Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun One of a gun's crew on board a man-of-war whose duty it is to pass shells for loading.
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
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Examples
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-- Heave up with the roller handspike under the end of the bracket on the side on which the truck is to be removed; handspikemen pass inside the breeching and place their handspikes under the axletree as near the truck as possible, and, assisted by 5 and 6, lift the gun while the shellman removes the old truck and side-tackleman puts on new one.
Ordnance Instructions for the United States Navy. 1866. Fourth edition. United States. Navy Dept. Bureau of Ordnance
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After the laugh had subsided, "Morrie," one of the Rochester detail, who acted as a shellman in the crew of Number Eight, said seriously:
A Gunner Aboard the "Yankee" Russell Doubleday 1910
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Numbers 2 and 3, respectively second captain and first loader and shellman, were directly behind the corporal.
A Gunner Aboard the "Yankee" Russell Doubleday 1910
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