104-524: Master gunner is an appointment of the warrant officer rank in the British and United States armed forces. In the British Army 's Royal Artillery master gunners are experts in the technical aspects of gunnery . They fill advisory rather than command posts. The appointment is split into two classes: Master gunners 2nd and 1st class, both holding the rank of warrant officer class 1 . Formerly there
208-728: A warrant is approved by the service secretary of the respective branch of service. However, appointment to this rank can come via commission by the President , but this is less common. For the chief warrant officer ranks (CW‑2 to CW‑5), these warrant officers are commissioned by the President. Both warrant officers and chief warrant officers take the same oath of office as regular commissioned officers (O-1 to O-10). A small number of warrant officers command detachments , units , activities, vessels, aircraft, and armored vehicles, as well as lead, coach, train, and counsel subordinates. However,
312-601: A Tudor mansion known as Tower Place. (Proof testing of guns and artillery continued at the Woolwich site until the mid-19th century, at which point this activity was (once again) moved to a larger and less populated area: to Shoeburyness on the Essex coast.) The last Master Gunner to reside at Woolwich (Col. George Brown) died in 1702; his successor (Capt. Thomas Silver) already held the office of Master Gunner of Whitehall & St James's Park , and as such he continued to reside in
416-509: A coastal town in the City of Southend-on-Sea , in the ceremonial county of Essex , England; it lies 3 miles (5 km) east of the city centre. It was formerly a separate town until it was absorbed into Southend in 1933. In Saxon times, the area was called Shoebury . Sometime between 1086 and the thirteenth century, it was divided into two parishes called North Shoebury and South Shoebury . The two villages remained small rural settlements until
520-781: A command warrant officer. The senior RN WO is the Warrant Officer of the Royal Navy . Under the Navy Command Transformation Programme, there are now a Fleet Commander 's Warrant Officer and a Second Sea Lord's Warrant Officer, all working with the Warrant Officer of the Naval Service , taking over the roles of the Command Warrant Officers. In 2004, the rank of warrant officer class 2 was introduced. However,
624-655: A designation which survived only until 1964. The most senior RAF warrant officer by appointment, although holding the same rank as other RAF warrant officers (OR9), is the Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force , previously known as the Chief of the Air Staff's Warrant Officer from the post's creation in 1996 until 2021. In the United States Armed Forces , a warrant officer (grade W-1 to W-5)
728-703: A list of all guns in forts, on board ships and elsewhere and monitored their state of readiness, and also had responsibilities for proving guns and gunpowder. Proof testing initially took place in an area known as the 'Artillery Garden' just north of the Tower of London (the Board's headquarters), and the Master Gunner of England was provided with an official residence nearby. As weapons were growing more powerful, however, it became desirable for them to be proved in less populated areas, and this (among other things) led to
832-577: A quarter of a mile long and is sandwiched between the Pig's Bay MoD site and the former Shoeburyness Artillery barracks. Access to the large gravel/grass pay-and-display car park is via Rampart Terrace. The beach is closed when there is live fire at the MOD site. Shoebury Common Beach is bounded to the east by the land formerly occupied by the Shoeburyness Artillery barracks and by Thorpe Bay to
936-431: A ship—let alone how to navigate such a vessel—and relied on the expertise of the ship's master and other seamen who tended to the technical aspects of running the ship. As cannon came into use, the officers also required gunnery experts; specialist gunners began to appear in the 16th century and also had warrant officer status. Literacy was one thing that most warrant officers had in common, and this distinguished them from
1040-463: A total of 44 properties between Grade II and Grade II*, with both parish churches amongst this list. The majority of the listings are on the former garrison site, including the Cart and Wagon Shed heritage and community centre. Pig's Bay is a coastal area in the east of Shoeburyness. The main entrance to the site is at Blackgate Road, Shoeburyness. This is also the gateway to the island of Foulness ,
1144-427: Is a rank or category of ranks in the armed forces of many countries. Depending on the country, service, or historical context, warrant officers are sometimes classified as the most junior of the commissioned officer ranks, the most senior of the non-commissioned officer (NCO) ranks, or in a separate category of their own. Warrant officer ranks are especially prominent in the militaries of Commonwealth nations and
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#17327718452581248-537: Is a 25-hectare nature reserve managed by the Essex Wildlife Trust (EWT). Other parks include Shoeburyness Park, Friars Park, Bishopsteignton Park, Shoebury Common and St. Mary's Nature Reserve. A skate park is located in Anson Chase. Shoebury Garrison is one of Southend's 14 listed conservation areas, being first designated in 1981 before a further extension in 2004. Historic England have listed
1352-473: Is a medieval timber-framed house with an 18th-century brick frontage and other alterations. Other historical properties include Suttons, a Grade II listed manor house that was built in 1681, which is now on the most endangered list of Historic England. South Shoebury has also been called under is parish name of Shoebury Magna (in Latin Magna Shoberi ) or Greater Shoebury . South Shoebury
