A former British Army sniper, who held the world record for the longest kill, has opened up about the time he spent a whole week in position. You can hear him talk about it here:
Craig Harrison spent more than 20 years with the British Army completing tours in Iraq, Afghanistan and Bosnia.
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Harrison held the world record for the longest sniper kill while he was serving in the British Army in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in 2009 when he shot and killed two Taliban machine gunners from a distance of 2,475 metres (2,707 yards).
The shots were from almost 50 metres further than the previous confirmed record kill, which was also in Afghanistan in 2002.
And that’s not his only incredible achievement, as he also spent an entire week in one position behind the scope.
Harrison said that nowadays the maximum length of time a soldier would be behind the scope is up to 72 hours, but he’s previously gone way beyond that.
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Harrison told LADbible TV: “I've been behind the scope for a week in Afghanistan.”
And his impressive feat is even more mind boggling because while snipers usually work in pairs while on duty - Harrison spent the entire week on his own.
Explaining how it getting some kip works, he said: “You catnap through the day - I would rest my forehead on the scope and I’d catnap for about fifteen minutes and then I’d wake up and stay awake for another four or five hours and then I’d catnap again.”
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Now, if you’re reading that and wondering how Harrison was able to go to the toilet… well, here you go.
“I’d dig a trough between my legs so I could p**s and p**s myself and it would go between the trough and just trickle out behind me,” he said.
“Your rations that you have you have things we call them ‘dog biscuits’ they’re like brown biscuits - and the ration packs themselves, it’s high in calories, but it’s also designed to constipate you so you’re not shitting all the time.”
Harrison also revealed further details on how going to the toilet works while you’re in position - and it turns out it’s a two man job.
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As mentioned, snipers usually work in pairs and this means they build a close bond, so much so that they will literally wipe your a**e.
Harrison added: “You can’t move - you’re in a location, you’re on your belly and you can’t move.
“So, you just get a Tupperware tub, you roll over, go for a poo, he wipes your arse with a wet wipe, puts it in the container and puts it in your backpack.”
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Harrison pointed out that the unusual set up was completely necessary, because snipers can’t risk leaving anything behind that could get picked up by someone tracking them who could use it to gain information.
Claire Reid