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Music in the Great War

Music in the Great War: Stalking the Hun

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

Factual: History

25/06/2014

Stalking the Hun

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How Scottish ghillies brought a new lethality to British sniping during WWI.

Feature exploring how Scottish gamekeeepers - or ghillies - were used to bring a new lethality to British sniping during World War I, stalking the Hun rather than grouse.

The Scottish gamekeeper, or ghillie, was obviously an asset to hunting down an elusive prey. They had unique experience of spotting tiny movements in the landscape. Lord Lovat formed his own regiment of Scouts during the Boer War. They wore elaborate camouflage and were described as 'half wolf and half jackrabbit.' But they really came to prominence during WW1.

Stalkers and 'glassmen' were advertised for in Scottish newspapers. Lovat succeeded in extending the age limit so he could recruit one man, Macpherson of Balavil, who was 62. The youngest was 42. They worked in pairs mainly as observers rather than snipers.

By the end of the war photographic reconnaissance replaced much of their scouting duties but their skills and mentality still exists in the SAS.

In 1918 Country Life reported that the war had a disastrous effect on the marksmanship of hunters which they put down to 'jumpiness' caused by the noise of shells. So the deer of Scotland may have been an unintended beneficiary of WW1.

Live music and the arts: broadcasts more live music than any other radio network. Classical music is its core. Genres include world and new music, jazz, speech and drama.

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A series of programmes that follow the story of World War One through music and culture

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