1456-586: Is above the rank of staff sergeant, and below the rank of cadet lieutenant. It is the highest rank a cadet can attain in the NCDCC while they are in secondary school. The rank insignia is one point-up chevron, a Singapore coat of arms , and a garland below. In the Singapore Armed Forces , warrant officers begin as third warrant officers (3WO), previously starting at the rank of second warrant officer, abbreviated differently as WO2 instead. This rank
1560-685: Is combined with the officers' mess. Warrant officers have similar responsibilities to commissioned officers. Warrant officers are usually addressed as " encik " ("mister" in Malay language) or as "warrant (surname)" or " encik " (surname). Exceptions to this are those who hold appointments. Warrant officers holding the appointment such as commanding officer (CO) and officer commanding (OC) are to be addressed as "sir" by other ranks , and those holding sergeant major appointments such as regimental sergeant major (RSM), company sergeant major (CSM), formation sergeant major (FSM), institute sergeant major (ISM) and
1664-724: Is defined as "the vague feeling of uncomfortableness caused by sitting on a bus seat still warm from someone else's bottom". Shoeburyness is referenced in the Billy Bragg song "A13 Trunk Road to the Sea" and in the Ian Dury song " Billericay Dickie ". Shoeburyness was featured in the Viral Marketing for the Universal Pictures 2022 American science fiction action film sequel Jurassic World Dominion , with
1768-559: Is given to former specialists who have attained the rank of master sergeant and have either gone through, or are about to go through the Warfighter Course at the Specialist and Warrant Officer Advanced School (SWAS) in the Specialist and Warrant Officer Institute (SWI). In order to be promoted to a second warrant officer (2WO) and above, they must have been selected for and graduated from the joint warrant officer course at
1872-400: Is incorrect. The rank immediately below WO2 is staff sergeant (or colour sergeant ). From 1938 to 1940 there was a WOIII platoon sergeant major rank. In March 2015, the new appointment of Army Sergeant Major was created, though the holder is not in fact a warrant officer but a commissioned officer holding the rank of captain. The creation of the appointment of command sergeant major
1976-571: Is only held by one person at a time. WOGJ (Warrant Officer Junior Grade) are responsible for a many number of tasks. Primarily responsible for painting company logo on the side of all aircraft. Warrant officer is the lowest junior commissioned officer rank in the Bangladesh Army and Bangladesh Air Force , ranking below senior warrant officer and master warrant officer . In the Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force ,
2080-534: Is ranked as an officer above the senior-most enlisted ranks , as well as officer cadets and officer candidates , but below the officer grade of O‑1 (NATO: OF‑1). All warrant officers rate a salute from those ranked below them; i.e., the enlisted ranks. Warrant officers are highly skilled, single-track specialty officers, and while the ranks are authorized by Congress, each branch of the military selects, manages, and utilizes warrant officers in slightly different ways. For appointment to warrant officer (W-1), normally
2184-454: Is served by two supermarkets, Asda and Lidl . Shoeburyness has several industrial estates, with Towerfield Road, Vanguard Way and Campfield Road serving the area. The town is served by five doctors surgeries and three dentists, with its nearest hospital located at Southend University Hospital . There is only one tier of local government covering Shoeburyness, being the unitary authority of Southend-on-Sea City Council . Shoeburyness
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#17327718452582288-535: Is split into West Shoebury and Shoeburyness wards, which are both represented by three councillors. Shoebury was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086, having a population of 33 and lying in the Rochford Hundred. Some time after 1086, the separate parishes of North Shoebury and South Shoebury were created. In Wakering Road, north of Constable Way stands a marker where the historical boundary between
2392-609: Is the Navy's only rank appointed by warrant and is equivalent to the Army's WO1, and the RAAF's warrant officer. The most senior non-commissioned member of the Navy is the Warrant Officer of the Navy (WO-N), an appointment that is only held by one person at a time. The Australian Army has two warrant officer ranks: warrant officer class two (WO2) and warrant officer class one (WO1), the latter being senior in rank. The equivalent rank of WO2 in
2496-664: Is the only secondary school within the town and incorporates a sixth form, while primary education is delivered by St George's Catholic Primary School, Friars Primary School, Hinguar Community Primary School, Richmond Avenue Primary and Nursery School and Thorpedene Primary School & Nursery. Shoeburyness Leisure Centre in Delaware Road provides a swimming pool, gym and indoor courts. Shoeburyness formerly had an operating cinema, The Palace in Ness Road which opened in 1913 and closed in 1955. Gunners Park and Shoebury Ranges
2600-563: Is the site of a defence boom , built in 1944, to prevent enemy shipping and submarines from accessing the River Thames . This replaced an earlier, similar boom built 100 yards (91 m) east. After the war, artillery and other regiments continued to be garrisoned at Shoebury until 1976 when the garrison headquarters closed. Up and to the early 1980s, the Shoebury's were still two distinctive villages, separated by farm land. During
2704-529: The 1st Cavalry Division (1st Cav). "Master gunners are trained in methodology... What it boils down to is knowing the standard and being that person in the unit to enforce the standard, and to make sure that people are qualifying correctly... We're also experts in current gun maintenance so we can troubleshoot and fix a lot of problems and issues that may occur at the range, on the spot, instead of having to fall back to unit mechanics," explained Sergeant 1st Class Nathan Quarberg of 1st Cav. The primary mission of
