Vice- Regal sniper tests Steyr

Press, 8 October 1987, Page 1

ViceRegal sniper tests Steyr

DAVE WILSON

Snuggled into the camouflaged Parker-Bale mlmt*! rifle, the Governor-Generic Sir Paul Reeves, carefully squeund the trigger and a whipiaoh erack reverberated as he quickly reloaded. Nearby, Lady Reeves calmly observed the scene, dressed in an Army combat jacket but declining to heft anything larger than a pistoL Sir Paul then leeoed off a stream of bullets from a Steyr rifle before changing to a machine-gun that peppered the fierce looking wooden warrior perched on the hillside. Round him, senior aides and officers of Burnham Military Camp expressed their delight that the Governor-General was prepared to don everidlsaad experience at first band oome aspects of modern soldiering. Sir Paul and Lady Reeves* official visit to BurahainCamp yesterday was marked by several instances where the ViceRegal couple abandoned 'Ceremony in favour of pdreoaally using some of the Army's latest equipment Sir Paul donned a chemical warfare suit to use an Improvised explosive device, and later he drove a-tracked; eairgo carrier acrMUMNM«tßwaham's rolling terrain., ~ Sir Paul and Lady Reeves got behind the controls of die Army's Unimeg tracks, driving them to the firing range where Sir Paul tested examples of the Army's new light weapons.." Lady Reeves decuned to handle anything bigger than a pistol, but unfortunately mm was available for. tamtam. - officers. J .;. ‘ They also Inspected field displays of the latest mobile the Army and sampled pumem from the German designed unit that can cater.for IM soldiers at a time, offering meals as diverse as roasts to hot ddgL and steamed pudding to chicken. . The new Army unlmog ambulances were also examined and after Sir Paul had test-fired the light weapons, the Vice-Regal couple observed a noisy rappelling demonstration from atflp a Nft high water tower at tiie camp. ■ ■ $ As for his own prowem with the Army’s when Sir Paul set aside the snlperis rifle, his instructor, Warrant Officer 1 Cecil Poa, regarded the target and said, “Well, you gave him a headache Sir."; - ;