This book is included in the US Armed Forces Organizations section.
Foreword
BY GENERAL LORD HORNE, G.C.B.
IT may fairly be claimed that when hostilities ceased
on November nth, 1918, we had outplayed Germany
at all points of the game.
Perhaps as a nation we failed in imagination.
Possibly Germany was more quick to initiate new
methods of warfare or to adapt her existing methods
to meet prevailing conditions. Certainly we were
slow to adopt, indeed, our souls abhorred, anything
unsportsmanlike.
Had it been left to us,
"Gas" would have taken no
part in the Great European War.
But, however lacking in imagination, however slow
to realize the importance of novel methods, once we
were convinced of their necessity, once we decided to
adopt them, we managed by a combination of brains
and energy, pluck and endurance, not only to make up
the lost ground, but to take the lead in the race. In
proof of this statement I would instance Heavy Field
Artillery, High Explosives, Gas, Work in the Air, etc., and many other points I could mention in which
Germany started ahead of us, including Sniping,
Observation and Scouting.
And for our eventual superiority we owe much to
individuals, men who, like the author of this book,
Major Hesketh-Prichard, combined expert knowledge
with untiring energy, men who would not be denied
and could not recognize defeat.
In the early days of 1915, in command of the 2nd
Division, I well remember the ever-increasing activity
of the German sniper and the annoyance of our
officers and men in the trenches. I can recall the
acquisition by the Guards' Brigade, then in the
Brickfields of Cuinchy with Lord Cavan as Brigadier,
of two rifles fitted with telescopic sights and the good
use made of them. It was the experience of 1915
that impressed upon us the necessity of fighting for
superiority in all branches of trench warfare, amongst
which sniping held an important position. It was
therefore a great satisfaction to me upon my
arrival from the battlefields of the Somme in the
autumn of 1916 to find Major Hesketh-Prichard's
School firmly established in the First Army area,
thanks in a great measure to the support and encouragement
of Lieut.-General Sir Richard Haking, the
Commander of the Eleventh Corps.
From that time onwards, owing chiefly to the
energy, enthusiasm, tact and personality of its Commandant, the influence of the Sniping, Observation
and Scouting School spread rapidly throughout the
British Forces in France. Of its ups and downs, of
its troubles and its successes, and of its ultimate
triumph, Major Hesketh-Prichard tells the tale with
modesty typical of the man.
I may be permitted to add my testimony that in
each phase of the war, not only in the trenches, but in
the field, we found the value of the trained sniper,
observer and scout.
This book is not only a record of a successful system
of training, valuable as such to us soldiers, but also
will be found to be full of interest to the general
reader.
Table of Contents Chapter I. THE GENESIS OF SNIPING Chapter II. THE SNIPER IN THE TRENCHES Chapter III. EARLY DAYS WITH THE XI. CORPS AND FIRST ARMY Chapter IV. THE FIRST ARMY SCHOOL OF SCOUTING, OBSERVATION AND SNIPING Chapter V. SOME SNIPING MEMORIES Chapter VI. AN OBSERVER'S MEMORIES Chapter VII. THE CURRICULUM AND WORK AT FIRST ARMY SCHOOL OF S.O.S. Chapter VIII. WlLIBALD THE HUN Chapter IX. THE CAT Chapter X. THE TRAINING OF THE PORTUGUESE Chapter XI. THE MODERN SCOUT APPENDICES APPENDIX A. PROGRAMME FOR TRAINING OBSERVERS APPENDIX B. GENERAL COURSE AT FIRST ARMY SCHOOL OF S.O.S. APPENDIX C. I. CARE OF ARMS, GROUPING AND RANGE PRACTICES II. PATROLLING AND SCOUTING III. THE STALKING TELESCOPE IV. FRONT LINE OBSERVATION AND REPORTS V. SOME USES OF SCOUTS, OBSERVERS AND SNIPERS IN ATTACK AND DEFENCE AND OPEN WARFARE VI. THE ENFIELD 1914 PATTERN "SNIPER'S RIFLE"
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