2808-540: The Air Force Reserve in 1992. Space Force inherited the same lack of warrant officers from the Air Force, although its inaugural Chief Master Sergeant , Roger A. Towberman , stated in a January 2021 interview that Space Force would study the issue and decide whether or not to introduce them. In February 2024, U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff General David W. Allvin announced that the Air Force will re-introduce
2912-603: The Great Seal of the Realm , and were normally for life. Until its dissolution in 1855, the Board (or Office) of Ordnance provided and operated all artillery pieces used in the field of battle and in defensive garrisons. The Master Gunner of England served as the principal technical expert to the Crown in all aspects of artillery. He maintained a register of all certified gunners in the realm and oversaw their training, he maintained
3016-605: The Indian Air Force actually use the ranks of junior warrant officer, warrant officer and master warrant officer. In the British Indian Army , warrant officer ranks existed but were restricted to British personnel, mostly in specialist appointments such as conductor and sub-conductor . Unlike in the British Army, although these appointments were warranted, the appointment and rank continued to be
3120-513: The London, Tilbury and Southend line ( c2c line) is at Shoeburyness railway station , where services run to London Fenchurch Street in the City of London . Shoeburyness Depot is the easternmost depot on the c2c line. The eastern end of the A13 is at Shoeburyness and is the only A Road in the town. Shoeburyness is served by Arriva and Stephensons of Essex bus companies. Shoeburyness High School
3224-520: The Mesolithic period, with Neolithic and Bronze Age stone tools and Beaker pottery having also been discovered. An Iron Age settlement has been found, that had ramparts that were believed to be originally 40ft wide and 12ft tall, with evidence of round houses , ditches and Postholes that is now a Scheduled Monument . The Romans built a fortified settlement called Essobira at the Ness, that
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3328-576: The Normans had introduced rabbits to the area. In comparison, North Shoebury's population in 1894 was just 184. The village of South Shoebury had been built up around the High Street and Rampart Street, but it was not until the 1920s and 1930s that the town grew, with the area known as Cambridge Town being established. The area was named after a local public house called the Duke of Cambridge. The town
3432-601: The SAFWOS Leadership School . Warrant officers rank between specialists and commissioned officers. They ordinarily serve as battalion or brigade regimental sergeant majors . Many of them serve as instructors and subject-matter experts in various training establishments. Warrant officers are also seen on the various staffs headed by the respective specialist officers. There are six grades of warrant officer (3WO, 2WO, 1WO, MWO, SWO and CWO). Warrant officers used to have their own mess. For smaller camps, this mess
3536-875: The South African National Defence Force , a warrant officer (WO) is set apart from those who hold a non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank. Warrant officers hold a warrant of appointment endorsed by the Minister of Defence. Warrant officers hold very specific powers, which are set out in the Defence Act and the Military Defence Supplementary Measures Act. Before 2008, there were two classes – warrant officer class 1 and 2. A warrant officer class 1 could be appointed to positions such as regimental sergeant major, formation sergeant major or Sergeant Major of
3640-420: The U.S. Marine Corps . It requires advanced schooling, and a high degree of skill. Only a few of those entering the training school graduate. The rank and rate of master gunner, along with a distinctive insignia, was used by the U.S. Army during World War I . In the U.S. Army, the master gunner is the technical and tactical experts for their weapon's platform. They advise the commander on everything related to
3744-565: The US Army Aviation Branch become flight warrant officers immediately. In Commonwealth countries, warrant officers have usually been included alongside NCOs and enlisted personnel in a category called other ranks (ORs), which is equivalent to the US "E" category (i.e. there is no separate "W" category in these particular services). In Commonwealth services, warrant officers rank between chief petty officer and sub-lieutenant in
3848-644: The United States . The name of the rank originated in medieval England . It was first used during the 13th century, in the Royal Navy , where warrant officers achieved the designation by virtue of their accrued experience or seniority, and technically held the rank by a warrant , rather than by a formal commission (as in the case of a commissioned officer). Nevertheless, WOs in the British services have traditionally been considered and treated as distinct from non-commissioned officers. Warrant officers in
3952-705: The pace stick , with the sword sheathed during drills and parades. In the Singapore Civil Defence Force , there are two warrant officer ranks. These ranks are (in order of ascending seniority) warrant officer (1) and warrant officer (2). Previously, before the Home Team Unified Rank Scheme was introduced, there were two additional ranks of warrant officer, namely senior warrant officer (1) and senior warrant officer (2). Both ranks are now obsolete, although existing holders of these ranks were allowed to keep their rank. In
