A Batman is a term for an officer's personal servant. It has long been traditional practice in European armies for officer's to have personal servants to relieve them of many daily tasks of personal maintenance such as clothing and shoe/boot care and cleaning, caring for bedding, providing water for personal hygiene, housekeeping of personal quarters, even shopping for food. Officer's, being often from the gentry classes, were accustomed to such services from their family household servants. This carried over to military service. Batmen were regular enlisted soldiers and often volunteered for this special duty. They received their basic pay from the Army. Officer's would usually provide a small additional allowance for their personal services. Don Fehlings Renton, Washington, USA Tel: 425/255-8588 Dfehlings@aol.com