During the rusofinnish winter war of 193940, simo hayha, a finnish sniper and competitive shooter, racked up 505 confirmed kills, some put the number as. Simo hayha was born on december 17 1905 to juho and katriina nee vilkko hayha in the hamlet of kiiskinen in rautjarvi municipality. Chronicles the life and military career of finnish sniper simo hayha, known as the deadliest sniper in history. However i would recommend this book if you are wanting to know more of the remarkable finnish sniper simo hayha. However i would recommend this book if you are wanting to know. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the us or from the uk, depending on stock availability. He has been credited with a mindboggling 505 reported kills, which is actually the highest number of confirmed sniper kills in the history for any major war. He is believed to have killed over 500 men during the 193940 winter war, the highest number of sniper kills in any major war. A soviet soldier caught sight of him and shot him in the jaw, landing him in a coma for 11 days.
Some will undoubtedly wonder why there is so much general. I will have to say though that the book could have been structured better and a further proof read would have been good. This short story about one of the most unusual snipers in the history of sniping describes finnish sniper simo hayha and his activities during the 100day winter war 19391940 when the russian red army invaded finland. A soviet soldier caught sight of him and shot him in the jaw, landing him in. He has been a role model for snipers all over the world and paved the way for them by demonstrating their significance on the. Tapio saarelainen, the author of this book, is a career officer in the finnish army.
Here, tapio saarelainen shares the story of the finnish sniper and how he achieved his nickname white death this competition is now closed. Sep 23, 20 the most famous finnish soldier to emerge from the fighting was simo hayha, who had grown up hunting and shooting on a farm. Oct 19, 2016 this was a great book providing a lot of information about this amazing sniper. His roots were deep in the finnish soil and he loved life in rural finland. Simo hayha by tapio saarelainen, 9781612004297, download free ebooks, download free pdf epub ebook. Feb 15, 2018 simo hayha is considered to be the greatest sniper of all time, reported to have taken 505 kills. The white death, lessons of finnish sniper simo hayha for. Ive read a number of books written by snipers who fought in wwii and the majority of shots were well under 800 yards and iirc, most were between 300500 yards. Historys deadliest sniper this rifle was the standard issued one for finnish infantry in the late 1930s and simo liked the reliability of the model and the consistency of its shot. The soviets began to react to simo hayhas success by ordering artillery strikes on suspected sniper nests and employing countersnipers. The finnishsoviet winter war of 19391940 lasted barely 100 days, but in that time span, the finnish army, and especially one sniper, made a dramatic case for the advantages of having infantryman who were skilled riflemen and outdoorsmen. Marttinen finnish army, vic thomas, finnbear, tuco with simo hayha summary to sum up this time spent with a living legend is a bit hard to do, as it is not often that one gets to sit down and speak to someone they have only read about in history books. Simo hayhawas a finnish marksman of the highest order, and his weapon of choice was the finnish m2830 rifle, which he used in the winter war 1939.
When the russians invaded finland in the winter of 1939, prior to the soviets being at war with germany, simo was already 33 years old and turned 34 shortly after the invasion while he was on the front lines. Im of finnish ancestry and ive read a bit about the winter war. Hayha never talked about it publicly but estimated in his private wartime diary. White sniper, simo hayha by tapio saarelainen 9781612008554. Depending on the record, simo hayha was born in 1905 in the farming. This book is the story of the finish wwii sniper simo hayha who had over 500 confirmed kills during the 19391940 winter war against the russians.
Mar 27, 2018 when the finnish high command heard about hayhas skill, they presented him with a gift. Eventually his luck ran out and simo received a serious head wound on march 6, 1940, though he subsequently recovered. Apr 02, 2017 a video on the lessons all shooters can learn from the finnish sniper simo hayha, the greatest sniper of all time. A man with steady nerves and always thinking ahead. Mar, 2020 imo hayha was a unique sniper in more than one way, actually, in quiet a few ways. Anyone who wants to learn more about sniping needs this book in their library. The worlds most successful sniper by charles van buren this is a very good short book about simo hayha. Simo hayha 1905 2002 is the most famous sniper in the world. He has been a role model for snipers all over the world and paved the way for them by demonstrating their significance on the battlefield.
