THE BOWMEN OF ENGLAND.—In the days when English kings banned ail other forms of sport to make British yeomen concentrate on the skills of the bow, England’s archers were the decisive factor in many battles against the traditional French foe. Memories of Crecy and Agincourt will be revived by young bowmen from Oxford University, who in July will start a series of matches in southern France and Switzerland, with one special match against Monaco. Switzerland has its own tradition of toxophilitic skill, mainly concerned with apples on small boys’ heads—but it should be remembered that William Tell cheated by using a crossbow, and not the sturdy, simple six-foot longbow of English history. Here members of the Oxford team get ready at the start of a match against Cambridge. Oxford was beaten.

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28920, 13 June 1959, Page 5

THE BOWMEN OF ENGLAND.—In the days when English kings banned ail other forms of sport to make British yeomen concentrate on the skills of the bow, England’s archers were the decisive factor in many battles against the traditional French foe. Memories of Crecy and Agincourt will be revived by young bowmen from Oxford University, who in July will start a series of matches in southern France and Switzerland, with one special match against Monaco. Switzerland has its own tradition of toxophilitic skill, mainly concerned with apples on small boys’ heads—but it should be remembered that William Tell cheated by using a crossbow, and not the sturdy, simple six-foot longbow of English history. Here members of the Oxford team get ready at the start of a match against Cambridge. Oxford was beaten.