Sniper in Action Read online

  First published in 2011 by

  Amber Books Ltd

  Bradley’s Close

  74–77 White Lion Street

  London N1 9PF

  United Kingdom

  www.amberbooks.co.uk

  Copyright © 2011 Amber Books Ltd.

  All rights reserved. With the exception of quoting brief passages for the purpose of review no part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written permission from the publisher. The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. All recommendations are made without any guarantee on the part of the author or publisher, who also disclaim any liability incurred in connection with the use of this data or specific details.

  ISBN: 978-1-907446-29-0

  eISBN: 978-1-907446-84-9

  Project Editor: Michael Spilling

  Picture Research: Terry Forshaw

  Designer: Hawes Design

  Additional text: Martin J. Dougherty

  Printed in China

  PICTURE CREDITS:

  Jonathan Alpeyric (CC Attribution Share Alike 3.0 Licence)

  Amber Books

  Art-Tech/Aerospace

  Art-Tech/MARS

  Australian Department of Defence

  Australian War Memorial

  Board of Trustees of the Armouries

  Bridgeman Art Library (Peter Newark’s American Pictures) (Stapleton Collection) (Ken Welsh) (Stapleton Collection)

  Cody Images

  Corbis (Hulton) (Hulton) (Bettmann) (Rob Howard) (EPA/Anja Niedringhaus) (Kate Brooks) (In Pictures/Richard Baker) (Reuters/Paul Saxby) (Reuters/Chris Helgren) (Reuters/Atef Hassan)

  Mary Evans Picture Library (Robert Hunt Library)

  Getty Images (Science and Society) (Hulton) (Hulton) (Ghaith Abdul-Ahad) (Giles Penfound) (AFP/John D. McHugh)

  LEI

  McMillan Group International, LLC

  Press Association Images (Musa Sadulayev) (Zoran Sinko) (Rikard Larma)

  Public Domain

  Topfoto (Novosti)

  Ukrainian State Archive

  U.S. Department of Defense

  Contents

  Introduction

  1. FROM SKIRMISHERS TO SHARPSHOOTERS

  2. SNIPERS IN THE TRENCHES

  3. THE MARKSMAN AND MANEUVER WARFARE

  4. COLD WAR CONFLICTS

  5. THE MODERN SPECIALIST

  Appendices

  Bibliography

  INTRODUCTION

  U.S. Marine Corps scout/snipers at Marine Corps Development and Education Command. Both snipers wear ghillie suits, developed from the camouflage originally used by Scottish ghillies, which enables them to blend effectively with their surroundings and also breaks up their profile. The Marines are equipped with the M40A3 sniper rifle.

  The sniper, as this particular breed of solitary marksman is now called, is the master of many skills. He is first and foremost a marksman and supreme practitioner with a long-range rifle; he is a master of movement–able to maneuver himself into position unseen and remain undetected, often for hours, sometimes for days; he is an expert at camouflage, taking this art way beyond the skills of a regular soldier; and he has a general’s ability to assess ground, fields of fire and the optimum positions to take advantage of all these.

  The common snipe bird, which gives its name to the sniper, is known to be remarkably difficult to find on the ground, because of the way it conceals itself in long grass and its well-camouflaged nest and because of its erratic flight. These skills enable both the snipe and the sniper to survive. Concealment from the enemy mixed with deadly accuracy of aim make the sniper an extremely effective weapon and creates a hugely disproportionate effect on the enemy. A sniper is capable of literally reaching the enemy’s heart with his unseen hand, striking terror into all those around. Not only can the unseen bullets of the sniper keep large numbers of troops pinned down and too afraid to move, they can also eliminate key personnel and thus create an instant impact on the chain of command and morale of the enemy.

  This mortal efficiency has caused the sniper to be respected, feared and loathed. The sniper seems akin to an assassin, although in military terms his aims are no different to any other of the fighting arms. A machine-gunner blazing away may hit targets almost at random. An artilleryman is unlikely to see the effects of his shells. A submarine captain is inured from the terror and devastation wreaked by a torpedo and an airman is similarly detached from the damage and victims below. The cold hand of the sniper, however, has a personal and clinical quality that sets it apart.

