The Longest Kill' by Craig Harrison is published by Sidgwick & Jackson
A record-breaking British Army sniper who killed Taliban insurgents from more than a mile and a half away has revealed it took six seconds to find out if his hit was successful.
In November 2009 Sergeant Craig Harrison, 40, recorded the longest confirmed kill ever made when he shot two militant assassins from a range of 2,475 metres - more than 900 metres beyond his rifle's effective range.
The sniper made history with the shots he fired in Musa Qala, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, but in his memoir he revealed how he was driven to the brink of suicide by his job.
In November 2009 Sergeant Craig Harrison, 40, from Cheltenham, recorded the longest confirmed kill ever made when he killed two militant assassins from a range of 2,475 metres
In his book 'The Longest Kill', Sgt Harrison, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, describes the events leading up to the record-breaking kills, and the shots themselves, in harrowing detail.
The soldiers ahead of him were ambushed when he was was part of a three-armoured-vehicle dawn patrol south of Musa Qala escorting Afghan fighters on foot.
The area was full of Taliban and for three hours Sgt Harrison let rip with his Accuracy International L115A3 rifle.
With his friends on foot patrol stuck in a gully and fighting for their lives, Sgt Harrison could see the enemy machine gun that was pouring bullets on them but it was well outside his rifle's range.
He calculated it would take six seconds for a bullet even to reach the Taliban gunner manning the weapon and his lookout, despite travelling at supersonic speeds.
Sgt Harrison said: 'All the evidence said that it couldn't be done, this shot was impossible.
'At this range every variable came into effect - wind speed, temperature, humidity.
'Even the earth's rotation in that six seconds would all affect the trajectory of the bullet. That's a lot to think about.
'And underneath all of that was a twisting sense of urgency, knowing that time was running out.'
The sniper missed first time but fired again as the two Taliban desperately wheeled round looking for the source of the shot.
Six seconds later the gunner slumped to the ground dead.
He said: 'I couldn't believe it and had to fight an almost uncontrollable euphoria. "Keep calm", I thought to myself. "Take out the other one".'
Sgt Harrison missed a second time but his next shot hit the other target.
He said: 'In blink of an eye, I fired. Six long seconds later, I watched as the second collapsed.
'Once I was happy there were no other threats out there, a sense of relief washed over me. My mates out of danger.
The sniper made history with the shots he fired in Musa Qala, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, but in his memoir he revealed how he was driven to the brink of suicide by his job
'If I hadn't done what I'd done, eight of my lads would either be dead or injured.'
It was only later when an Apache helicopter measured the distance of the miracle shots - 2,475 metres, or the length of 24 football pitches - that Sgt Harrison realised he was the holder of a macabre world record.
'As a sniper, there's an inner freeze when you shoot someone. It's as if time has slowed down and all of your senses are heightened.
'There is also an excitement that all snipers know and love - like a drug coursing through the veins.
'I'm no psycho nor a butcher. I don't crave the killing. I just love the exultation of a job well done.'
During that tour in 2009 a bullet went through Sgt Harrison's helmet. Then, 10 days later, his Jackal vehicle was blown up by a mine.
When Sgt Harrison returned home the MoD revealed his record-breaking shot. He was acclaimed as a hero but an error by military chiefs led to his name being released.
He became a target for terrorists and he and his wife Tanya and their 16-year-old daughter were scared to open the blinds in their home.
'
Sgt Harrison had a GPS tracker built into his phone and Tanya carried a device that could send her location to police.
He said: 'It turned out one of the Taliban I'd killed in Afghanistan was a leader and now they wanted revenge.
'They had put all my details on the internet. Al-Qaeda had been planning on kidnapping a serviceman then beheading him.
'I had made it on to their 's*** list'. Then a car was found up north with a photo of me in it. The boot was lined with plastic and it looked all set up for a kidnap.
'From that point onwards our lives really started to unravel.'
Sgt Harrison developed post-traumatic stress disorder and was denied the Military Cross for his bravery.
His colonel refused it on his behalf, thinking he would not have been able to handle the pressure. Sgt Harrison was 'dumbfounded' by the decision.
The hero was also suffering the effects of a serious brain injury caused by the blast that took out his Jackal.
After a suicide attempt he left the Army because of stress and set about starting a new life making equipment for other snipers, who he calls the 'ultimate professional soldier'.
He says: 'People couldn't see what was swirling around in my mind. I could see every kill that I had made. Every day was a hell on earth.'
Source- Dailymailuk
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