Thanks to all who responded with these good ideas and kind comments. We will no doubt use some, if not all of them. We forgot to say in the introduction to this idea that there is one thing that this nomenclature list should not do. Please remember this: Using or Not using the actual names of artillery parts and features is strictly up to the member, so no one, not we, nor should ANYONE else prod, tease, or attempt to cause any other member to use "correct" terms. I may have mentioned the real name of some item in the past, but I stopped that after just two or three, because I asked myself, "Who are you to dictate anything to anyone?" Zulu brings up one suggestion of 'Cap Squares' instead of "trunnion caps" which is also joined by "trunnion straps" and "trunnion plates" and "trunnion clamps". My favorite is "trunnion thingy". Now That really nails it down, doesn't it! Enlightenment is the only stated purpose of this glossary and everyone now knows that fact. Please, Please behave like the adults that you are.
What's the best way to create this list? We will let the moderators tell us the mechanics of this process so that it has the very least impact on their time. They have plenty to do without piling on more!! Whether it is giving us access to this one item in a particular sticky so that we may add terms as we or others suggest them, or some other completely different way, we don't care. We will tell you all right now that it IS NOT the Purpose of this Terminology List to keep this thread on the front page all the time. Actually we would prefer that it fade to the back pages unless some really interesting and unusual item is found by someone.
Also, we would hope to tell you all some really "old time" names for artillery items too. Was there a special name for the process of placing a thirsty cat in the bore of a cannon for the purpose of detecting flaws? This is 15th century stuff, so the records are a bit skimpy. Generally, we have read, it was thought that, if the cat lingered in the bore for more than a few minutes, it was probably lapping up water oozing from cracks within the bore. This was a warning for which the cannoneers were prepared. Out came the long fuzes and the crew went behind an earthen traverse each time the gun was to be fired. A term for this? Who knows.
Let's give the moderators as much time as they need to tell us how we should do this. Thank you all.
Mike and Tracy
P.S. We have been studying the origin of the phrase, "Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey" for almost 20 years now, so be prepared for a whopper of a post on that one, alone. As for the commonly heard phrase, "Fire in the hole", you may be surprised about the true origin of that one. I have a leg up on most of you, in that my father-in-law told me a whole lot about being a "powder man" in the gold and silver mines in western Colorado in the 50s, 60s and 70s. We also have some 'bkk lernan' on that one too!