  This book will chart the development of the sniper through history, from the early roots of the sniper as a master of fieldcraft and hunting. Those with the skills to stalk animals and shoot them at long ranges, such as the American frontiersmen, possessed the natural skills to hit human targets from concealed positions. The book examines the personal characteristics and motivations of the sniper through the years and highlights some of the leading snipers in history. The book charts the development of sniping in different wars, how it was used by smaller forces to have a disproportionate effect on larger ones and how it was also used by world powers struggling to contain insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan. In between are some of the great battles of World War I and World War II, including the stalemate at Stalingrad when the sniper was king.

  The book also analyzes the tools of the sniper’s trade, from the British Baker and Whitworth rifles of the nineteenth century, through the Lee-Enfield, M-1 Garand, Gewehr 41 and Mosin-Nagant rifles of World War I and World War II to the M82A1 Barrett of the twenty-first century.

  A Soviet sniper of 21st Army on the Stalingrad front in the winter of 1943, wearing a snow camouflage tunic over layers of cold-weather clothing. He carries a Model 1891/30 Mosin-Nagant bolt-action rifle with a x4 magnification PE sight as well as binoculars for observation.

  A member of Morgan’s Sharpshooters, founded by General Daniel Morgan, fires a Pennsylvania rifle during shooting practice. The brown-fringed buckskin coat and trousers provided an element of camouflage while also being practical and easy to move in.

  FROM SKIRMISHERS TO SHARPSHOOTERS

  The name Timothy Murphy may not have the same resonance in American folklore as, say, Daniel Boone but the two had much in common. Both were sons of immigrants from the British Isles–Murphy from Irish and Boone from English and Welsh parents. Both were backwoodsmen and frontiersmen, used to hunting for a living, familiar with the ways of Indian tribes and used to surviving for many days on their own. Both men were emblematic of a young country and of the topsy-turvy approach to authority with which that country liked to associate itself. It was an attitude that would continue in later years to create the legend of the Wild West.

  In the American War of Independence (1776–83), during the defense of the Middle Fort in Schoharic Creek in September 1780 against the forces of the British under Sir John Johnston, Timothy Murphy, although of relatively junior rank, imposed his will on both his own commander and the British who were attempting to parlay. Against the orders of his commander, Murphy fired two shots over the heads of the British truce party, forcing them to withdraw and then threatened to shoot anyone in the fort who attempted to run up a flag of surrender. Although Murphy undermined his commander, who resigned his command, the fort was held. Murphy had demonstrated some of the characteristics of the sniper. Although on this occasion he did not shoot to kill, effectively he held his own forces and the British under the power of his rifle. He showed the independence, resilience and self-confidence of the sniper who can literally call the shots. On another famous occasion Timothy Murphy’s shots would be dead on target and effectively decide the course of a battle.

  MORGAN’S SHARPSHOOTERS

&n
bsp; Daniel Morgan (1736–1802) was a pioneer of Welsh immigrant roots who gave his name to one of the most significant and effective units to fight in the American War of Independence–Morgan’s Sharpshooters.

  This painting shows Morgan’s Sharpshooters at the Battle of Saratoga, one of whom is up a tree (top right), sighting the enemy and preparing to shoot. (By American artist H Charles McBarron.)

  KENTUCKY RIFLE

  Country of Origin North American colonies

  Caliber 15mm (0.60in) approx.

  Overall length 1651mm (65in)

  Barrel length 889mm (35in)

  Weight variable

  In addition to the long barrel, the Kentucky rifle was also rifled by means of spiral grooves cut into the inside of the barrel. This caused the bullet to spin which maintained a more accurate flight on its way to the target.