4056-405: The 1850s, when a barracks was established in the parish of South Shoebury, later becoming MoD Shoeburyness . A garrison town, known as Shoeburyness, grew around the barracks, taking its name from the ness on the coast at the southern end of the parish. Shoeburyness railway station opened in 1884, as the eastern terminus of the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway . The parish of South Shoebury
4160-523: The 18th and 19th centuries detachments of ' invalids ' (usually war-wounded artillerymen) often fulfilled this task; otherwise, the master gunner would have to try to recruit regular artillery from a nearby garrison (or else local militiamen, volunteers or even civilians might be seconded). A list of 1824 records 59 master gunners at separate stations around the coast of the British Isles, and 90 'invalids' assisting them. (The number of invalid artillery
4264-416: The 18th century they fell into two clear categories: on the one hand, those privileged to share with the commissioned officers in the wardroom and on the quarterdeck ; and on the other, those who ranked with more junior members of the ship's crew. Somewhere between the two, however, were the standing officers , notable because, unlike the rest of the ship's company, they remained with the ship even when she
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4368-600: The 1970s, a study by Southend Borough Council identified a lack of retail availability in the east of the borough. North Shoebury was identified as the site, with a supermarket of 50,000 square feet planned at its centre. Before any development took place, Essex County Council Archaeology Section of the Planning Department and Southend Museum started the North Shoebury Project in 1980 under the guidance of John Wymer , whose digs established that
4472-522: The Admiralty suspected magnetic mines were being used. The heroic recovery of an intact mine on 23 November 1939, by Lieutenant Commanders Ouvry and Lewis from HMS Vernon made it possible for the Navy to study it and devise countermeasures to neutralise it; among these were the degaussing cables installed in merchant ships in Allied and British fleets, and, of course, wooden minesweepers . East Beach
4576-405: The Army master gunner is to aid and assist commanders at all echelons in the planning, development, execution, and evaluation of all crew-served weapons related training (individual, crew, and collective). The master gunner's specific duties are directed by the commander. Examples of their duties are: The master gunner's main responsibilities are listed above, but may change in scope, depending on
4680-509: The Army or Warrant Officer of the Navy. In 2008, five new warrant officer ranks were introduced above warrant officer class 1: senior warrant officer (SWO), master warrant officer (MWO), chief warrant officer (CWO), senior chief warrant officer (SCWO) and master chief warrant officer (MCWO). In the South African Police Service , there is only a single warrant officer (WO) rank. In 1973, warrant officers reappeared in
4784-646: The Army. In 1939, the RAF abolished the rank of WOII and retained just the WOI rank, referred to as just warrant officer (WO), which it remains to this day. The RAF has no equivalent to WO2 (NATO OR-8), an RAF WO being equivalent to WO1 (NATO OR-9) and wearing the same badge of rank, the Royal coat of arms. The correct way to address a warrant officer is "sir" or "ma'am" by airmen and "mister or warrant officer -surname-" by officers. Most RAF warrant officers do not hold appointments as in
4888-707: The Common to Thorpe Hall Avenue, while in the same year local landmark Uncle Toms Cabin was built on the Common. At the beginning of the Second World War , the depositing of a magnetic ground mine in the mud at the mouth of the Thames by the Luftwaffe was observed at Shoeburyness. Various sinkings of ships near the English coast in the preceding months were thought by many to be due to U-boat torpedoes, though
4992-633: The Crown in the 1670s purchasing an area of open land known as the Warren, at Woolwich in Kent, on the south bank of the Thames (the area soon developed into a centre for arms manufacture, and was later renamed the Royal Arsenal ). In 1685 the Artillery Garden was sold, and the Master Gunner himself moved to the Warren, where he was housed on site (along with the local Ordnance Storekeeper) in
5096-593: The Gun House by the Park. The office of Master Gunner of Great Britain became obsolescent after the Board of Ordnance established its Regiment of Artillery at Woolwich in 1716; in that year, the Master-General recommended its abolition as part of a series of economies, and it disappeared with the death of the last incumbent (Col. James Pendlebury RA) in 1731. So long as Ireland was under British rule, there
5200-556: The Navy is now chief petty officer , and the RAAF equivalent of the Army's WO2 is now flight sergeant , although in the past there were no equivalents. All warrant officers are addressed as "sir" or "ma'am" by subordinates. To gain the attention of a particular warrant officer in a group, they can be addressed as "Warrant Officer Bloggs, sir/ma'am" or by their appointment, e.g. "ASM Bloggs, sir/ma'am". Some warrant officers hold an appointment such as company sergeant major (WO2) or regimental sergeant major (WO1). The warrant officer appointed to
5304-461: The North by Great Wakering which is part of Rochford District . The MoD Shoeburyness site at Pig's Bay is situated nearby and the facility is run by the company QinetiQ . The Garrison site is now part of a conservation area set up by Southend City Council. Shoeburyness has two beaches: East Beach and Shoebury Common Beach, both Blue Flag beaches . East Beach is a sandy/pebbly beach around
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#17327718452585408-650: The RN did before. The most senior Royal Marines warrant officer is the Corps Regimental Sergeant Major . Unlike the RN proper (since 2014), it retains both WO ranks. The Royal Air Force first used the ranks of sergeant major first and second class as inherited from the Royal Flying Corps , with the rank badges of the Royal coat of arms and the crown respectively. In the 1930s, these ranks were renamed warrant officer class I and II as in
