swaddy
/ˈswɒdi
/noun (plural swaddies) British informal, dated
A private soldier.He is hard-drinking, fighting everybody from the neighbourhood gossip to the swaddies....
- In one of his journies from Lewes, Tom picked up some swaddies.
- Up comes a swaddy in a red cap.
Origin
Early 19th century: from dialect swad 'soldier', perhaps of Scandinavian origin.