Trenches (Part 2)

Trajectory...

The ability to track the trajectory of gunshots back to their source was a key component in locating sniper nests. The concept is straightforward: have a sniper fire a three-dimensional item, leave it in place, then look into the holes left by the bullet's passage. Somewhere along the path, the sniper nest will be found.

The most basic version of this strategy included snipers zeroing their sights on sparkling tin cans or other attractive targets in the front. Snipers would shoot at cans left on the parapet by the Germans. These targets were appealing to inexperienced snipers because of their great contrast and easy vision while adjusting their sights. A serious and often deadly blunder.

A pool of water with a reflection on it was suggested as a target for sight adjustments. This would allow the sniper to make precise adjustments while providing no side channel metadata about the bullet's origin to onlookers.

The British developed a more advanced and specialized counter-sniper gadget. A target lure and a wooden base with a slot for a rod to hold the target made up the gadget. After the sniper took the bait, the height of the target could be marked and reproduced. The target itself was a paper mache head painted in vivid colors and embellished with a helmet or field cap and other accoutrements to make it look more authentic. A cigarette adaptor, literally a flexible tube that allowed the scout to smoke a cigarette put in the dummy's mouth, was a significant innovation. A periscope may be attached to the fake head to allow the scout to control it and see the surroundings.

The scout would try to get shot by a German sniper by raising his head over the trench. The sensation of a bullet smashing into a target held inches above your head while you were smoking through it was apparently rather frightening.

The lure target was withdrawn behind the parapet once it had been fired. After determining the bullet's trajectory, a trench sniper rifle could be lined up, raised to the appropriate height (based on the target's elevation as recorded by the support rod), and a counter sniper could attempt to shoot back, or, more likely, call in an artillery strike once the sniper nest was located.