5512-593: The RNZAF is addressed as "sir" or "ma'am". Previously an aircrew warrant officer was known as master aircrew; however this rank and designation is no longer used. The RNZAF also has a post of Warrant Officer of the Air Force (WOAF), the most senior warrant officer position in the RNZAF. There is also the Warrant Officer of the Defence Force (WODF). This appointment is held by a warrant officer class one (if
5616-430: The Royal Coat of Arms in 1976) for a WO1; and the Australian Commonwealth Coat of Arms surrounded by a laurel wreath for the RSM-A. The Royal Australian Air Force rank of warrant officer (WOFF) is the RAAF's only rank appointed by warrant and is equivalent to both the Army's WO1 and the Navy's WO. The most senior non-commissioned member of the RAAF is the Warrant Officer of the Air Force (WOFF-AF), an appointment that
5720-544: The Royal Navy, but these appointments followed the army model, with the new warrant officers being ratings rather than officers. They were initially known as fleet chief petty officers (FCPOs), but were renamed warrant officers in the 1980s. They rank with warrant officers class one in the British Army and Royal Marines and with warrant officers in the Royal Air Force. There are executive warrant officers for commands and ships. Five branches (surface ships, submarines, Royal Marines, Fleet Air Arm, and Maritime Reserves) each have
5824-511: The Royal Navy, by the Second World War there were warrant officers and commissioned warrant officers (e.g. staff sergeant majors , commissioned staff sergeant majors, Royal Marines gunners, commissioned Royal Marines gunners, etc.). As officers, they were saluted by junior ranks in the Royal Marines and the army. These all became (commissioned) branch officer ranks in 1949, and special duties officer ranks in 1956. These ranks would return in 1972, this time similar to their army counterparts, and not as
5928-502: The Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA) are to be addressed as "sergeant major" by other ranks. Also, all warrant officers holding the rank of chief warrant officer (CWO) are to be addressed as "sir" by other ranks. Since all warrant officers are non-commissioned officers, they are not saluted. Although ceremonial swords are usually reserved for commissioned officers , warrant officers of the rank of master warrant officer (MWO) and above are presented with ceremonial swords, but continue to carry
6032-424: The Swein of Essex, son of Robert FitzWimarc . The parish church of South Shoebury, St. Andrew was originally constructed in the 12th century under the control of Prittlewell Priory , with the West Tower being added in the 15th century and the South porch in the 16th century. The church was restored during the 19th century by renown architect Sir Charles Nicholson . The manor house, known as South Shoebury Hall,
6136-492: The United States are classified in rank category "W", which is distinct from "O" (commissioned officers) and "E" ( enlisted personnel ). However, chief warrant officers are officially commissioned, on the same basis as commissioned officers, and take the same oath. US WOs are usually experts in a particular technical field, with long service as enlisted personnel; in some cases, however, direct entrants may become WOs—for example, individuals completing helicopter pilot training in
6240-451: The area had continuous human habitation from the Mesolithic period. The planned store became the ASDA supermarket, which opened in 1981, while one of the former farm barns became the Parsons Barn public house. This was joined by the Bishopsteignton housing development, that was completed between 1981 and 1988. The site was the former farm of listed building, the White House, which had been sold in 1919 to Southend Estates Company. Following
6344-421: The army or Royal Marines; the exception to this is the station warrant officer, who is considered a "first amongst equals" on an RAF station . Warrant officer is the highest non-commissioned rank and ranks above flight sergeant. In 1946, the RAF renamed its aircrew warrant officers to master aircrew, a designation which still survives. In 1950, it renamed warrant officers in technical trades to master technicians,
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#17327718452586448-412: The artillerymen took charge of aiming and firing the guns; but within each fortification, the master gunner retained responsibility for gun maintenance and preparation, and for the safe storage and supply of ammunition. They were also responsible for firing gun salutes , and other routine tasks. To carry out these duties, each master gunner had to recruit a team of 'district gunners' to serve under them: in
6552-419: The bricks to London , which up to World War II brought refuse back that was used to power the brick kilns, pumping out nasty fumes. In 1866, the Gas Light & Coke Company built a gas works to supply the Garrison, which a private company was then formed to manage the supply to Shoeburyness, which subsequently was taken over by Shoeburyness Urban District Council. The council was created in 1894, separating
6656-450: The cadre of warrant officers includes the specific ranks of warrant officer ( adjudant in French), master warrant officer ( adjudant-maître ), and chief warrant officer ( adjudant-chef ). Before unification in 1968, there were two ranks of warrant officer (WO2 and WO1) in the Canadian Army and RCAF that followed the British structure. Junior commissioned officers are the Indian Armed Forces equivalent of warrant officer ranks. Those in
6760-407: The civil and ecclesiastical side of the parish, until it was absorbed into Southend Borough in 1933 which also absorbed the former North Shoebury parish. In between the two World Wars, Shoeburyness became a popular holiday resort, with a blacksmiths sitting next to the beach until the 1930s being a regular source of entertainment. In 1928, the Southend Recorder reported that tents stretched from
