Gunner (rank)

A Gunner, also abbreviated to Gnr., is a military rank equivalent to Private in the British Army Royal Artillery and the artillery corps of other Commonwealth armies. The next highest rank is usually Lance Bombardier, although in the Royal Canadian Artillery it is Bombardier. Historically, there was an inferior rank matross, whose duty it was to assist the gunners in loading, firing and sponging the guns. The Gunners, is a nickname for the British Royal Artillery.

A Gunner may also refer to any of the following:

• Gunner (artillery) member of the crew operating a crew-served weapon, such as an artillery piece;
• Gunner, non-commissioned member of the British RAF Regiment;
• Gunner, sailor responsible for a ship's cannons;
• Gunner, gunnery Warrant Officer of the British Royal Navy or Royal Marines;
• Air gunner, or aerial gunner, a member of an aircrew who operates a machine gun or auto-cannon;
• Gunner, an automatic rifleman specialist trained in using light machine guns or squad automatic weapon as part of a fireteam.

References / notes

The above term is listed in our Compendium of the Great War.

This compendium forms the central hub of words, phrases, people, and places relative to the Great War period of 1914–1918. These also include battles, political events, ships, trench slang, British and American service terms and expressions in everyday use, nicknames, sobriquets, the titles of British and Commonwealth Regiments and their origins, and also warfare in general. These words and phrases are contemporary with the war, which is reflected in the language used, some of which may seem derogatory by today's standards. Feel free to expand upon and improve this content.

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