British sniper deadliest in history

[$harp$hooter]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... niper.html

A Royal Marine has been revealed as the world's most lethal military sniper.
The Briton is understood to have recorded most of his 173 confirmed kills during tours of Afghanistan in 2006/7 and has also served in Iraq.
Most of his killings took place during a six-month tour of Afghanistan and he is said to have hit more than 90 Taliban fighters in a single day, according to The Sun.
His reported death toll puts the corporal, said to be married and from southern England, ahead of US Navy SEAL commando Chris Kyle, who had 160 confirmed kills to make him the most lethal US sniper.
However, sources told the newspaper the British marine's figure of 173 is "conservative", with unconfirmed killings believed to take his total even higher.

The sniper, whose identity has not been disclosed, is understood to have served in the Royal Navy's elite unit for more than a decade.
"He will never talk about it unless he is challenged directly, then he is never boastful of what has happened — but he is not ashamed either," source told the Sun.
"Every shot was judged and balanced, not indiscriminate. He always saw the men between the cross hairs as humans not as targets.
"He is not interested in scores or kill counts. He took no satisfaction in the job he had to do."
They added: "He had a unique job at a unique time. He must be the most lethal sniper in the world. But that is not a title he would seek out or revel in."
Kyle's exploits are the subject of a new film called American Sniper, starring Bradley Cooper.
The Hollywood biopic of Kyle, who was killed in 2013 on a shooting range in the US, has been nominated for two Oscars.

It has been a hit at the US box office, making £166m ($249m) in only three weeks of cinema release.
Many commentators have suggested the popularity of the film in the US market can be attributed to an appetite for "patriotic" war dramas.
However, the Clint Eastwood-directed film has faced criticism that it glorifies murder and serves as war propaganda.
Leading the criticism of the film was Michael Moore, the Left-wing film-maker, who said that his own uncle had been killed by a Japanese sniper in the Second World War.
He described them as “cowards” who did not “believe in a fair fight”. But his remarks were disputed by many veterans, who pointed out that snipers often operate behind enemy lines with only limited chance of back-up if their cover is blown.
America’s First Lady, Michelle Obama, was among those to defend American Sniper against claims of glamorising violence and Islamophobia

[Blackstuff]

Lets just hope the tabloids don't start splashing his photo around

[meles meles]

Mere amateur compared with some...

A Finn, 'The White Death', is generally acknowledged to have chalked up the most kills, over 500 in 100 days during the Winter War against Russia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simo_H%C3%A4yh%C3%A4

[Chuck]

Different rules applied there I would think Badger.

No photos and say no more: we can't have the pacifists and "tea and cake brigade" getting upset can we.

[20series]

Different rules applied there I would think Badger.

No photos and say no more: we can't have the pacifists and "tea and cake brigade" getting upset can we.

[snayperskaya]

Simo Häyhä was born in the municipality of Rautjärvi near the present-day border of Finland and Russia, and started his military service in 1925. His duties as a sniper began during the ‘winter war’ (1939-1940) between Russia and Finland. During the conflict Häyhä endured freezing temperatures up to -40 degrees Celsius. In less than 100 days he was credited with 505 confirmed kills, 542 if including unconfirmed kills, however the unofficial frontline figures from the battlefield places the number of sniper kills at over 800. Besides his sniper kills he was also credited with 200 from a Suomi KP/31 Submachine gun, topping off his total confirmed kills at 705.How Häyhä did all this was amazing. He was basically on his own all day, in the snow, shooting Russians, for 3 months straight. Of course when the Russians caught wind that a s*** load of soldiers were being killed, they thought ‘well this is war, there’s bound to be casualties’. But when the generals were told that it was one man with a rifle they decided to take a bit of action. first they sent in a counter-sniper. When his body was returned they decided to send in a team of counter-snipers. When they didn’t come back at all they sent in a whole goddamn battalion. They took casualties and couldn’t find him. Eventually they ordered an artillery strike, but to no avail. You see Häyhä was clever, and this was his neck of the woods. He dressed completely in white camouflage. He used a smaller rifle to suit his smaller frame (being 5ft3) increasing his accuracy. he used an iron sight to present the smallest possible target (a scoped sight would require the sniper to raise his head for sighting). He compacted the snow in front of the barrel, so as not to disturb it when he shot thus revealing his position. He also kept snow in his mouth so his breath did not condense and reveal where his was. Eventually however his was shot in the jaw by a stray bullet during combat on March 6 1940. He was picked up by his own soldiers who said half his head was missing. He didn’t die however and regained consciousness on the 13th, the day peace was declared. Once again total kills…. 505 sniper + 200 submachine = 705 total Confirmed Kills…all in less that 100 days.

[Blighty]

The description of how the Brit feels reads very much like a press release.

Simo is part of the reason why I collect Finnish Mosins. Wee fella really was amazing. I do question though his confirmed kill count. He worked alone so who was confirming? If it is correct then bear in mind that it was during the 'Winter War' when daylight only lasted for four hours or so.

Sadly his rifle was left behind when he was shot in an area that is now Russia.

[Chuck]

Sadly his rifle was left behind when he was shot in an area that is now Russia.

Just resisting temptation to say his face is now Russia???

[meles meles]

As was said by the commander of the Russian forces committed to Finland, "We took barely enough land to bury our dead."

[Charlie Muggins]

No photos and say no more: we can't have the pacifists and "tea and cake brigade" getting upset can we.

I think the "beards and pajamas" division would be more of a concern.