The author has spent lots of time investigating simos life and accomplishments and hes interviewed simo dozens of. Eventually his luck ran out and simo received a serious head wound on march 6 1940, though he subsequently recovered. Remembering simo hayha, the deadliest sniper in history. Eighty years ago this winter, a freezing finnish farm boy took aim at the unstoppable red army and became the greatest sharpshooter the world has ever seen. Jul 09, 2018 so, for simo hayhas more than 505 kills, more than,550,000 bullets would have been needed in vietnam. Thanks for a great article and for all the informative responses. Simo hayha, right, and colonel svensson, who awarded hayla a rifle and a certificate for his contribution to the winter war, 1940. Finnish sniper legend simo hayha killed over 500 soviets in the winter war and led the red army to seriously rethink tactics in the run up to wwii. This is a very useful and informative biography of the finnish sniper simo hayha, written by tapio saaerlainen who is also a sniper in the finnish army. Pdf the white sniper simo hayha download full pdf book. During the winter war fought between russia and finland in 1939 1940 he had 542. This was a great book providing a lot of information about this amazing sniper. All of his sniper kills would be achieved during the winter war of 1939 to 1940. The white sniper fully explores simo hayhas life, his exploits in the winter war, the secrets behind his success including character and technique, and also includes a detailed look at his rifle itself.
Not a man who liked to talk a lot about what he did in the winter war, which doesnt make for a very entertaining book, mentioning only two or three short sniper kill stories. The book concludes with the impact that hayha has had on the modern finnish army and its sniper program, highlighting a very interesting and useful course of fire developed from his lessons. During the winter war fought between russia and finland from 1939 to 1940, he had 542 confirmed kills with iron sights, a record that stil. Unfortunately, 11 days before the winter war ended, simo hayha was finally struck. For sniping simo hayha only ever used his own m2830 rifle. White death finnish sniper simo hayha sabaton history 028 official one of the deadliest snipers ever to roam the face of the earth was simo hayha, who fought on the finnish side during the winter war in 1939 and 1940.
During the winter war fought between russia and finland in 1939 1940 he had 542 confirmed kills with iron sights, a record that still stands today. A video on the lessons all shooters can learn from the finnish sniper simo hayha, the greatest sniper of all time. The author draws on his own interviews with simo hayha as well as archival materials. He was nicknamed white death by his russian prey and held the record for the most recorded confirmed kills in any major conflict for a sniper.
During the winter war fought between russia and finland from 1939 to 1940, he had 542 confirmed kills with iron sights, a record that still stands today. A farmer by profession from karelia having hobbies of shooting, hunting and snowskiing hayha served the finnish army against the soviet union red army as a sniper during winter war. One russian sniper killed several finnish soldiers and three officers and was on the hunt for a particularly troublesome finn with a mosinnagant m91. This is a very useful and informative biography of the finnish sniper simo hayha, written by tapio. Snipercraft the author spent two decades training snipers in the finnish army and helping create their sniper training manual. He used a finnishproduced m2830 rifle, a variant of the mosinnagant rifle, and a suomi kp31 submachine gun. The finns were unreal with men like hayha and lauri tornii, later known in us special forces as larry thorne. Simo hayha biography facts, childhood, family life of. Simo hayha 19052002 is the most famous sniper in the world. During the winter war fought between russia and finland in 1939 1940 he. Mar 19, 2015 former finnish sniper simo hayha reading a book. The author has spent lots of time investigating simo s life and accomplishments and hes interviewed simo dozens of times during 19972002. After the war simo hayha lead a quiet, unassuming life in farming and forestry. Recent information from a joint finnishamerican research team has discovered information on one of simo hayhas rifle.
He has been a role model for snipers all over the world. How white death simo hayha became the deadliest sniper in. Simo hayha, also known as the white death is widely regarded as the most skilled and successful sniper there ever was, with over 500 kills to his name. The remarkable story of the finnish marksman nicknamed white death by the red army for his record number of confirmed kills. Hayha had joined the finnish civil guard when he was just 17, where he learned basic tactics and honed his marksmanship skills. During the winter war fought between russia and finland in 1939 1940 he had 542 confirmed kills with iron sights, a record. During the winter war fought between russia and finland in 19391940 he had 542 confirmed kills with iron sights, a record that still stands today. Simo simuna hayha was a finnish sniper, considered the most deadly sniper in war history. The book is what we have come to expect from casemate. Some will undoubtedly wonder why there is so much general information and so little detail about lt. His units captain antti rantamaa credited him with 259 confirmed kills by sniper rifle and an equal number of kills by submachine gun during the winter war. The book a frozen hell by william trotter is a great account of the conflict.
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