Stefan Posted September 22, 2000 Share Posted September 22, 2000 To all allied OOB experts - I see snipers are included in some of the German formations but never in the allied ones (maybe I miised it). - Could someone tell me how the allies "managed" snipers? Was there one per Compnay? One per Platoon?Was it that the best rifleman in a platoon was allocated with a scope and hence became a sniper? Where they attached to the Battalion and allocated on a as-needed basis? Any info from the experts would be great. ------------------ No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redleg Posted September 22, 2000 Share Posted September 22, 2000 According to the FM 7-10 (Infantry Rifle Company) snipers are a company asset. This is current use, I couldent say for sure durring WWII. I would guess that it was the same tho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefan Posted September 22, 2000 Author Share Posted September 22, 2000 Redleg Ok Redleg thanks - Co asset eh?... Can someone check what is was in WWII? Also - how many where they per company? ------------------ No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Aitken Posted September 22, 2000 Share Posted September 22, 2000 Make sure you distinguish between snipers and sharpshooters. ------------------ They lost all of their equipment and had to swim in under machine gun fire. As they struggled in the water, Gardner heard somebody say, "Perhaps we're intruding, this seems to be a private beach." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slapdragon Posted September 22, 2000 Share Posted September 22, 2000 Apparently sharpshooters were an adhoc addition, by drafting an NCO with a good shooting record. US forces did not seem to use actual sniper teams, or at least it did not show up in the biggest Infantry books or in historical accounts. Interestingly, the Germans tried to get snipers banned by the major war conventions. German policy was to execute all snipers caught in uniform or out. About a thousand French soldiers were shot in World War One for being "Francs-Tiruer" (sp?). The German definition of sniper in WW1 and WW2 was anyone who fires a weapon from a hidden location without support from a larger unit. [This message has been edited by Slapdragon (edited 09-22-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefan Posted September 22, 2000 Author Share Posted September 22, 2000 In my books snipers and sharpshooters are the same.... I guess they are not so what is the distinction? Slapdragon - if sharpshooters are adhoc how can they be compnay assets as well? Are there number of speciallized rifles in the co armory? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Scott Clinton Posted September 22, 2000 Share Posted September 22, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>German policy was to execute all sniper caught in uniform or out...The German definition of sniper in WW1 and WW2 was anyone who fires a weapon from a hidden location without support from a larger unit.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Ah, so that is why they shot practically every Russian on sight. ------------------ Please note: The above is solely the opinion of 'The Grumbling Grognard' and reflects no one else's views but his own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slapdragon Posted September 22, 2000 Share Posted September 22, 2000 A sharpshooter is a member of a unit that shoots well. A sniper is a trained shooter who holds a full time job at it. My data is at an end with this: all I have is that some NCOs were selected to act as sharpshooters if and when it was needed. Also: many special sniper rifles did not reach field unit: they had a tendency to "stick" in the rear area and get used for sports shooting and be carried by General officers (in the US Army). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellros Posted September 22, 2000 Share Posted September 22, 2000 IIRC, from various sources I've read in the past (which I can't recall the titles of)... Some companies were issued a number of Springfield 1903 scoped rifles to be issued at the CO's discretion to soldiers who had excellent marksman skills for use as snipers/sharpshooters. This would go along with the adhoc idea. The rifles were not standard issue, as all companies or units did not receive them, just scattered units here and there. IMO, this is why the guy in Saving Private Ryan carries one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slapdragon Posted September 22, 2000 Share Posted September 22, 2000 Very very funny Scott! Quit wise cracking and send me that turn: I want to shoot that Jackson you have hiding behind that big hill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spacewrangler Posted September 22, 2000 Share Posted September 22, 2000 What's an OOB? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Aitken Posted September 22, 2000 Share Posted September 22, 2000 Order Of Battle, ie. a unit inventory. ------------------ They lost all of their equipment and had to swim in under machine gun fire. As they struggled in the water, Gardner heard somebody say, "Perhaps we're intruding, this seems to be a private beach." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Aitken Posted September 22, 2000 Share Posted September 22, 2000 Stefan wrote: > In my books snipers and sharpshooters are the same.... I guess they are not so what is the distinction? I just answered basically the same question in the other current thread on snipers: At witch distance a sniper can shoot David ------------------ They lost all of their equipment and had to swim in under machine gun fire. As they struggled in the water, Gardner heard somebody say, "Perhaps we're intruding, this seems to be a private beach." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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