General
tail-end charlie
What does tail-end charlie mean?
The rear gunner sealed into the tail turret of a heavy bomber — Lancaster, Halifax, B-17. Freezing, isolated, and statistically the crewman most likely to die: enemy night fighters made the tail their first target to knock out defensive guns. Life expectancy on Bomber Command tours was brutal, and Tail-end Charlie wore the worst odds of all.
"His grandad flew thirty ops as Tail-end Charlie in a Lanc and somehow came home."
Origin
RAF Bomber Command, WWII. 'Charlie' was generic forces slang for any unnamed bloke.
Frequently asked questions
What does Tail-end Charlie mean?
It refers to the rear gunner in a WWII bomber — the most exposed crewman on the aircraft.
How do you use Tail-end Charlie in a sentence?
"He flew as a Tail-end Charlie, the loneliest and most dangerous seat on the plane."
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