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Howitzer Czech word from the Hussites of
Fatigue In the military sense, “fatigue” (or Jan Zika (fifteenth century). It is related to
“fatigue duty”) is the work soldiers do the German haufnice, a “sling.”
which is not connected with purely martial
exploits (e.g., cleaning up their barracks, Infantry The consensus is that this word for
digging garbage pits, etc.). The word foot soldiers actually comes from “infant,”
“fatigue” was once used in common although there has been much straining to
English to signify “toil” or “labour.” So the find a more noble origin. The French
military term “fatigue” is probably of literal infanterie (from which our word comes) is
origin and applies to the tiresome tasks of from the Italian infanteria, which comes
military house-keeping. “Fatigue clothes” from infante, meaning child, servant and
are the uniforms prescribed for work foot soldier. “Infant” is from the Latin in
details. (not) and fari (to speak). Until a person was
big enough to speak he was an infant. The
Feu De Joie A fire kindled in a public place connection between infantry and
in token of joy; a bonfire; a firing of guns in child or servant has a connotation of
token of joy. This is seen during National inferiority which is no accident. At the time
Day Parade fired by the Guard of Honour “infant” was linked with “foot soldiers,” the
contingents. cavalry was the senior or elite service.
When the infantryman again began to
Flag (or FLAGGE, a common Teutonic dominate the battlefield (as he
word in this sense, but apparently first had in the days of Rome and as he does
recorded in English), a piece of bunting or today) the Spanish foot soldier led the way.
similar material, admitting of various This is probably why “infantry” has been
shapes and colours, andwaved in the wind connected with the Spanish title infante.
from a staff or cord for use in display as a Some writers have assumed that infantry
standard, ensign or signal. was the elite force “officer” or office holder.
The term came into use after the
Garrison Old French guerir, “to preserve.” abolishment of the feudal system and
Presumably a garrison is put in a place to signified that the individual now had the
“preserve” it from enemy capture. In privilege of making a private contract of
current usage the word implies an military service, rather than being forced to
administrative rather than a tactical role. serve a feudal master.
Grenade The grenade, has a common Quartermaster The man in charge of
heritage with all those who work with providing “quarters” for troops. The office
explosives and pyrotechnics – artillery, dates from the Reiter organization of the
engineers. The word grenade derives from fifteenth century.
French “pommegrenate” or pomegranate.
Heraldically, the grenade is depicted as a Rank (a number of men side by side) Old
sphere spouting flame. The relation to the German hrang, a “ring,” and later a “row”
pomegranate is retained in the orifice-like of men. See also “file.” The expression
appendage from the flame spouts. “rank and file,” therefore, means the
soldiers composing the ranks and files of a
Helmet Anglo-Saxon helm, from Teutonic military formation. It does not mean the
root hal or kal, “to cover.” A helmet is a officers (“people with rank”) and the “files”
“little helm.” (soldier slang for “individuals”).
Recruit In Latin, recrescere, “to grow
again.” Recruits, then, are new men to
