British Sniper pictures

[Bruce_in_Oz]

Ned:

ECN 146-6

That sort of "on-loan".

[trooper554877]

Ned:

ECN 146-6

That sort of "on-loan".

Ah gotcha mate!!

[MJ1]

A certain Australian infantry battalion used to have an XM-21 kit in their sticky paws. It was a the real deal, complete with the hand-engraved markings, Sionics muffler, and the Leatherwood optics.

When I last saw it about eight years ago, it was a goer. Nobody in the unit knew anything of its history, or even what it was. I got strange looks because I knew exactly what it was.

I have an idea how the Australian troops obtained the rifle because they lifted two M14's a 3/4 ton Dodge 4X4 truck and a 10KW twin generator trailer in March and April 1967. I would say they were very talented at collecting anything not locked up or unguarded. Just having something in your hand did not secure it when they came to visit and we took to escorting Australian visitors at all times,,LOL.

[muffett.2008]

Interesting that you should say that. I had the dubious pleasure of escorting several American groups through our installations to ensure that what was there was still there after the visits.

[Bruce_in_Oz]

Then there is the famous, but probably apocryphal story of the forklift:

One day in South Viet Nam, two diggers in a Mk1 International turn up to a US stores depot with a bunch of paperwork to collect a piece of heavy equipment.

They back the truck up to the dock in the shed and locate the equipment. The only problem is that they have no way of moving the large crate into their truck.

One digger spots a small forklift and then the next problem occurs; the crate is too tall to fit under the canopy. So, off come the canvas and bows.

It then occurs to them that they don't have a forklift at the other end of the journey.

Out come the stencil and red paint. Bingo! The forklift suddenly sports a nice red kangaroo in several locations. The only problem is that they can't put the canopy back on to hide it, not just because of the cargo, but the upright and carriage assembly of their new forklift is also a bit tall.

All they can do is hope.

As they check out at the gate, with the kangaroo-bedecked forklift in plain view, the guard says, "Next time, don't bother bringing a forklift, we have quite a few here!"


As I said, probably apocryphal, but a good "war story" just the same.

[Peter Laidler]

Yep, we did have a red kangaroo on the doors. It used to be white but white made a good aiming mark. I think we stuck to white in Malaya

[MJ1]

If I could have had my way I would have givem anything they wanted for the job they did for us. Crazy bastards asked were we wanted it and told us to get under cover and they laid 105mm airburst 40 meters in the air up down then accross our first line bunkers and wire till sun up. In the official history our company claimed 250 NVA in or near our wire on 150 meter L shapped front. Those Diggers could shoot. But they had nothing to live with, no comforts of anykind. they left us with arms full from socks to cigs all we had. Oh and they did this shoot while defending their guns too. Then we had to rebuild the wire by dark and there wasn't a bit of wire standing or longer than a few feet.

Thank you very muck who ever you were..

......................

...MJ...

[Cold_Zero]

Been poking around in the Library and Archives of Canada again and found this interesting photo:

Online MIKAN no. 4295693
Sniper and observer of the Lovat Scouts, a Scottish regiment that played a prominent part in the invasion of Europe in WW II and who learned their mountain tactics and skiing from Canadian instructors high in the Rockies, Jasper[,Alberta,Canada].

[CINDERS]

Pic #2 looks like a Liberated Hunting rifle if I am wrong excuse my ignorance I know the British in WWI utilised African Game Rifles to bash down the steel loop holes and were disliked by the infantry as there was always to much noise and dust from these things and of course retaliation fire in the form of a good old barrage as there was plenty of artillery there which both sides like to lavish on each other.

Pic #4 one would hope the rifle is unloaded probably not in a war zone but I do not think it is on half cock either looking at the length of firing pin and cocking piece in view and the mag cut off disengaged to boot!

Funny how the world of tactics has changed in various conflicts the snipers were disdained and often shunned as they brought perceived grief if they eliminated the enemy by the barrages the group suffered from the snipers skill.
Now days they are seen as an asset to dominating a battlefield given the weapons they can deploy from the Nato round to the 50 Barrett, 416 Barrett, 375 Cheytac this round is purported to still be supersonic at a range of 2,500 M yes they can and do "do the business".

[Bruce_in_Oz]

4: Lance Corporal A P Proctor, a sniper with 56th Division, cleaning his rifle, 24 November 1943

Was that bloke in a VERY hot zone?

"Cleaning" a rifle that is fully cocked would seem to be a good precursor to:

"March in the guilty Bastard"....left, right, left, right, HALT!!

"Well, Sir, I was cleaning my rifle and it went off".

SLAM, watch your fingers!