The Solitary War of a Sniper: The Authorised Biography of Britain's Most Successful World War II Sniper
The remarkable story of Harry Furness, a young British sniper who fought from D-Day to Germany.

Growing up in a working-class family in Manchester, Harry Furness joined the army in 1939 at the age of 16. Having always been captivated by the stories of First World War snipers, he immediately volunteered for sniper training when the army began to recruit soldiers in 1941. He did exceptionally well, qualifying as a marksman whilst a pre-war army cadet and was quickly promoted to lance corporal.

Just prior to D-Day, he was promoted to corporal in the Green Howards Regiment and landed at Gold Beach on 6th June 1944. Together, he and his comrades began a hard fight across North-West Europe, gradually moving through Northern France, Belgium, Holland and eventually into Germany as they pushed the Germans back towards the Rhine.

The manifold dangers and occasional humour of Harry Furness’s experiences of war come across in a very matter-of-fact but compelling way in the dozens of previously unpublished letters, personal interviews and images that make up Martin Pegler’s fascinating, moving biography of Furness and his extraordinary life.
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The Solitary War of a Sniper: The Authorised Biography of Britain's Most Successful World War II Sniper
The remarkable story of Harry Furness, a young British sniper who fought from D-Day to Germany.

Growing up in a working-class family in Manchester, Harry Furness joined the army in 1939 at the age of 16. Having always been captivated by the stories of First World War snipers, he immediately volunteered for sniper training when the army began to recruit soldiers in 1941. He did exceptionally well, qualifying as a marksman whilst a pre-war army cadet and was quickly promoted to lance corporal.

Just prior to D-Day, he was promoted to corporal in the Green Howards Regiment and landed at Gold Beach on 6th June 1944. Together, he and his comrades began a hard fight across North-West Europe, gradually moving through Northern France, Belgium, Holland and eventually into Germany as they pushed the Germans back towards the Rhine.

The manifold dangers and occasional humour of Harry Furness’s experiences of war come across in a very matter-of-fact but compelling way in the dozens of previously unpublished letters, personal interviews and images that make up Martin Pegler’s fascinating, moving biography of Furness and his extraordinary life.
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The Solitary War of a Sniper: The Authorised Biography of Britain's Most Successful World War II Sniper

The Solitary War of a Sniper: The Authorised Biography of Britain's Most Successful World War II Sniper

by Martin Pegler
The Solitary War of a Sniper: The Authorised Biography of Britain's Most Successful World War II Sniper

The Solitary War of a Sniper: The Authorised Biography of Britain's Most Successful World War II Sniper

by Martin Pegler

Hardcover

$39.95 
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Overview

The remarkable story of Harry Furness, a young British sniper who fought from D-Day to Germany.

Growing up in a working-class family in Manchester, Harry Furness joined the army in 1939 at the age of 16. Having always been captivated by the stories of First World War snipers, he immediately volunteered for sniper training when the army began to recruit soldiers in 1941. He did exceptionally well, qualifying as a marksman whilst a pre-war army cadet and was quickly promoted to lance corporal.

Just prior to D-Day, he was promoted to corporal in the Green Howards Regiment and landed at Gold Beach on 6th June 1944. Together, he and his comrades began a hard fight across North-West Europe, gradually moving through Northern France, Belgium, Holland and eventually into Germany as they pushed the Germans back towards the Rhine.

The manifold dangers and occasional humour of Harry Furness’s experiences of war come across in a very matter-of-fact but compelling way in the dozens of previously unpublished letters, personal interviews and images that make up Martin Pegler’s fascinating, moving biography of Furness and his extraordinary life.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781805001195
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Publication date: 07/30/2025
Pages: 208
Product dimensions: 6.25(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.00(d)

About the Author

Martin Pegler is a well-known military historian and writer who has made a special study of historic firearms and the battles of the Great War. He was Senior Curator of Firearms at the Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds and is the author of many articles in military history journals and magazines and has written seven books.
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