WW1 First Army School of Scouting, Observation and Sniping

[Nigel]

This week I was very fortunate to be given an original Manual of Map Reading & Field Sketching 1912 (reprinted 1914). It was given as a gift by Major Underhill to a young 19 year old sniper called Harry Furness whilst attending a course at the Army School of Fieldcraft, Observation and Sniping at Llanberis near Snowdonia in Wales. Harry landed on D-Day with the Green Howards and is probably, at 89, the only surviving British D-Day sniper. Major Underhill was an instructor in WW1 at Hesketh V. Hesketh-Prichard's 1st Army School of Scouting, Observation and Sniping and this manual was used by him to instruct snipers and scouts. These manuals are not that uncommon in the UK but this is the only one I have ever seen embossed in such a way. I'm proud to have known Harry for the past 20 odd years and was very touched when he gave me something that he has kept safe for the last 70 years - a piece of sniping history.

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[FlightRN]

Furness has an amazing history. Maybe one day his exploits will be told.
is the book different in any other way other than the cover?

[Nigel]

No the book itself is bog standard apart from the embossed wording on the cover. Based on the letters that Harry sent me over the years and the questionnaire he completed for me - his story will one day be told by me!

[Surpmil]

So where are Maj. Underhill's papers one wonders?