letter corporal

letter corporal (plural letter corporals)

1. (now rare) A corporal with responsibility for carrying or delivering letters for a given regiment etc. [from 19th c.]
   • 1861, M Beverley, The Moor Cottage, page 362:

     ‘It will soon go off; pray finish your writing. I met the letter Corporal not far off, he will be here almost immediately.

   • 1867, Private JB, letter, The Wesleyan-Methodist Magazine, Fifth series, vol. XIII:

     I had but just laid down my Bible, when in came the ‘letter corporal,’ saying, ‘Does B— stop here?’ having your letter in his hand.

   • 1884, Edward Dyne Fenton, Military Men I Have Met:

     It was then dropped with much solemnity into the letter-box, so as to be ready for the letter-corporal at early post time.

   • 1910, Mrs De Courcy Laffan, Dreams Made Verity, chapter heading:

     The letter-corporal’s blunder.