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Gallipoli Sniper: The Remarkable Life of Billy Sing
‘This is a well-researched, detailed and compelling story.’
Defender Magazine
Billy Sing was a small, dark man – and a deadly killer. When, as a member of the Australian Imperial Force 5th Light Horse, he was thrust onto the narrow strip of land held by the Australians on Gallipoli, he witnessed the terrible effects of the Turkish snipers and decided to fight fire with fire. Using a simple Lee Enfield .303 rifle, Sing began to pick off unwary Turks who exposed themselves. Assisted by a ‘spotter’ who would single out targets for him, Sing acquired an unrivaled reputation as he killed increasing numbers of enemy soldiers.
He became known as the ‘Anzac Angel of Death’ and the ‘Assassin of Gallipoli’ and was considered to be the most successful sniper and most feared man in Gallipoli.
The Turks, aware of his reputation decided to target Sing with their own marksman. In a deadly duel, Sing fired first and killed ‘Abdul the Terrible’.
This is a vivid account of the merciless nature of the fighting in the Gallipoli Campaign from an award-winning journalist and best-selling author.
Defender Magazine
Billy Sing was a small, dark man – and a deadly killer. When, as a member of the Australian Imperial Force 5th Light Horse, he was thrust onto the narrow strip of land held by the Australians on Gallipoli, he witnessed the terrible effects of the Turkish snipers and decided to fight fire with fire. Using a simple Lee Enfield .303 rifle, Sing began to pick off unwary Turks who exposed themselves. Assisted by a ‘spotter’ who would single out targets for him, Sing acquired an unrivaled reputation as he killed increasing numbers of enemy soldiers.
He became known as the ‘Anzac Angel of Death’ and the ‘Assassin of Gallipoli’ and was considered to be the most successful sniper and most feared man in Gallipoli.
The Turks, aware of his reputation decided to target Sing with their own marksman. In a deadly duel, Sing fired first and killed ‘Abdul the Terrible’.
This is a vivid account of the merciless nature of the fighting in the Gallipoli Campaign from an award-winning journalist and best-selling author.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
15 people are currently reading
102 people want to read
About the author
John Hamilton
486 books34 followersJohn Hamilton is a best-selling novelist and author of more than 275 nonfiction books for young adults. An Active Member of the Western Writers of America and the Wild West History Association, his work has received critical acclaim from School Library Journal, Children's Literature, The Sioux City Journal, We Proceeded On (the official journal of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation), and many others.
John's young adult book "Battle of the Little Bighorn" earned 2015 Spur Award Finalist honors from the Western Writers of America. He is a two-time winner of the Golden Duck Award for Excellence in Children's Science Fiction Literature, and his epic retelling of the Lewis & Clark expedition, "Lewis & Clark: Adventures West," was a Minnesota Book Award finalist for Young Adult Nonfiction. School Library Journal said "(Hamilton's) books present a remarkable amount of information and provide readers with a clear understanding of complicated issues."
John is also an award-winning photojournalist and landscape photographer. His rodeo photography won an Editor's Choice Award from the National Association of Photoshop Professionals.
John holds black belts in both Tae Kwon Do and Kung Fu. He loves target shooting, baking bread, and playing with Finn, his trusty schnauzer. He can be found most summers with his family either exploring the American West or hiking along Minnesota's rugged North Shore.
Connect with John at: www.johnchamilton.com
John's young adult book "Battle of the Little Bighorn" earned 2015 Spur Award Finalist honors from the Western Writers of America. He is a two-time winner of the Golden Duck Award for Excellence in Children's Science Fiction Literature, and his epic retelling of the Lewis & Clark expedition, "Lewis & Clark: Adventures West," was a Minnesota Book Award finalist for Young Adult Nonfiction. School Library Journal said "(Hamilton's) books present a remarkable amount of information and provide readers with a clear understanding of complicated issues."
John is also an award-winning photojournalist and landscape photographer. His rodeo photography won an Editor's Choice Award from the National Association of Photoshop Professionals.
John holds black belts in both Tae Kwon Do and Kung Fu. He loves target shooting, baking bread, and playing with Finn, his trusty schnauzer. He can be found most summers with his family either exploring the American West or hiking along Minnesota's rugged North Shore.
Connect with John at: www.johnchamilton.com
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 15, 2024
Although this book is about the life of Billy Sing, there is not much about him as an individual in the book until the last few chapters. Saying that, this is still a really good book filled about the times and happening of the surroundings that Billy Sing lived in, and the author does a really good job in transporting the reader there.
The book focuses mainly on the history of Queensland where Billy Sing grew up and the prejudices that faced the young Anglo Sino boy and how his life must have been growing up in the bush that made him the soldier he was to become on Gallipoli. It also shows the euphoria and patriotism with which the young men from Queensland enlisted in the Light Horse regiments to go and fight the Germans, only to end up in the deserts of Egypt and be taken to the horrors that was the Gallipoli battlefields, and there are many vivid descriptions of what these Anzacs faced each day there for seven months before being withdrawn. And along the way we are introduced to many larger than life characters that was there, most notably Granville Ryrie, who almost features more in the book than Sing himself.
The ending of the book is really sad as after the war Sing went back to Australia and never got his life going again. His war bride from Scotland never joining him after the war, and him suffering from the aftereffects of the war, both physically and mentally and working hard each day just to get by. And then dying alone and in obscurity in 1943. A sad life of a brave, yet flawed hero, but still just an ordinary man doing his bit when called upon.
