VOLUNTEERING NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12071, 15 September 1902, Page 6

VOLUNTEERING NEWS.

-- -—»■ ! SHOOTING COMPETITION AT THAMES. , [BY tklkqbai'H.— own cohbesi'oxdknt.] ( THAMES, Saturday. Members of the Thames Rifles fired at the i 600 yds range to-day in the competition com- * inclined a fortnight ago for Mr. Rogers' ' handsome silver cup, and at the same time completed their class-firing. The weather was not very favourable for good shooting', the light being very indifferent, and a strong wind blowing right across the range. The cup contest was won by Sergeant Mpraggon with a total of 81 points, including a handicap i of five, points, his nearest opponent being Private MeDermott, who. with a handicap of 15 points, put up a score of 76. Following ( are the leading total;: — I Sergeant Spwiggon (handicap 5 points) ... 01 ] Private MeDermott (15) 76 Private Curtis (5) 65 ' Sergeant Oioshie (scratch) 61 i Private Dickey (5) 60 , Private Latin (8) ... ... 58 Private Jennings (15) 57 ' Private Clarke (15) , 65 1 P.ifie regiments (says a Heme Service paper) view with some dismay the fact that in the uevv infantry training their cherished dig- ] tir.cbions are abolished. No doubt from one point of view this change is right, for recent experiences have proved that every infantry soldier must bo a riflemen if he is to be a 1 really effective fighting unit;. But that is not ail, nor is it everything. There is still much i force hi espirit dc corps and historical a.sso- ? ciotious, and ever -inoc the rifle brigade led in this matter, others have tried, with more . or less success, to emulate their elan. .But, , although every infantry soldier may now be a rifleman, that is no reason why rifle regiments should not til me to practise those harmless distinctions which cannot in any way ' affect the training of the army. For instance, ; why should not rifle regiments continue to i trail arms instead of moving at the slope? 1 Why should not a, rifleman sentry be still . permitted to sling his rifle, and to sahib' by j tapping the sling? The training of the army '' is not affected by such trifles, but the esprit de corps of rifle regiments is very much in- ' jured by their alxilition. To slope aims is ' ,in abhorrence to riflemen ; and if every ' soldier must "slope'' arms, the public will 1 lie unable to recognise regiments whose name i and lame have been built up by deeds of ] prowess inspired by the indescribable in- l fiiietice of little distinctions. In most Con- , tineutal armies riflemen are distinguished and , honoured. In Italy everyone knows when Ihe famous Bersaglieri are corning, and proudly they live up to their reputation. It will do the British army no good to bring everyone to the same dead level, both in dress a and action. Those who attempt it have no s knowledge of human nature, or of the psycho- ' logy of the soldier.