RECORD SHOOTING

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 132, 5 June 1915, Page 9

RECORD SHOOTING

sth REINFORCEMENTS HIGH FIGURE OF MERIT THE FOURTHS EASILY BEATEN. A remarkable shooting record has been put up by the sth Reinforcements in their advanced course of musketrywhich they have just completed. The 4th Reinforcements, when they established an average figure of merit of 85.4 out of a possible 185, were regarded, considering the severity of the conditions imposed, as fairly good shots, but their performance has now been wholly eclipsed by tho sth Reinforcements, who have succeeded in attaining an'average of 103.3. The course fired being the test for trained soldiers in the British' Regular Army, this achievement is a highly creditable one, and speaks well for the thoroughness of the training which has been established at Trentham. It is producing men who can shoot, and who should, therefore, prove welcome reinforcements when they, join the Main Force now fighting in the Dardanelles. The performance of the sth Reinforcements is notable for several other things. It has broken all previous records established by any of the Reinforcement drafts, and in addition to that has set up three new records for individual squadrons or companies. The previous highest record established by any squadron or company was that made by D (Otago) Squadron, 4th Reinforcements, when it secured an average figure of merit of 102.4. The three new records now put up by the sth Reinforcements are;—D (Otago) Squadron, 117.8; A (Auckland) Company, 107.8; B (Wellington) Company, 104.3. The Otago Squadron, it will be noticed, again heads the list. A further specially favourable feature is that this is the first occasion upon which the infantry of any of the Reinforcements' have shot up to the standard of the Mounted Rifles, the Mounted Rifles' average for the sth's being 104.4 and the Infantry's 102.7. In the case of the 4th Reinforcements the Mounted Rifles' average was 95.6 and the Infantry's only 80.9. Under these circumstances the public will expect to find fairly high percentages of marksmen and first-class shots among the sth's, and in this they will not be disappointed. Out of the possible of 185, the standard of qualification set for marksmen was 133 points, for firstclass shots 108 points, and for secondclass shots 72 points. Under this standard no fewer than 11.5 per cent, of the whole of the sth Reinforcements qualified a 6 marksmen and 31.5 per cent, as first-class shots. The percentage ,of second-class shots was 53.5 and of thirdclass shots only 3.5. Following are the percentages of marksmen, first, second, and third-class shots, and the average figure of merit secured by the various squadrons and companies of the sth Reinforcements: — Mounted Rifles.

' Mounted Rifles Average, 104.4 Infantry.

Infantry Average, 102.7. - sth Reinforcements' Average, 103.3. The average figures of merit won by the squadrons and companies of tho 4th Reinforcements were as under :—: — Mounted Rifles : A (Auckland) Squadron, 96.0; B (Wellington) Squadron, 90.6; C (Canterbury) Squadron, 93.4; D (Otago)- Squadron, 102.4. Infantry : A (Auckland) Company, 80.1; B (Wellington) Company, 73.3; C (Canterbury) Company, 80.2; D (Otago) Company, U0.2. The standard set by the sth Reinforcements being such a high one, it will be interesting to observe whether any of the future Reinforcement drafts or new units can succeed in beating it.

Marksmen. Ist C Squadron 10.0 31.8 Squadron 4.8 21.7 Squadron 4.4 30.9 Squadron 30.1 31.3 2ndC 57.2 71.9 60.1 28.6 i 3rd( .9 1.6 3.5 0 Ay, 102.0 99.4 98.3 117.8

I 1 Co. Co. Co. Co. Marls ksmen. Ist C 16.5 38.8 13.1 32.9 4.2 27.6 8.9 28.3 2ndC 39.5 47.5 65.1 58.2 ) 3rd( 5.5 6.5 5.1 4.4 C Ay. 107.8 104.3 98.2 100.6