WWl Sniper with 1903 and ID of sniper.

[John Beard]

I note with interest that the sniper appears to be wearing a doughboy helmet with chin strap underneath all that netting.

J.B.

Information

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[Alfred]

Various types of iron sights were used in the sniping role well into WW1, in WW2 they'd have been considered "Sharpshooters" rather than Snipers.

The US had telescope sighted rifles available, including periscope sighted rifles with an unfolding pantograph stock that allowed the sniper to take dead aim while his head was below the level of the trench ramparts.

I've read that the vast majority of Japanese "sniper fire" in the Pacific theatre was actually from designated marksmen, chosen more for expendability than talent.
Any wound from by rifle fire from 200 yards away or more was automatically put down to snipers.
Not that the Japanese didn't also have many well equiped and well trained snipers, they certainly did.


PS
Most sniper training was with the standard iron sighted infantry rifle. According to Hesketh-Pritchard in "Sniping in France" the telescoped rifles had an accuracy life of as little as 500 rounds with most losing their edge for long range work after 600 to 1000 rounds due to erosion from the rather primitive propellants and Cupro-Nickel jacketed bullets in use then. Telescoped rifles were to be fired only the few shots necessary to sight them in before going into combat, with no shots wasted for other training purposes.

[togor]

I've read that the vast majority of Japanese "sniper fire" in the Pacific theatre was actually from designated marksmen, chosen more for expendability than talent.
Any wound from by rifle fire from 200 yards away or more was automatically put down to snipers.
Not that the Japanese didn't also have many well equiped and well trained snipers, they certainly did.

In his Pacific War memoir, "Goodbye, Darkness", noted author and former Marine William Manchester describes a duel he had with a Japanese marksman on Okinawa. Both men had iron-sighted rifles, Manchester's being a borrowed M-1. It's a short but highly recommended read, penned in the late 1970's I believe.

[Jim Tarleton]

I note with interest that the sniper appears to be wearing a doughboy helmet with chin strap underneath all that netting.

J.B.

The artillery round favored by the Boche contained iron balls about half the size of a golf ball. Those hard helmets would turn one of these balls unless it was a near hit or a direct perpendicular hit. I have an old Brodie that I shot at an angle with an 03 twice, and both rounds were deflected.

Those guys must have posed that picture, as normally one would have a telescope (not binoculars) and be observing for the shooter.

If the Marines are any indicator, there were one heck of a lot of snipers in the AEF. Most of the time, the snipers were either a Corporal or a Sergeant according to AEF specifications. At least one of the snipers was always a Sergeant.

Jim