  Morgan first assembled his team of snipers in 1775 before the siege of Boston. Although Morgan was captured later at the siege of Quebec in Canada in 1775, he returned to active service in 1777 as part of the 11th Virginia Regiment. Later, Morgan took part in the battles of Saratoga, which included the incident involving one of his most famous sharpshooters, Timothy Murphy.

  In the second Battle of Saratoga in October 1777 the British General Burgoyne was supported by General Fraser. Fraser’s men were confronted by Morgan’s Sharpshooters, among whom was Timothy Murphy. It is said that General Benedict Arnold, recognizing the danger from Fraser and his men, went up to General Morgan and ordered him to dispose of Fraser. According to the story, Morgan assigned Timothy Murphy to perform one of the first recorded sniper actions. Murphy is said to have climbed a tree and taken careful aim with his rifle at a range of 275m (300 yards). He squeezed off a shot and the British general fell from his horse, mortally wounded. Murphy is then said to have shot the British officer Sir Frances Clarke. The effect on British morale was immediate and as fatal as the shots that had been so carefully delivered. Resistance began to crumble and the British retreated. Saratoga is considered to be a turning point in the American War of Independence. At the Battle of Cowpens in 1781, Morgan showed his true mettle as a general and made maximum use of the skill of his sharpshooters. The British walked into a devastating fire at long range from Morgan’s Sharpshooters who then reloaded and delivered another volley at short range. The result was a clear American victory.

  The Kentucky Rifle

  Perhaps the weapon that is most emblematic of the American frontiersman is the Kentucky rifle. Sometimes known as the Long Rifle or Pennsylvania Rifle, this weapon probably originated with German immigrant gunsmiths and was characterized by a long barrel that could be between 89–127cm (35–50in). The reason for the long barrel was to provide better accuracy over long ranges. In the huge expanses in which the frontiersmen operated, accuracy at long range was at a premium.

  Rifling, the long barrel and a relatively narrow bore gave the Kentucky rifleman a range of about 275m (300 yards), which gave him a huge advantage in approaching game unawares. It goes without saying what advantage an unseen rifleman could have over an approaching human enemy. As the American settlers could not always match the advancing British columns of troops head on, they compensated by using highly accurate fire while the British were in their range but when they were out of range of British fire. Accurate fire from a Kentucky rifle could knock out a man at 228m (250 yards) whereas the British standard-issue Long Land Pattern “Brown Bess” musket only had an effective range of 46–91m (50–100 yards).

  FERGUSON’S RIFLE CORPS

  Good shooting skills were not confined to the American frontiersmen, however. Major Patrick Ferguson (1744–80) was a Scottish officer who served in the 70th Foot and was an early exponent of light infantry tactics. He also gave his name to a novel breech-loading rifle that made the task of firing and reloading from concealed positions much easier. Although the rifle was only produced in limited numbers and had several defects, it proved to be a groundbreaking design and was later perfected by other manufacturers.

  A British soldier of the Peninsular War manning a redoubt carries the “Brown Bess” British Land Pattern flintlock musket. As this only had an effective range of up to 91m (100 yards), riflemen were issued with the more accurate Baker rifle.

  Like his adversary, Morgan, Ferguson organized a group of men drawn from various light infantry units called Ferguson’s Rifle Corps. The rifle corps was eventually disbanded because of the number of casualties it suffered. The reason for this was simple: they were always in the thick of the action.

  It is said that Ferguson once had none other than General George Washington in his rifle sights but that he chose not to pull the trigger because at the time the General had his back to him, which troubled his sense of fair play. If Ferguson had pulled the trigger, one solitary sniper could have not only changed the course of the American War of Independence but of world history as well.

  THE FRENCH REVOLUTIONARY AND NAPOLEONIC WARS 1792–1815

  Having been given the runaround by the American Revolutionaries and ultimately defeated, the British were not long in learning their lesson. The British Army was relatively small and in the war against revolutionary France they would need to develop the best possible tactics to counter the sheer weight of French columns.

