andigger Posted 25 October , 2004 Share Posted 25 October , 2004 Just curious.... I was reading Storm of Steel and Junger frequently refers to his batman, and I wasn't sure who/what that position was. Hope no one thought this had anything to do with Buckingham Palace! Thank, Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted 25 October , 2004 Share Posted 25 October , 2004 Just curious.... I was reading Storm of Steel and Junger frequently refers to his batman, and I wasn't sure who/what that position was. Hope no one thought this had anything to do with Buckingham Palace! Thank, Andy Sometimes a batman is referred to as an 'Officers servant'. I don't really like the term servant though. Their duty was to take care of the officer and his equipment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 25 October , 2004 Share Posted 25 October , 2004 Andy In most UK "first hand" acocunts that I've come across, the officer almost invariably refers to man being his "servant". Don't forget that it would be the norm for middle class families to have servants at that time. A read of a sheet of the 1901 UK Census for a middle-class road can be quite revealingn about who was living at each house at the time of the Census. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Coulson Posted 25 October , 2004 Share Posted 25 October , 2004 I have come across quite a few cases where the batman worked for the officers family in peace time and "followed" the officer to the front. Bob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 25 October , 2004 Share Posted 25 October , 2004 This was well covered in the string "Officers` servants" - What duties, some months ago. I`ll bring it up for your perusal. Phil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andigger Posted 25 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 25 October , 2004 Their duty was to take care of the officer and his equipment. Although this seems odd today, this is about what I thought it was. Why the name 'batman' though, was there any type of bat involved? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc leroux Posted 25 October , 2004 Share Posted 25 October , 2004 All of this while still fighting crime in Gotham City?? Sorry, couldn't resist. The definition from freeDictionary.com A British military officer's orderly. [Obsolete bat, packsaddle (from French bât, from Old French bast, from Late Latin bastum) + man marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Mackenzie Posted 25 October , 2004 Share Posted 25 October , 2004 The following is taken from the Classic FM - word of the day page at www.abc.net.au. "Why is the servant to an army officer is called a “batman”? Now the word batman is applied, in a general way, to an officer’s servant, but this is a broadening out of what was once a more specific title. Before its current broad usage, “batman” meant “a military servant to a cavalry officer” – and it’s in the cavalry that the title was born. Originally a batman was the man who was in charge of the bat-horse and it load. That “bat horse” was the horse that carried the baggage of military officers during a campaign. It goes back as far as the 14th century. The name came from the fact that at the time “bat” was the French word for a pack-saddle. There was also, in the 18th century, something called “bat money” – which was an allowance for carrying baggage in the field. And a “bat-needle” is an obsolete term for a packing needle. Out of that whole family of expressions, only batman survives, as the title of any army officer’s servant." Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andigger Posted 25 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 25 October , 2004 Holy Entymology Batman! I didn't realize the word had such a history. Thanks for all the info... my mind can rest at ease now..... teehee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcderms Posted 25 October , 2004 Share Posted 25 October , 2004 A batmans role during WW1 was to help his gentleman do his job properly. They were extremely useful as they meant that an officers time was free for briefings etc. because they handled the laundry, food and such like. Most 2nd Lts would have been lucky to get a batman each and most shared - especially in terrier and new army battns. Most regular officers would have a batman and this would usually be a long standing and mutually beneficial arrangement. Although it wasn't uncommon for the landed gentry to take a particular servant to war with them, most officers were allocated a batman as available. Many officers, once an Lt or Capt could also choose their batman - if not the original, then certainly his replacement. I have an account of one officer who picked Pvt X because he was 'jolly good with the bayonet'. Batmen for their part were excused many of the fatigues that there comrades had to endure. They also got to share an officers dugout, if there was room and more often got a slice of his superior rations and parcels. A good officer was very generous to a good batmen as theese were also the men who accompanied them most closely into battle. In fact there were a number of awards, including VCs to batmen who rescued their officers and occasionally vice-versa. It's difficult for us 21st Century boys and girls to not take a pitying or condescending view of those 'in service' but 90 years ago this was still seen as a prime career for the fortunate both in and out of the army. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff. Hobson Posted 25 October , 2004 Share Posted 25 October , 2004 The Batman/Servant usually accompanied his officer wherever he went, I would'nt have fancied being Batman to Sassoon (Mad Jack) who evidently did not like being stuck in a trench. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrtle Posted 25 October , 2004 Share Posted 25 October , 2004 I've always thought that only a Commissioned Officer would have a batman but I have a photograph of a batman with a message on the back indicating that he was a batman to a WO. Is this likely ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrtle Posted 25 October , 2004 Share Posted 25 October , 2004 Just bringing this to the top to see if anyone has an idea on this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Sweeney Posted 25 October , 2004 Share Posted 25 October , 2004 Myrtle, Apparantly this was common, particulary in the pre-war regulars. I have about a half dozen Regimental Standing orders and all refer to Batman being employed by Warrant Offiicers and NCO's. The Irish Guards were very specific in delineating that Officers had Servants and Grooms and that NCO/WO had Batmen. The Kings Own also specifically states that NCO's under the rank of Lance Serjeant will not be allowed Batmen. Joe Sweeney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrtle Posted 26 October , 2004 Share Posted 26 October , 2004 I have about a half dozen Regimental Standing orders and all refer to Batman being employed by Warrant Offiicers and NCO's. Joe Thanks for clarification. The man in my photograph was batman to a WO2 (?) for the Middlesex 3rd Infantry Labour Company. Although the paperwork indicates the WO to be a WO2 there are photographs of him wearing a Sam Browne which I have been told indicates a WO1. Regards Myrtle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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