Page 44 - History of War - Issue 25-16

10 DEADLIEST SNIPERS

10.Francis Pegahmagabow

Canada’s top marksman of the Great War and the most decorated First Nation soldier in history
Corporal Francis ‘Peggy’ Pegahmagabow was During the course of the war, Pegahmagabow
a Canadian First Nation soldier who became racked up some 378 kills with his ril e and
known as Canada’s irst and most effective personally captured more than 300 Germans,
sniper. A former ireman, Pegahmagabow joined a record for both Canadian and Allied forces.
up in September 1914 and deployed to France Another First Nation sniper, Henry Norwest,
in 1915, ighting in some of the war’s bloodiest killed 115 Germans before he was killed in
battles on the Somme and Passchendaele. He action. Pegahmagabow, however, survived to
survived the war, even though he suffered a become the most decorated First Nation soldier
gunshot wound and was almost buried by an in history.
exploding artillery shell.
He displayed a natural aptitude for scouting
and sniping, and was recognised for his skills “DURING THE COURSE OF THE WAR,
as a dispatch runner, able to negotiate the
blasted terrain with seeming ease. He famously PEGAHMAGABOW RACKED UP SOME 378
evaded fearsome enemy ire to resupply
his platoon with much needed ammunition KILLS WITH HIS RIFLE AND PERSONALLY
and once took over the platoon when his
commander was wounded. He also had a CAPTURED MORE THAN 300 GERMANS,
natural aptitude with the roundly disdained
Canadian Ross rile. A RECORD FOR BOTH CANADIAN AND
Confirmed kills: 378 Left: Corporal Francis ‘Peggy’ Pegahmagabow killed ALLIED FORCES”
378 enemy and captured more than 300

Camoulaged snipers are instructed
by oficers during World War I

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