Hot Shots! part un et demi

Unfortunately this is not a sneak preview into the next instalment into the spoof world of Topper Harley. Would have been nice though....

Neither is the following content in any way shape or form a personal view of the current Afghan war. No this is merely a story of extreme marksmanship carried out by a British Army Sniper and I think shows phenomenal skill and training especially when you consider the tour of duty the bloke has had.

Craig Harrison, a member of the Household Cavalry, has had a remarkable tour of duty. He has cheated death when a Taliban bullet pierced his helmet but was deflected away from his skull. He later broke both arms when his army vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb. Harrison was then sent back to the UK for treatment, but insisted on returning to the front line after making a full recovery.

Pay back time....

Harrison and his colleagues were in open-topped Jackal 4x4 vehicles providing cover for an Afghan national army patrol south of Musa Qala in November last year. When the Afghan soldiers and Harrison’s troop commander came under enemy fire, the sniper, whose vehicle was further back on a ridge, trained his sights on a Taliban compound in the distance. His L115A3 long-range rifle, the army’s most powerful sniper weapon, is designed to be effective at up to 4,921ft and supposedly capable of only “harassing fire” beyond that range.

“We saw two insurgents running through its courtyard, one in a black dishdasha, one in green,” he said. “They came forward carrying a PKM machine gun, set it up and opened fire on the commander’s wagon.

“Conditions were perfect, no wind, mild weather, clear visibility. I rested the bi pod of my weapon on a compound wall and aimed for the gunner firing the machine gun.

“The driver of my Jackal, Trooper Cliff O’Farrell, spotted for me, providing all the information needed for the shot, which was at the extreme range of the weapon.”

Harrison killed one machine gunner with his first attempt and felled the other with his next shot. He then let off a final round to knock the enemy weapon out of action.

Harrison discovered that he had set a new record only on his return to UK barracks nine days ago. The previous record was held by Corporal Rob Furlong, of Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, who was using a 12.7mm McMillan TAC-50 rifle.

The distance to Harrison’s two targets was measured by a GPS system at 8,120ft, or 1.54 miles, which is 3,000ft beyond the most effective range of his rifle!! The shooting was at such extreme range that the 8.59mm bullets took almost three seconds to reach their target after leaving the barrel of the rifle at almost three times the speed of sound!!

As a mate of ours quoted 'Holy moley that is some serious call of duty shizzle'

Indeed.

Full story:http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/afghanistan/article7113916.ece

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