guinea pig?

[full-throttl]

hello,

who was known as a guinea pig on a ship?


cheers

[phizzy]

hi there full-throttl, bit of a tricky one this, so bear with me:-
During WW2 there Volunteer Manned Ships in what were known as "Guinea Pig Squadrons" they had the unenviable task of searching out deadly mines that were 'planted' in the bays and channels of Japan, to make the waters safer for the American fleets, these men can be seen in their ships sometimes protected by simply having bed mattresses around them, try this site below for more info.
.
http://www.rpadden.com/200/looking_for_trouble .htm

[Nigse]

Hi Phizzy, full-throttl it goes back a lot further than WWII. According to the Sailor's Word Book : A Dictionary of Nautical Terms by Admiral W.H. Smyth (1867; reprinted by Conway Maritime Press in 1991):

GUINEA-PIGS: The younger midshipmen of an Indiaman

Unfortunately it doesn't say how the term came about. Hope this is useful

[Nigse]

Hi again the OED puts it back even further and, as well as giving Smyth's definition, gives another:

2. Naut. a. A midshipman in the East Indian service. b. An inefficient seaman.

1747 "Adv. Kidnapped Orphan 69" He sent his nephew, at the age of fourteen, on a voyage as a Guinea-pig. 1748 Smollett "Rod. Rand." xxiv, A brave fellow as ever crackt bisket;�none of your guinea pigs. 1840 Marryat "Poor Jack" xxvi, The midshipmen, or guinea pigs, as they are called. 1867 "Smyth Sailor's Word-Bk.", Guinea-pigs, the younger midshipmen of an Indiaman.