Sniping in France: With notes on the scientific training of scouts, observers, and snipers

In the cramped, muddy trenches of the Great War, the need for a hidden, precise shot became a matter of life and death. Drawing on his own frontline service and the pressure of 1915‑16, the author explains how British forces came to recognize the German sniper threat and set about building a school for snipers, observers and scouts. He recounts the early attempts with rudimentary telescopic rifles and the growing realization that systematic training could turn a modest skill into a decisive advantage. The narrative is anchored by vivid recollections of the First Army’s Sniping, Observation and Scouting School, where theory met the harsh reality of the front.

The book walks listeners through techniques taught—how to camouflage a loophole, read a battlefield through a scope, and coordinate spotting with infantry. Detailed sketches and photographs illustrate the step‑by‑step construction of mock German trenches, the design of concealed positions, and the discipline required of a sniper‑observer. It offers both a historical record and a readable guide to the art of silent warfare.