RIFLE SHOOTING SERVICE SERIES AT TRENTHAM

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27593, 25 February 1955, Page 12

RIFLE SHOOTING SERVICE SERIES AT TRENTHAM

R. H. NICHOLL HEADS QUALIFIERS (New Zealand Preet Association) TRENTHAM CAMP. February 24. Brilliant shooting by R. H. Nicholl, a 1953 New Zealand representative at Bisley, twice winder of the Ballinger Belt, and winner of the service championship in 1935, enabled him to head the field by three points when the service series was fired at Trentham today. Nicholl dropped only 11 points in four shots in by no means easy conditions. The top 50 competitors will shoot off tomorrow morning. The Queens Prize shoot-off will be in the afternoon. ? Nicholl’s aggregate was 164. Next are G. A. Nicholl (Sydenham) and R. G. Gurney (Levin), with 161, and-a group of five on 160. The leader for the Ballinger Belt, Flight Sergeant D. .J. Caughley, scored 155. This enabled him t<>add the grand aggregate to his imposing- list of trophies at. the meeting. R. H. Nicholl finished second, two points behind Caughley. The belt series has been notable for close finishes ih aggregates, and two shoot-offs were necessary. The shoot-off by 10 men with scores of 445 to fill the last four places in the Queens 50 resulted in K. Macdowall (Old Navals), N. C. Warren (Opaki), A. H. Linney (Petone), and H. K. Smith (Opaki) qualifying. The B grade aggregate was won by A. M. Bate (Upper Hutt), with 455 points. Next were J. Q. Donald (Featherston) 453,' V. H. Childe (R.N.Z.A.F.) 448. F. Casey (Petone) 448, F.- H. Sharland (Nelson) 447, and,lX C. Amos (Old Navals) 446. The C grade aggregate was won by C. J. Turnbull (R.N.Z.A.F.), with 439 points. Next-were T. F. Wall (Featherston) 435, J. A. Millar (Petone) 433, and E. J. Bennett (Waipukurau) 433. Narrow Win for Caughley Caughley won the Australian aggregate with 235 points from B A, Jones (Ashhurst) 234, E. A. Bullmore (Wairoa) 232, H. O. Judkins (Whatawhata) 231, J. Q. Donald (Featherston) 230, and F. Casey (Petone) 230. E. A. Ballinger (Onslow) won the Bisley aggregate for the long ranges after a shoot-off with J. W. Curtin (Opaki). R. B. Wood (Invercargill) won the Imperial aggregate for three short and two long ranges after a snoot-off with H. V. Donald (Qpaki). The Trentham aggregate for the short ranges was won by Caughley with 284. Next were H. V. Donald (Opaki) and S. L. Lumsden (Levin) 281, and H. Kittow (Waipukurau) , ahd W. H. Nickless (Petone) 280. Service series results were:— MATCH NO. 1 (300 Yards Deliberate) £5: M. Taylor (Blenheim), 50. £4: R. G. Gurney (Levin), 49. £3: R. B. McKenzie (Turakina). 49. £2: L. J. McKelvie (Karorl), R. H. Whiteman (Upper Hutt), and I. R. Larsen (Army), all 48. MATCH NO. 2 (300 Yards Snapshooting) £4 each: R. E. Taylor (Christchurch), I. J. Spry (Auckland), and J. H. Kearney (Napier), all 49. £1 15s each: A. A. McMillan (R.N.Z.A.F.), B. J. Perry (Okawa), G. A. Bland (Waiau), and W. RT Bruce (Waerenga), all 48. MATCH NO. 3 (500 Yards Deliberate and Time Shooting) £4 10s each: R. H. Nicholl (Petone) and J. A. Campbell (Rangltidkl), 25, 47 72.

£3: C. Thom (Sydenham), 22, 49—71. £2 each: R. H. Whiteman (Upper Hutt), M. G. Gordon (Okawa), and F. Matthews (West Taieri), all 70.