lead swinger

lead +‎ swinger

• A pre-First World War nautical term for an easy job aboard a ship, later adopted by Canadian soldiers to refer to those shirking their duties.

lead swinger (plural lead swingers)

1. (derogatory) A person who "swings the lead"
   • 2008, Shock Troops: Canadians Fighting The Great War 1917 - 1918, →ISBN, page 239:

     And indeed, malingerers and "lead-swingers" (a prewar nautical term for an easy job aboard a ship, adopted by soldiers to refer to those shirking their duties) were mixed among the truly sick.
     There was a whole bunch of us - various complaints - some real but most of them "lead swingers," trying to dodge a working party.

• shirker
• malinger
• goldbricker