6864-415: The civil parish containing the urban district continued to be called "South Shoebury". In 1931 the parish had a population of 6720. In 1933 both Shoeburyness Urban District Council (which managed the South Shoebury civil parish) and North Shoebury civil parishes were abolished and absorbed into the County Borough of Southend on Sea , except for a more rural eastern part of the old North Shoebury parish which
6968-400: The closure of the Old Ranges in 1998 the old garrison land and buildings were sold, and in 2000 redevelopment of the site to housing started. In 2022, a heritage centre was opened on the former garrison after 35 years of campaigning. Shoeburyness sits on the Thames Estuary and is at the far east of the district of Southend-on-Sea , bordered to the west by Thorpe Bay at Maplin Way and to
7072-480: The common seamen: according to the Admiralty regulations, "no person shall be appointed to any station in which he is to have charge of stores, unless he can read and write, and is sufficiently skilled in arithmetic to keep an account of them correctly". Since all warrant officers had responsibility for stores, this was enough to debar the illiterate. In origin, warrant officers were specialist professionals whose expertise and authority demanded formal recognition. In
7176-410: The education of boys, midshipmen and others aboard ship) and clerks. Masters-at-arms , who had formerly overseen small-arms provision on board, had by this time taken on responsibility for discipline. By the end of the century, the rank structure could be illustrated as follows (the warrant officers are underlined): In 1843, the wardroom warrant officers were given commissioned status, while in 1853
7280-483: The fifth Temeraire novel Victory of Eagles (2008) by Naomi Novik , Shoeburyness is the setting of a fictitious climactic battle in which Wellesley and Nelson drive Napoleon out of England in early 1808. Shoeburyness is home to "the commuter", protagonist in the eponymous song and music video by Ceephax Acid Crew . Shoeburyness is one of the better-known entrants in Douglas Adams ' and John Lloyd 's 1990 spoof dictionary The Deeper Meaning of Liff . It
7384-415: The incident once the inquiry had been completed. The English painter J. M. W. Turner depicted the fishermen of Shoeburyness in his oil painting Shoeburyness Fishermen Hailing a Whitstable Hoy . The painting was exhibited in 1809, and was part of a series Turner made of the Thames estuary between 1808 and 1810. The painting has been in the collection of the National Gallery of Canada since 1939. In
7488-508: The level that he is assigned. The master gunner should not be assigned additional duties other than those listed here. Unit gunnery training programs need a great deal of attention to be effective. Works closely with the master gunners at lower echelons to ensure standards are uniform throughout the training programs. Develops the crew evaluator certification program. Provides any new information on ways to improve training. Helps develop and upgrade range facilities. Ensures continual education of
7592-506: The lower-grade warrant officers were absorbed into the new rate of chief petty officer , both classes thereby ceasing to be warrant officers. On 9 July 1864 the standing warrant officers were divided into two grades: warrant officers and chief warrant officers (or "commissioned warrant officers", a phrase that was replaced in 1920 with "commissioned officers promoted from warrant rank", although they were still usually referred to as "commissioned warrant officers", even in official documents). By
7696-522: The master gunners in the battalion. Helps the battalion commander and command sergeant major select master gunner school candidates. Develops new training techniques to improve crew training. Coordinates with the regiment for training assets. Certifies vehicle crew evaluators. Certifies range safety personnel. Coordinates with the battalion S3 to secure company gunnery training assets. Trains crew evaluator. Assists in troubleshooting and maintenance of weapons. Warrant officer Warrant officer ( WO )
7800-429: The navy, between staff sergeant and second lieutenant in the army, and between flight sergeant and pilot officer in the air force. The warrant officer corps began in the nascent Royal Navy , which dates its founding to 1546. At that time, noblemen with military experience took command of the new navy, adopting the military ranks of lieutenant and captain . These officers often had no knowledge of life on board
7904-580: The population of South Shoebury stood at 151, but just ten years later the census had shown the population had grown to 1,502. The growth in population was caused by the opening of nearby brickfields by the Frapping family, and the construction of the Artillery Barracks that was the start of Shoebury Garrison . Prior to the Garrison's arrival the land had been home to several warrens, after
8008-576: The position of Regimental Sergeant Major of the Army (RSM-A) is the most senior enlisted soldier in the Australian Army and differs from other Army warrant officers in that their rank is just warrant officer (WO). The appointment of RSM-A was introduced in 1983. The rank insignia are: a crown for a WO2 (or a crown in a square on AMCU (camouflage uniform) rank slides); the Australian Commonwealth Coat of Arms (changed from
8112-503: The position of Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA). The Royal New Zealand Navy has a single warrant officer rank, addressed as "sir" or "ma'am". This rank is equivalent to the Army WO1. The RNZN's highest title that a WO holds is the 'Warrant Officer of the Navy'. The Royal New Zealand Air Force also has a single warrant officer rank, equivalent to the Navy warrant officer, and the Army warrant officer class 1 (WO1). A warrant officer in
