Matrosses were first used in the British Army in 1639. Before that they were called gunner's assistants. In the German language a matrose means a sailor. The work assigned to the matross was considered sailor's work on a ship. It was an effort to give the assistant a respectable title. But their pay rate remained the same. In 1873 all matrosses were promoted to the rank of gunner. The rank of matross was no longer used.