PAPUA. BY EXPERIENCE ALLIED TROOPS HAVE LEARNED TO TAKE NO CHANCES WITH ENEMY TREE TOP SNIPERS. ...

Places
Accession Number 013937
Collection type Photograph
Object type Black & white
Physical description Black & white
Maker Silk, George
Place made Papua
Date made 28 December 1942
Conflict Second World War, 1939-1945
Copyright

Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain

Public Domain Mark This item is in the Public Domain

Description

PAPUA. BY EXPERIENCE ALLIED TROOPS HAVE LEARNED TO TAKE NO CHANCES WITH ENEMY TREE TOP SNIPERS. EVERY TREE TOP THAT COULD HOUSE SNIPERS WAS SPRAYED WITH HUNDREDS OF ROUNDS FROM AUTOMATIC WEAPONS. ONE BREN GUNNER VARIED THE TREATMENT WHEN HE SIGHTED A SNIPER. USING THIS EXTREMELY ACCURATE AUSTRALIAN-MADE WEAPON HE FIRED SEVERAL BURSTS AT THE TOP OF A COCOANUT TREE CONCENTRATING HIS FIRE AT A SPOT SIX FEET FROM THE TOP. THE WEIGHT OF THE SNIPER CAUSED THE TREE TOP TO BREAK AND HE WAS KILLED WHEN HE HIT THE GROUND 60 FEET BELOW. THIS PHOTO SHOWS SNIPER AND THE TOP PORTION OF THE TREE LYING ON THE GROUND. AT THE TOP OF THE SNIPER'S OUTSTRETCHED RIGHT HAND IS HIS BROKEN RIFLE. (NEGATIVE BY G. SILK).