8216-498: The rank was phased out in April 2014, but is being reinstated for non-technical and technical branches of the Royal Navy in 2021. In the British Army , there are two warrant ranks, warrant officer class two (WO2) and warrant officer class one (WO1), the latter being the senior of the two. These ranks were previously abbreviated as WOII and WOI (using Roman instead of Indo-Arabic numerals). "Warrant officer first class" or "second class"
8320-713: The recipient originated from the New Zealand Army), or warrant officer (if the recipient originated from the Royal New Zealand Navy or the Royal New Zealand Air Force). The rank of warrant officer is the highest rank a Boys' Brigade boy can attain in secondary school . The rank of warrant officer is given to selected non-commissioned officers in National Civil Defence Cadet Corps units. It
8424-765: The same and the actual rank of warrant officer was never created. Indian equivalents were viceroy's commissioned officers . In the Malaysian Armed Forces , warrant officers ( Malay : pegawai Waran ) are the highest ranks for non commissioned officers. The New Zealand Army usage is the same as the British Army, having two ranks: warrant officer class two (WO2), addressed as "sergeant major", and warrant officer class one (WO1), addressed as "sir" or "ma'am". There are also appointments such as company and squadron sergeant major (CSM and SSM) which are usually WO2 positions and regimental sergeant major (RSM), which are usually WO1 positions. The highest ranking WO1 holds
8528-536: The same status as Royal Navy warrant officers and the rank of warrant officer class II was abolished in the Royal Marines, with no further promotions to this rank. The marines had introduced warrant officers equivalent in status to the Royal Navy's from 1910 with the Royal Marines gunner (originally titled gunnery sergeant-major), equivalent to the navy's warrant rank of gunner. Development of these ranks closely paralleled that of their naval counterparts: as in
8632-431: The sidings at Network Rail 's Shoeburyness c2c electrical multiple unit depot by means of two unmanned level crossings across Shoeburyness High Street and Blackgate Road, respectively. The front locomotive of the passenger train involved in the 1997 Southall rail crash – when an InterCity 125 train collided with a freight train, killing seven people – was scrapped here, being cut up by Serco three years after
8736-479: The third largest island off the coast of England. The bay is the site of MoD Shoeburyness , a military installation established in 1849 and which is still used as a firing range. The Bay is home to Shoeburyness Boom , a World War II and Cold War defensive boom that is a Scheduled Monument. One of the other uses of the site is the storage and scrapping of old railway vehicles. It has its own private railway network, stretching for around six miles, linked to one of
8840-472: The time of the First World War , their ranks had been expanded with the adoption of modern technology in the Royal Navy to include telegraphists , electricians , shipwrights , artificer engineers , etc. Both warrant officers and commissioned warrant officers messed in the warrant officers' mess rather than the wardroom (although in ships too small to have a warrant officers' mess, they did mess in
8944-634: The two civil parishes existed. When parish and district councils were established in December 1894, the parish of North Shoebury was included within the Rochford Rural District whilst the parish of South Shoebury was made an urban district. One of the first actions of the new urban district council was to request a change in the council's name from South Shoebury to Shoeburyness. The change of name took effect in January 1895. The name of
9048-596: The use and upkeep of one or more guns. The term gradually fell out of use on board ship (where the term 'gunner' took its place), and in the field (where the command structure of artillery trains took precedence). It remained in use, however, in coastal fortifications, from the time of Henry VIII through to 1956 when Britain's coastal artillery network was disbanded. Initially, master gunners had executive command of their guns in times of battle, but this responsibility ceased when commissioned Artillery officers began to be appointed to coastal forts and garrisons. Thereafter,
9152-460: The vehicle platform and weapon's system. They also develop training materials to conduct gunnery and live-fire exercises. "I rely on my master gunners. I probe them for information based on how best to maintain our weapons as well as train our crews... They are there every step of the way from the time we put those crews together until the time we qualify them...," said Captain Kevin Zhang of
9256-400: The wardroom). Warrant officers and commissioned warrant officers also carried swords, were saluted by ratings , and ranked between sub-lieutenants and midshipmen . In 1949, the ranks of warrant officer and commissioned warrant officer were changed to "commissioned officer" and "senior commissioned officer", the latter ranking with but after the rank of lieutenant, and they were admitted to
9360-411: The wardroom, the warrant officers' messes closing down. Collectively, these officers were known as "branch officers", being retitled "special duties" officers in 1956. In 1998, the special duties list was merged with the general list of officers in the Royal Navy, all officers now having the same opportunity to reach the highest commissioned ranks. The Royal Australian Navy rank of warrant officer (WO)
9464-508: The warrant officer rank within the information technology and cyber fields as a way to maintain technical leadership with those skills. The first class of 78 future warrant officers were selected in August and began training at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, in October 2024. Shoeburyness Shoeburyness ( / ˌ ʃ uː b r i ˈ n ɛ s / SHOO -bree- NESS ), or simply Shoebury , is
