World War I Chinese sharpshooters: Snipers killed 150 people without a scope

Chinese sharpshooter Shen Billy

He received the Order of Excellence of the British Empire and the Cross of the Order of war in Belgium. In May–September 1915, in less than four months of the Battle of Gallipoli alone, his confirmed sniper record was 150 enemy officers and men. Even the best sniper in the Ottoman Guards died at his gunpoint.

His name was Billy Shen, of Chinese descent, and he was from Clemont, a mining town in central Queensland, Australia, and was the sniper who hit the most targets in World War I.

"He simply toyed with his opponents on the battlefield, often claiming that he had won too easily, and he was a little embarrassed." He often sat and rested at the ambush point with his rifle in hand, while his assistant observers used binoculars to find targets for him. The observer said 'OK', followed by a gunshot, and another enemy was wiped out. One comrade-in-arms described what they saw as the "Gallipoli killer."

The sharpshooter was originally a coachman

In fact, this is nothing for Shen Billy. Although before World War I, Shen Billy only drove carts, cut sugar cane, and did farm work in his hometown, he was known for his excellent marksmanship early on. It is said that as a child he could break the pig's tail 25 yards away with a 22 mm rifle. He was not only a member of the local shooting club, but also a well-known kangaroo hunter.

Of course, Shen Billy also couldn't understand whether his accurate marksmanship was a factor of Chinese blood. His father, John Shen, was born in Shanghai and was a suburban vegetable farmer in Shanghai before going to Australia. Mother Marianne was a nurse. Born on March 2, 1886, Billy Shen was "clever and educated."

Before Christmas 1914, at the age of 28, Billy Shen joined the Australian Expeditionary Force under the Fifth Light Cavalry Regiment. Upon arrival on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Europe, he was stationed at bolton Ridge, a seaside, where the sniper point was located in a place called Chessen Heights on the ridge against turks. Here he shows amazing sniping talent.

Don't rely on the scope to make a hundred shots

According to the recollections of his comrades-in-arms, Shen Billy, who was "small, dark-skinned, with a figure-eight whisker on his upper lip and a pinch of goatee on his chin," was particularly patient and could aim his gun for a long time without getting tired. Another specialty is that the eyesight is excellent, and he can see clearly with the naked eye what others can see with the telescope. He used to snipe with a normal standard rifle and did not have a scope.

Opponents on the battlefield fell one after another under the muzzle of Shen Billy's guns, and the news spread like the latest game score in the Allied trenches, and his deeds were not only published in the Allied war reports, but also in the Daily Telegraph in London and several newspapers in the United States. This Australian coachman was famous all over the world for a time.

In may-September 1915, in less than four months of the Battle of Gallipoli alone, he was confirmed by observers to have killed 150 men. Coupled with the uncounted gains of his solo actions, General Burdwood identified his sniper exploits as 201 when he reported to Shen Billy in October 1915, and British and American newspapers published his deeds as 201 people.

Ace vs. Ace, Billy wins

Using a sniper against a sniper is the most effective tactic. The Turks sent their aces against Shen Billy. It was a battle-hardened Ottoman Guards sniper, and the Australian soldiers nicknamed him "Terrible Abdul".

Abdul knew that the most difficult enemy to deal with was the sniper master of the Australian army opposite. In order to find his opponent's sniper point, he looks for clues like a shrewd detective. Finally one evening he reported to the commander that the sniper point of the opposing master was located on the Chessen Heights, the exact location had been discovered by him, and that the nasty Australian would be eliminated before sunset tomorrow.

The next day, Billy Shen and his observers entered their sniper bunker early as usual. Abdul was well concealed, but was discovered by Shen Billy's observers.

"Watch out," said the observer, "his eyes are like eagles, and he's staring at us." ”

Shen Billy muttered, "Either he dies or I live." ”

Unbeknownst to Abdul, Shen Billy had spotted him, and his fingers had pulled the trigger, ready to move the obstacle a little further before shooting. At this moment, the muzzle of Shen Billy's gun burst into flames, and the bullet hit Abdul's brow.

Open-minded and optimistic, died of loneliness

Billy Shen retired 12 days after the end of World War I and returned to civilian life from a dazzling sharpshooter. For most of the time since, he has made a living panning for gold, from which one can see his less open-mindedness, optimism, agility and humor on the battlefield.

In the early morning of May 19, 1943, at the age of 57, Billy Shen was found dead in a cheap hotel he rented. The once-famous ace sniper said goodbye to the world alone. The place where he died today is a computer repair shop, and a nameplate has been set up in front of the door to inform the world that a hero once died here. (Source| "Reader's Daily" author | Qiao Zhong)

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