Q&A ยท 1:59:13-2:00:15

Batmen, naval stewards, and carrier batsmen

An army batman looks after an officer's personal kit, naval stewards provide shipboard support, and carrier batsmen guide aircraft landings.

Question

Do British forces still have batmen or comparable personal attendants?

Short answer

Naval stewards retain a related support role. A carrier batsman is a separate role concerned with guiding aircraft onto the flight deck.

Notes

An army batman looks after an officer's clothing and personal requirements. Naval stewards perform wider housekeeping duties, with a captain's personal steward excused some routine work to look after the commanding officer. Making sure the captain eats is one of those responsibilities. The similarly named carrier batsman guides pilots landing aboard ship.