Craig Harrison (British Army soldier)
Craig Harrison | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 1974 (age 49) Cheltenham, Gloucestershire |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |  British Army |
| Rank | Corporal of Horse |
| Unit | Household Cavalry, Blues and Royals |
| Battles/wars | Afghanistan War Iraq War |
Craig Harrison (born November 1974)[1] is a former Corporal of Horse (CoH) in the Blues and Royals, a cavalry regiment of the British Army, and as of November 2009[update] holds the record for the longest confirmed sniper kill in combat, at a range of 2,475 m (2,707 yd). This exceeds the previous record of 2,430 m (2,657 yd) set by Rob Furlong in 2002.[2] This record was certified by Guinness World Records.[3]
Record details
In November 2009, Harrison consecutively struck two Taliban machine gunners south of Musa Qala in Helmand Province in Afghanistan at a range of 2,475 m (2,707 yd) using a L115A3 Long Range Rifle.[4][5][6][7][8] In a BBC interview, Harrison reported it took about nine shots for him and his spotter to initially range the target successfully. Then, he reported, his first shot "on target" was a killing shot followed consecutively by a kill shot on a second machine gunner. The bodies were later found by Afghan National Police looking to retrieve the weapon (which had already been removed). The first Taliban was shot in the gut and the other through the side. Later in the day an Apache helicopter hovered over the firing position, using its laser range finder to measure the distance to the machine-gun position, confirming it was the longest kill in history.[1][9]
In the reports, Harrison mentions the environmental conditions were perfect for long range shooting: no wind, mild weather and clear visibility.[9]
Private life
Harrison's father and mother were dog handlers in the Royal Air Force (RAF). They separated when he was very young. Harrison was the younger of two boys. He joined the Household Cavalry at 16, and later served in the Blues and Royals. He is married to Tanya and has a daughter.[1] After returning from Afghanistan in 2009 he developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and was discharged from the army in 2014.[10] He has stated since that:
I joined when I was 16 and since all of this has happened I felt abandoned, absolutely abandoned by my regiment. ... I spent 22 years loyal to that regiment, putting my life on the line doing tours, and they just hung me out to dry. My trust in people, the armed forces — it's gone."[10]
The Ministry of Defence paid Harrison £100,000 in compensation for revealing his identity which put him at risk of kidnapping by Al-Qaeda supporters. The blunder led to Harrison being placed on permanent sick leave and then discharged.[11][12]
Harrison has written The Longest Kill, about his life and career as a sniper.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d Harrison, Craig. The Longest Kill: The Story of Maverick 41, One of the World's Greatest Snipers. Sidgwick & Jackson Ltd. Bloomsbury Way, London, 2015. p. 320. ISBN 978-0-283-07228-4. Retrieved 5 June 2015 – via Google Books.
- ^ Sheridan, Michael (3 May 2010). "British sniper Craig Harrison (The Silent Assassin) breaks record, kills target from 1.5 miles away". Daily News. New York City.
- ^ "Guinness World Records certificate" (PDF). Retrieved 5 June 2015 – via accuracyinternational.com.
- ^ "Hotshot sniper in one-and-a-half mile double kill". The Sunday Times. 2 May 2010. (subscription required)
- ^ Chandler, Neil (2 May 2010) "Sniper's Taliban shots earn him place in military record books". Daily Star. Retrieved 7 June 2015
- ^ Alpert, Lukas I. (2 May 2010) "Sniper kills Qaeda-from 1½ mi. away". New York Post. Retrieved 7 June 2015
- ^ Drury, Ian (2 May 2010) "The super sniper: Hero picks off two Taliban from a mile and a half away". Daily Mail. Retrieved 7 June 2015
- ^ Arnold, Adam (3 May 2010) "Super sniper kills Taliban 1.5 miles away" Sky News. Retrieved 7 June 2015
- ^ a b Brit sniper makes double-kill at 1.54 miles with .338 Lapua Mag accurateshooter.com, 3 May 2010. Retrieved 7 June 2015
- ^ a b Hall, Eleanor; Sedghi, Sarah (4 June 2015). "Craig Harrison: World-record-holding British sniper haunted by visions of men he killed". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
- ^ Holliday, Adrian (22 May 2013). "MoD pays £100k for blowing sniper ID". AOL. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
- ^ Rayment, Sean (31 July 2010). "Sniper sues Army over error which put him in danger of being kidnapped by al-Qaeda". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 March 2015.