Sniping in the Great War

Book excerpt: A military history analyzing the evolution of sniper warfare during WWI by the firearms expert and author of Eastern Front Sniper. From the sharpshooters of the American Civil War to Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, military snipers are legendary for their marksmanship and effectiveness in battle. The specialized role of the sniper developed among the ranks of the British Army over the course of World War I. As Martin Pegler shows in this wide-ranging study, the technique of sniping adapted rapidly to the conditions of static warfare that prevailed through much of the conflict. Pegler’s account follows the development of sniping from the early battles of 1914, through the trench fighting and the attritional offensives of the middle years, to the renewed open warfare of 1918. Focusing on the British and German sniping war on the western front, Pegler also looks at how snipers operated at Gallipoli, Salonika, and on the Eastern Front. He also covers sniper training, fieldcraft, and counter-sniping measures in detail. Sniping in the Great War includes a full reference section detailing the sniping rifles of the period and assessing their effectiveness in combat. Also featured are vivid memoirs and eyewitness accounts that offer insight into the lethal skill of Great War snipers and their deadly trade.