  A new rifle was commissioned, designed by Ezekiel Baker, which, although it did not have the accuracy and range of the Kentucky rifle, at least provided British forces with a more accurate rifle and with greater range than the standard Long Land Pattern “Brown Bess” musket.

  The 95th Rifles

  With the new rifle, and following the initiatives of people like Patrick Ferguson and Colonel Coote Manningham, a new corps of riflemen was introduced, to be known initially as the 95th Rifles. This regiment was distinguished from regular line infantry by wearing a dark green uniform, which made it easier to camouflage themselves. The men were all proficient with rifles and some of them were crack shots. Taking a leaf out of the book of the American sharpshooters, the British riflemen would demoralize and create confusion among advancing French forces by picking off officers and NCOs before they came into contact with the regular troops.

  The 95th quickly became an elite that attracted a strong following from more adventurous and independent-minded young men. After all, the skirmishers were not confined by the formalities of columns and could use more initiative than was possible in serried ranks. “Hurrah for the first in the field and the last out of it, the fighting 95th!” was a cry that attracted men like the Scots farmer’s son John Kincaid whose exploits would later inspire the successful Sharpe series of stories by Bernard Cornwell. To give a sense of the importance of this new regiment, it not only fired the first shots in the first battle of the Peninsular War, which took place in Portugal and Spain from 1808, but it took part in every battle all the way up to and including Waterloo.

  Contrasting with the scarlet uniform of the regular British infantry, a soldier of the 95th Rifles is dressed in dark green uniform with black accoutrements. He has a shoulder belt and carries a Baker rifle which could be fitted with a long brass-hilted sword bayonet.

  “Hurrah for the first in the field and the last out of it, the fighting 95th!”

  The Light Division, of which the 95th was part, also included the Portuguese caçadores–a name that literally means “hunters.” Under Robert “Black Bob” Craufurd, they set up a chain of outposts and communications which enabled them to closely monitor the movements of the enemy and to intervene when necessary. This close knowledge of the ground and ability to observe the enemy unseen is very much the role of the sniper.

  One soldier of the 95th was particularly prominent for his marksmanship. Thomas Plunkett had served with the regiment in a disappointing campaign in South America which included an unsuccessful attack on Buenos Aires. Plunkett is said to have shot a Spanish officer and also a soldier carrying a white flag in an incident reminiscent of his fellow Irishman Timothy Murphy.

  THE FERGUSON RIFLE
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br />   Country of Origin Great Britain

  Caliber 17.27mm (0.68in)

  Overall length 1200mm (47.25in)

  Barrel length 800mm (31.5in)

  Weight 5kg (11lbs) excluding bayonet

  Patrick Ferguson adapted a French design of rifle of 1720 called the de la Chaumette. The redesign involved a breech plug that was lowered by turning the trigger guard. The ball was then inserted, followed by the powder. Any excess of powder was cleared by the screw when it was rotated back into place. This mechanism enabled a much higher rate of fire than with ordinary muzzle-loaders and trained soldiers could fire up to 10 rounds per minute. The Ferguson rifle had some weaknesses, one of which was that the stock was not strong enough and often cracked in the area of the lock.

  Later Plunkett was with the 95th under Sir John Moore on the famous retreat to Corunna in northern Spain. On January 3, 1809, in its usual position of being the last off the battlefield, the 95th was covering the retreat of the British Army, which had become somewhat disorderly. The French pursuers were very close and, as they reached a bridge at Cacabellos in the mountains of Galicia, the French cavalry under their commander Auguste-Marie-François Colbert, attacked. Various accounts suggest that at this point Thomas Plunkett ran out towards the bridge and took up a position where he could aim at the French officer. Plunkett killed Colbert with his first shot and then killed another French officer who came to Colbert’s aid. The effect on the French cavalry was immediate. The shock of losing their commander sent them reeling back and the solitary sniper Thomas Plunkett could return to his grateful comrades who had been saved from a nasty scrap with the enemy.