Chronicle Times

Life of the Sniper; A Soldier’s Story

By Mehvish Chandiwala

June 1920

 

It is June and in the Dublin streets that has become a battlefield in Ireland’s struggle for independence. The Republicans and the Free Staters are waging war. In the middle of it all a sniper, who was alongside the Republicans, fought in the war.

 

The sniper has the face of an average student, but was concealed under a soldier’s uniform. His life revolves around fighting for his country.

 

When the sniper was asked about what happened yesterday in the battlefield he said, “I did my best out there. I shot an enemy, and an informer.” From the sniper’s appearance, he was shot and his arm was wrapped around a dressing. “I was shot by the enemy, but the good thing was that I wasn’t killed,” the sniper explained.

 

The sniper had informed about the conditions in the battlefield, he said that it was scary, dreadful. “The most remorseful thing I had done on the battlefield, was that I had killed my own brother,” the sniper explained with tears in his eyes. “He was on the other side of the roof I was on,and I shot him. I went up to him not knowing it was my brother, but when I

looked at the man’s face, I was just appalled.”

 

The sniper also explained how he had to fake his death to fool the enemy. “I had to do something,” the sniper says, “Or else in the morning I would have been killed. That’s why I came up with a plan to trick the enemy into thinking I was dead.

 

         It was clear that the sniper had went through a lot of emotions and obstacles. With the war still going on, and now that his brother is dead, the sniper feels remorseful for what he did.