The book focuses mainly on the history of Queensland where Billy Sing grew up and the prejudices that faced the young Anglo Sino boy and how his life must have been growing up in the bush that made him the soldier he was to become on Gallipoli. It also shows the euphoria and patriotism with which the young men from Queensland enlisted in the Light Horse regiments to go and fight the Germans, only to end up in the deserts of Egypt and be taken to the horrors that was the Gallipoli battlefields, and there are many vivid descriptions of what these Anzacs faced each day there for seven months before being withdrawn. And along the way we are introduced to many larger than life characters that was there, most notably Granville Ryrie, who almost features more in the book than Sing himself.
The ending of the book is really sad as after the war Sing went back to Australia and never got his life going again. His war bride from Scotland never joining him after the war, and him suffering from the aftereffects of the war, both physically and mentally and working hard each day just to get by. And then dying alone and in obscurity in 1943. A sad life of a brave, yet flawed hero, but still just an ordinary man doing his bit when called upon.
January 2, 2024
This is a book that will leave you with a heavy feeling in your chest, and it is by no means a celebration of a soldier’s life. It is a work that does not sugar coat the realities of Billy’s war experiences and the illness and loneliness he endured afterward. The author’s skillful use of primary source material greatly supported the writing and although Billy himself isn’t featured as prominently in the book as I was anticipating, the use of his few surviving letters and those of his comrades bring to life their excitement in joining the Light Horse Brigade with their distinctive emu feathered hats, to the uncertainly and abject horrors of the Anzac infantry during the Gallipoli campaign and beyond. The last few chapters describing the end of Billy’s life tore at my heartstrings. Billy Sing is buried in Lutwyche Cemetery, not far from where I live in Brisbane, and now, in the aftermath of finishing this extraordinary book, I am going to pay him a visit and leave him some flowers.
August 25, 2022
This book looks at a true Australia experience of the turn of the century - the hand to mouth survival and connection to nature, as well as the White Australia Policy and racism.
In particular, the military history story is described in a way that the facts and the 'feeling' are accessible to us in the 21st century.
This is poignant for us as a relative landed with the first wave of men, and only survived a few days until a sniper caught him in the open. He is buried on-site, along with all the Johnnies and Memhets of this bloody campaign.
In particular, the military history story is described in a way that the facts and the 'feeling' are accessible to us in the 21st century.
This is poignant for us as a relative landed with the first wave of men, and only survived a few days until a sniper caught him in the open. He is buried on-site, along with all the Johnnies and Memhets of this bloody campaign.
October 13, 2023
Historical, bibliographic, gave a lot of context, fascinating read!
March 23, 2017
Very interesting novel about Billy Sing, the son of a Chinese father and English mother, who went on to be become the bane of the Turkish army at Gallipoli in 1915 with his sniping ability. Hamilton alternates between Sing's particular story and the story of the Australian nation taking shape around him. Hard to believe that Sing isn't more of a household name, like Jacka and Kirkpatrick and others are.
November 20, 2018
A great book with good backgrounding of the subject Billy Sing. Good local Queensland history abounded.
November 18, 2025
Очаквах повече.
November 3, 2014
The tragedy of Gallipoli is brought to life with this extraordinary account of the crack Aussie sniper Billy Sing. The author does not have a lot of direct material although he manages to create a fascinating narrative by utilising a host of related sources. I have read plenty of books on Gallipoli and this one does not fail to disappoint, a different perspective, new insights, this book left me, one again, in awe of the sacrifices our ancestors made on that foreign shore a century ago.
For the new Gallipoli reader this book is very readable since the campaign and events are clearly explained and described by the author. My grandfather was there (10 Btn) and reading this book brought into focus some of the stories he told me when I was young.
Billy had a hell of a time in the battlefields of France and a long lonely struggle after coming home. A moving story, well written and interesting.
For the new Gallipoli reader this book is very readable since the campaign and events are clearly explained and described by the author. My grandfather was there (10 Btn) and reading this book brought into focus some of the stories he told me when I was young.
Billy had a hell of a time in the battlefields of France and a long lonely struggle after coming home. A moving story, well written and interesting.
September 21, 2011
This book follows a part of Australian history that has not been told loudly enough. It takes the story of a "talented" man and follows through to his death. The remarkable thing here is that Billy Sing even was allowed to enter the AIF, yet, makes a significant impact upon the area he worked in.
This is a historical document and if you are into the detail it will suit you. The narrative is easy to follow and the author takes you along on the discovery of the job, skills and dangers of being a sniper.
This is an area of Gallipoli history that is not widely known, and worth the read.
This is a historical document and if you are into the detail it will suit you. The narrative is easy to follow and the author takes you along on the discovery of the job, skills and dangers of being a sniper.
This is an area of Gallipoli history that is not widely known, and worth the read.
Read
October 23, 2010A very interesting but sad tale of a young man caught in a war and whose excellent rifle expertise forced him into killing men to save the lives of his mates. Maybe one day I might be able to get to the cemetery to see his grave and lay some flowers of rememberance
March 20, 2014
This is suppose to be a biography, but there is only a few facts about Billy Sing himself. The majority of the book is a description of what it would have been like for Sing, based on the lives of other men and general historical info.
July 3, 2011
This book talks a lot about the gallipoli war and about Billy Sing this book is very intreging.
November 2, 2014
A very good account of a previously unknown war hero. Well worth reading.
March 7, 2014
A definite must for anyone interested in ANZAC history. It is disappointing that such an unsung hero has been obscured by history.
September 7, 2016
A thoroughly researched and worthwhile read. I take my hat off to Billy Sing and what he courageously did for his comrades and country.
July 26, 2020
Very informative and full of facts
June 23, 2021
This book does a great job of looking at the life of William Sing. This book covers his younger years until his death and shows the many hardships he endured in his life.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews