Corner Shot II.

This is coolbert:

NOT exactly a corner shot in this case. More like, an, over-the-top shot!!

Over-the-top of the World War One [WW1] trench to be exact.

The periscope rifle. A contraption and apparatus that I have always wondered about. Was this "thing" ever effective!!??

The concept is the same, however, as the modern Israeli/American "Corner Shot" apparatus with video camera in lieu of periscope. The troop engaging a target does not have to EXPOSE themselves to the enemy!!

"A homemade invention of mirrors, boxwood and wire, the periscope rifle allowed the user to sight and fire a rifle over the parapet without exposing himself to enemy fire."




[the Aussie soldier in the above photo is Lieutenant Shout. Won the Victoria Cross for exceptional heroism during the Gallipoli campaign!!]

"ANZAC INGENUITY--THE PERISCOPE RIFLE"

"The Australian soldier . . . earned a reputation for ingenuity and improvisation. One example of this at Gallipoli was the invention in May 1915 of the periscope rifle by L/Cpl. Beech of Sydney. Mirrors allowed the user to sight the rifle while completely invisible to the enemy. The rifle was accurate up to 300 metres (sometimes the opposing trenches were only metres apart)."

Accurate up to 300 meters. The SMLE rifle of course. The Aussie troops were all equipped with the SMLE.



"A scene in the front line Anzac trenches in May 1915 with a soldier using a periscope rifle. The first such rifle was brought to Quinn’s Post on 22 May. The man on the far right is using a periscope to observe the Turkish line that was only metres away. Riflemen on each side were always on the lookout for periscopes to shoot out." [shoot out the periscopes of the enemy!!!]

First was used by the Australians at Gallipoli!! Evidently so!! After that, used in other theaters of the war!

coolbert.