author
Harold E. (Harold Edward) Cloke
1873–1949
Best known for The Gunner's Examiner, he wrote a practical guide for Coast Artillery soldiers that helped turn technical training into something clear and usable. His work sits at the crossroads of military instruction, engineering know-how, and early 20th-century army education.
1 Audiobook
The Gunner's Examiner
by Harold E. (Harold Edward) Cloke
About the author
Harold Edward Cloke (1873–1949) was a U.S. Army officer and technical writer whose name is closely tied to The Gunner's Examiner, a manual first published in 1908. Written while he was a captain in the Coast Artillery Corps, the book was designed to help enlisted men prepare for gunner examinations, and it gathered detailed, hands-on information about artillery equipment, drills, and related military practice.
Available through Project Gutenberg and other library collections today, The Gunner's Examiner has lasted well beyond its original training purpose because of its direct, practical style. Rather than writing for a general audience, Cloke wrote to teach working soldiers exactly what they needed to know, which gives the book a clear and purposeful voice.
Records from the MIT Museum also identify Cloke as a Professor of Military Science and Tactics from 1927 to 1929. That fits the broader picture of a career spent not only serving in the military, but also explaining complex material in a way others could use.