SNIPING A FINE ART

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 185, 12 July 1940, Page 3

SNIPING A FINE ART

HIGHLY SPECIALISED WORK INITIATIVE A GREAT NECESSITY ■In August, 1914, the Germans li,acini each infantry battalion a number of trained snipers. In the armies of the Allies there was 110 such organisation, and the whole Subject, together Avith the best methods of training, had to be learnt and organised from experience, writes the Bisley correspondent of The Times. To-day the Germans are reported to have over 30 snipers in some battalions and ,a considerable number in all. The Allies also have their sniping organisation, -and behind them is all the experience gained during 1914-18. Among those uninstructed in the art there still exists a fallacy that all that is necessary to produce a sniper is to take a battalion or company shot or, if possible, a King'.s Prize or King's Medal winner and equip him with a rifle fitted with} a telescopic, sight. In fact, though expert markmanship is a necessity in a sniper, it represents not more than about .U) per cent, of his required mental and physical equipment. He is first and foremost a hunter, and both in open Avar fa,re and for work in no man's land the art of stalking has to be developed to a high degree. The sniper with any sort of static position from which to work may, and does, construct a hide just as does the bird photograuher, and., like him, he may ,pccupy that hide with infinite patience for manly hours before getting a chance of a shot. On the. other .hand, like th!e big game hunter, he may have to go after his quarry, pitting his wi,ts against the enemy, suspecting and watching every unusual appearance in the ground or vegetation and using his eyes, ears and nose all 1 the time. The work of the sniper is closely allied to that of the scout. In most armies he is part of the, front-line intelligence organisation and part of his duty is the gathering of information. There is, however, this difference. The scout is solely concerned with' information and getting it back in the quickest possible way, whereas the sniper wiTl usually act on his own information if he can do so to the discomfort of '(he enemy. If, for instance, he can discover a machine-gun nest or the whereabouts of an enemy sniper he will do his best then and there to put them out of action. The scout, with similar information, would send it back at once for the use ethers. Art of Concealment. , One of the chief things the sniper lias to learn is the art of concealment. His dress must enable him to match with the country through which he is moving. He dirties his face and hands, for in almost any light ilesh shows up in a surprising manner. He dirties his rifle al:<o and takes care tb hide the object glass of his telescope by means ol- a long cover. He learns to stay absolutely still for. long periods, and to orawl an inch at a time, vising only one hand to pull himsePf along. He learns to make hides so cunningly that he has a wide arc of view from something that looks like a natural feature of the landscape. A good scout is not of necessity a good sniper, but r- sniper must be a .firsti-class scout. The best snipers and also the best scouts are usually country-bred men, but men from the town do develop a flair for the game, and often become second to none at it. To be of any use the sniper must be an enthusiast. Detailing men to sniper duties as one would to the cookhouse is fatal. Snipers must be chosen from those who wish to do the work and have proved themselves capablc of it under instruction.