Dogsbody
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This is an article about a military rank. For the novel by Diana Wynne Jones, see Dogsbody (novel).
A dogsbody, or less commonly dog robber in the Royal Navy, is a junior officer, or more generally someone who does drudge work. A rough American equivalent would be a "gofer" or "grunt".
History
The Royal Navy used dried peas boiled in a bag as one of their staple foods circa the early 1800s. Sailors nicknamed this vile substance "dog's body". In the early 20th century, junior officers and midshipmen who performed jobs more senior officers did not want to do began to be called "dogsbodys".[citation needed] The term became more common in non-naval usage ca. 1930, coming to refer to people who were stuck with rough work.[citation needed]
Usage
The term dogsbody has not always been derogatory, with a number of people deliberately using it as their callsign or handle. The most famous of these is probably Douglas Bader, who was an RAF fighter pilot during the Second World War.[citation needed]
References
External links
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