c1475 ( in J. Stevenson Lett. & Papers Illustr. Wars Eng. in France (1864) II. 588 (MED) xij gonners, ii maistre gonners, and xij yemen gonners.
1526 in J. S. Brewer Lett. & Papers Reign Henry VIII (1872) (modernized text) IV. ii. 1224 Thos. Hartte, master gunner of the King's ordnance.
1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VIII f. xliv Than oute brast the ordinaunce..and the Master gonner of the Englishe parte slew the Master gonner of Scotlande.
1598 W. Phillip tr. J. H. van Linschoten Disc. Voy. E. & W. Indies i. iii. 5/1 One Master gunner, and eight vnder him, haue each man a different pay.
1627 J. Smith Sea Gram. viii. 34 The Master Gunner hath the charge of the ordnance, and shot, powder, match, ladles, spunges, wormes, cartrages, armes and fire-workes; and the rest of the Gunners..to receive their charge from him.
1647 L. Haward Charges Crown Revenue 21 Master Gunner of England: Fee, per diem 2.s. 6.d.
1679–88 in J. Y. Akerman Moneys Secret Services Charles II & James II (1851) 95 To Thomas Silver, master gunner at Whitehall, for himself and the rest of the gunners of Whitehall, bounty to them..20l.
1707 J. Chamberlayne Angliæ Notitia (ed. 22) iii. 656 Ordnance..Mates to the Master-Gunner..Chief Petardier.
1708 J. Chamberlayne Magnæ Britanniæ Notitia (1710) 707 Edinburgh-Castle:..Master-Gunner,..6 Under-Gunners.
1802 C. James New Mil. Dict. Master gunner, in a ship of war, an officer appointed to take charge of the artillery and ammunition aboard, and to teach the men the exercise of the great guns.
1880 Ld. Tennyson Revenge xi Sink me the ship, Master Gunner.
1904 Standard 20 Dec. 5/3 Field Marshal Earl Roberts, V.C., K.G., has been appointed Master Gunner of St. James's Park.
1918 E. S. Farrow Dict. Mil. Terms Master Gunner... In the United States, an enlisted specialist of the non-commissioned staff Coast Artillery Corps, who is assigned to duty as assistant to the Artillery Engineer in connection with the preparation of charts, maps, drawings, range tables, etc., in a coast defense command.
1966 Chambers's Encycl. VI. 667/1 Master-gunners are warrant-officers of artillery, generally placed in charge of one or more forts.
1990 A. Beevor Inside Brit. Army xxiii. 277 After the Queen as Captain-General comes the Master-Gunner of St James's Park, a title dating from 1678.
Derivatives
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society > armed hostility > warrior > soldier > leader or commander > officer by rank > [noun] > specific rank of artillery officer > position of
master gunnership1565
1565 in J. H. Burton Reg. Privy Council Scotl. (1877) 1st Ser. I. 396 The said office of maistir gunnarschip.
1625 in R. F. Williams Birch's Court & Times James I (1849) (modernized text) II. 502 Mr. Gibson..who had in reversion the master-gunnership of England.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2001; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.?c1475