CHAMPION RIFLE SHOT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIII, Issue 16, 21 January 1919, Page 6

CHAMPION RIFLE SHOT

FINE COW.ECIION OF TEOPEIES

Many Nelsonians, and especially Old Boys of Nelson College, will be-, greatly interested - tU a very fine collection of shooting trophies won. by- the late Lieut. 0. A. Jeffreys, son of Mr F.J. Jeffreys, of Van ' Lieman street, whwh Mr* Jeffreys .. brought with her from South Africa. ! Owing to freight troubles, etc., Mrs Jeffreys was forced to leave a considerable xiflmSer of trophies behind her, but those she has brought cover two large tables. An Old Boy of Nelson College, the late Lieut. Jeffreys 'served throughout the , South African War and settled in Johannesburg, where his skill-'as a villa shot soofi, won for him a place among the beet rifle shots of South Africa, where : the standard is unusually high. He represented South Africa at flasley and; in the Olympic games at Stockholm in 1912. Included in the trophies brought back by Mrs Jeffreys » a handsome; .three-handled silver cup, ‘ presen ted by v f the. Birmingham Metal anil -Munitions Company, Ltd., . and won by Lieut., at_the National Rifle Asosciation’s meeting in 1912, with a score of 35 at 1000 yards. Other cups won. byt Lieut. Jeffreys are the IXalrymple Cup for 4he_X<loyd Lindsay competition at the Transvaal Bisley in . 1907, and the National Rifle Club’s cup won at JDurbafo. Altogether there ar©"" Twelve cups, 16 gold medals, 21 silver medals, ando 23 bronze medals, besides numerous, shields,^ cream jugs, silver spoons, serviette "rings, badges, etc., all bearing silent testimony to the deceased’s prowess as a rifle shot. On the outbreak of war in 1914, Lieut. Jefferys, who was engaged in mining operations, immediately volunteered for service, but was rejected, having contracted miners’ complaint. He then took up farming, but gradually declined in health, until death, ensued some months lafer. He held the South African medal with six bars—[Diamond Hill, Johannesburg; Orange Free State, Cape Colony, South Africa, * 1901-2 and the King’s Coronation medal 1906, at which ceremony he was one of the South African representatives. One of his proudest possessions' . was t. diploma presented by’the Olympic Committee at Stockholm'to the South African team. Mrs Jeffreys will be pleased to show the trophies to anyone interested. The collection is well seeing.