Gunner Speak will introduce you to the various jargon used by gunners as well as the correct way to pronounce things. Although these notes apply to WW2, a lot of them are still relevant today.
- First of all, that Latin word that appears on our cap badge and is also our Battle Honour, Ubique (see ‘A Short History’). The generally accepted pronunciation is You-bik-we.
- Titles of Regiments and Batteries should have the number read out digit by digit. So, for example, 107th Field Regiment would be spoken as ‘One Oh Seven Field Regiment’. 49th Battery would be said as Four Nine Battery. Note that while a ‘0’ is usually termed Zero in military terms, when used as above it is spoken as ‘Oh’. The exception to this that the numbers 1 to 19 are spoken as First, Second, Third etc. as are the 20th, 30th 40th and so on. So it is One Four Nine RHA (149 RHA) but One Fifty RHA (150 RHA).
- Regiments should always be referred to by their number and type. This is because the numbers are repeated across the various types of unit. For instance there is a 12th Field Regiment, 12th Medium, 12th Light Anti-Aircraft etc. So you can see that just saying 12th Regiment would cause some confusion. The same applies to Batteries where they are not associated with their Regiment or their type is not clear.
- When referring to a Battery it is usual to write the number of the battery followed by a slash and then the Regiment, for example 78/11 Field Regt (78 Battery, 11 Field Regt). However, some batteries were combined e.g. 78 and 84 Batteries and were written as 78/84. To avoid confusion this would be followed by “Battery” or “Bty” therefore 78/84 Bty or where necessary 78/84 Field Bty. Where the regiment needed to be stated it would become 78/84 Bty, 11 Field Regt.
- We never refer to the group of men serving a gun as the crew. Crews are found aboard ships. We always refer to them as the ‘Detachment’.
- Assistants are termed Acks, it being the phonetic letter ‘A’ back in the 1930’s. For example, the Assistant Gun Position Officer would be referred to as the ‘Ack GPO’ and the Battery Commanders Assistant as the BC’s Ack.
- Limber Gunners are appointed in each gun detachment. Usually a Lance Bombadier or senior Gunner, their role is to ensure that the gun is kept clean and servicable when not in action. Limber Gunners take great pride in their position, remember the guns are also our Colours.
- Members of a gun detachment are given a number. This indicates their role within the detachment. The numbers may change dependant on the gun being served. The person commanding the gun is Number 1 and the breech operator and layer are generally Numbers 2 and 3.
- A gun and its detachment are refered to as a “Gun Sub”. This is an abbreviation of Sub Section. Batteries are divided into Troops which are divided into Sections. Each Section consists of 2 guns, therefore each gun is a Sub Section. Strictly speaking a Sub Section should consist of the gun, its detachment and where appropriate the gun tractor and/or ammunition vehicle/trailer.
- In 1938 a new rank of Warrant Officer Class 3 was introduced. These were referred to as Troop Sergeants Majors (TSM’s). In 1940 the rank was abandoned and no further promotions made. Those WO2’s now acting as TSM’s were often referred to as Troop Battery Sergeant Majors (Tp BSM’s).