Quartermaster
The quartermaster was in former German armies on the staff of an army corps of General Staff officer who for utilities ( Logistics was responsible).
Concept formation
The term can be traced back to the root word quarter ([old] French quartier ) as part of an army camp , also meaning “[city] quarter”. In the military , quarter stands for the accommodation of troops in barracks or private houses (billeting). The location quarter is the garrison or the location.
Shift in meaning in English
The English term "quartermaster" was derived in the 18th century from the original meaning below, but received a meaning shift in the British navy , so that today in the English-speaking world in the war and merchant navy, the helmsman's mate is referred to as "quartermaster" and there too is the corresponding rank (compare also the rank of "Quartermaster" in the Russian Navy).
history
In the 16th century the Quartermaster (also: Quartermaker ) was responsible for exploring, preparing and moving into the quarters of a Landsknecht regiment. This included the Landsknechtslager, the marketplace of the sutlers and the baggage warehouse .
The quartermaster was directly subordinate to the colonel and had the same rank as the captains and worked closely with the profoss , the steward and the sergeant . He commanded by the individual troop parked sergeants .
From this later developed in one unit the NCO who had to supervise the clothing, weapons and ammunition, the natural food for the men and the furage reception ; the first boatswain's mate in sea service to oversee the ship's watch.
The next higher rank is called senior quartermaster . Quartermaster-general is the name of the general staff officer closest to the chief of the general staff in individual armies .
Swiss Army
In the Swiss Army, the quartermaster (Qm) has the rank of officer, the technical superior of the fouriers in the battalion . He is responsible for the control and supervision of the accounting in the companies . This area includes all activities that have to do with remuneration, meals, pay and invoice audits. At the battalion level, the quartermaster has the rank of captain . In the same way, another quartermaster is responsible for the subordinate units in the higher formations.
See also
Web links
- Quartermasters Association of the Swiss Army. Archived from the original on January 4, 2012 ; Retrieved June 20, 2013 .