signalmann.

1737 Chamberlayne's Magnæ Britanniæ Notitia (ed. 33) ii. 115 Mr. John Dominick Grana, Signal-man.

1783 Proc. Trial Col. Cockburn 149 What does he know relative to the Signalmen having been upon their post?

1834 F. Marryat Peter Simple I. xv. 268 Our captain was determined not to see it, and ordered the signal man not to look that way.

1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. 626 Signal-man, the yeoman of the signals; a first-class petty officer in the navy.

1898 R. Kipling Fleet in Being 16 A signalman pattered by to relieve his mate on the bridge.

1948 T. Heggen Mister Roberts vii. 92 Sam was up on the flying bridge with the other signalmen and he was idly scanning the beach through the ship's telescope.

1977 Washington Post (Nexis) 10 Feb. b10 He served with the navy as a signalman and then as a teacher of nautical astronomy.

2003 Church Times 14 Feb. 27/2 He..won a state scholarship to read history..after completing his national service as a signalman at Catterick.

1836 Mirror Lit., Amusem., & Instr. 17 Dec. 403/1 At given distances there are small boxes for the signal-men, and those whose duty it is to keep the rails clear.

1866 Chambers's Jrnl. 3 271 A very simple and complete method of communication between the signalman and switchman.

1909 H. R. Wilson Safety Brit. Railways 59 The signalman must give what is known as the blocking-back signal.

1963 G. M. Kichenside & A. R. Williams Brit. Railway Signalling ii. 16 Before a signalman can accept a train from the previous signal box, the line must usually be clear for ¼-mile beyond his home signal.

2008 Lincs. Echo (Nexis) 15 Feb. 15 If it tries putting managers in place to do the jobs the signalmen usually do, there will be a severe safety risk.