9568-426: The warrant officer's primary task is to serve as a technical expert, providing valuable skills, guidance, and expertise to commanders and organizations in their particular field. All U.S. armed services employ warrant officer grades except the U.S. Space Force . Although still technically authorized, the U.S. Air Force discontinued appointing new warrant officers in 1959, retiring its last chief warrant officer from
9672-740: The west. Shoebury Common Beach is the site of many beach huts located on both the promenade and the beach. A Coast Guard watch tower at the eastern end of the beach keeps watch over the sands and mudflats while listening out for distress calls over the radio. A cycle path skirts around the sea-front linking the East Beach to Shoebury Common Beach, and thence into Southend and onto Chalkwell , in Westcliff-on-Sea . Shoeburyness does not have an actual town centre. There are parades of shops in West Road, Ness Road and The Renown. The town
9776-465: Was also an appointment of master gunner 3rd class, who held the rank of warrant officer class 2 . The appointment of master gunner should not be confused with that of Master Gunner, St James's Park , who is the ceremonial head of the Royal Regiment of Artillery . The title of master gunner was in use from at least the fourteenth century for the person commanding a team of gunners and directing
9880-449: Was an office of Master Gunner for Ireland. We have the name of at least two holders of the office, Thomas Elliott (died 1595) and Samuel Molyneux (died 1693). In Molyneux's case at least it seems to have been a sinecure . Master gunner, commonly referred to as "Mike Golf," is also an advanced skill of the armor, infantry and artillery branches of the U.S. Army , and the tank and assault amphibious vehicle occupational field (OccFld 18) of
9984-544: Was announced in 2009. Before 1879, the Royal Marines had no warrant officers: by the end of 1881, the Royal Marines had given warrant rank to their sergeant-majors and some other senior non-commissioned officers, in a similar fashion to the army. When the army introduced the ranks of warrant officer class I and class II in 1915, the Royal Marines did the same shortly after. From February 1920, Royal Marines warrant officers class I (renamed warrant officers) were given
10088-617: Was attacked by the British in AD50 under Caratacus and later by Boudica 's rebels. Evidence of Essobira has not been found, however a Roman Kiln was found in 1892, 300 yards from Suttons, a historical house. A further Roman kiln was found in the grounds of the garrison in 1895. The Saxons re-established a settlement in the 6th century, which at this point that the name Shoebury, or in Anglo-Saxon Scobrih, or in Danish, Scabivig
10192-475: Was described by the military historian Patrick Barry as a dreary place... the broadest and most sterile foreshore perhaps in England It was home to the last recorded case of indigenous malaria in the British Isles during the 1930s. The brickfields use to run two narrow railways, that crossed the High Street without a level crossing, to transfer their goods to Thames Barges at East Beach, which took
10296-602: Was first documented. A Camp was built by the Dane Hastein in circa 894, but little remains as the Artillery Barracks were built over part of the site. Shoebury (North and South were recorded as one) was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086, having a population of 33 and sitting within the control of the Rochford Hundred . The land was owned by three different people, Walter; Bishop Odo of Bayeux and
10400-455: Was made an urban district in 1894, which was renamed Shoeburyness in 1895. The urban district of Shoeburyness and parish of North Shoebury were both abolished in 1933, being absorbed into the county borough of Southend-on-Sea. Development during the twentieth century saw the formerly separate settlements of Shoeburyness and North Shoebury absorbed into the built-up area of Southend. The first record of occupation in Shoebury has been found from
10504-682: Was out of commission (e.g. for repair, refitting or replenishment, or whilst laid up); in these circumstances they were under the pay and supervision of the Royal Dockyard . These classes of warrant officer messed in the wardroom with the commissioned officers: In the early 19th century, they were joined in the wardroom by naval chaplains , who also had warrant officer status (though they were only usually present on larger vessels). The standing officers were: Other warrant officers included surgeon's mates, boatswain's mates and carpenter's mates, sailmakers, armourers, schoolmasters (involved in
10608-491: Was prone to flooding and Marsh fever, and in 1530 the parish had to sell St Andrew's bells to pay for repairs to the sea defences. Shoebury Common first appeared as The Great Marsh on a map in 1687, and in 1899 the land owner, Colonel Burges handed the Common to the Shoeburyness Urban District Council for the recreation and benefit of the inhabitants of South Shoebury and others . By 1851,
10712-557: Was set to increase, to 450 by 1859.) It is noted that every master gunner listed had served a minimum of sixteen years in the Royal Artillery prior to being appointed to that position. For some 250 years, an official of the Board of Ordnance held the office of "Master Gunner of England" (Master Gunner of Great Britain after 1707 ). Mention of the office first occurs around 1485–1506; appointments were made by Letters Patent under
10816-517: Was transferred to the parish of Great Wakering . Shoeburyness is part of the Southend East and Rochford constituency, and the current serving Member of Parliament is Bayo Alaba . Shoeburyness is known to be the driest town in England, with an average precipitation of 527mm/20.8in per annum. For comparison, New York City receives well above twice this amount. The eastern terminus of
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