ARMY RIFLE MEETING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19737, 13 March 1926, Page 7

ARMY RIFLE MEETING.

COMPETITIONS CONCLUDED

KING’S MEDAL DECIDED.

WON BY STAFF-SERGEANT

THOMSON.

(Per United Press Association.)

TRENTTIAM, March 12.

The King’s Medal Match this morning completed the Army rilie meeting of 1920, and the new medallist appeared in the person of Staff-sergeant J. S. Thomson, of Palmerston North. He was not allowed to attain the honour without strong opposition, as the weather was excellent for the earlier of the four practices fired, but a high, blustei'y wind rather militated against good work at the long range. Thomson scored as follows: —43 at 300 yards rapid shooting, 35 at 300 yards snapshooting, 3 at 600 yards deliberate, 42 in fire with movement at 600 yards to 300 yards;—total, 157. Sergeant Howard, of the Royal Marines, tied with Thomson, getting 40, 42, 37, 38 — 157, but Thomson’s fourth practice score was the best, and he won the match. Howard was ineligible to take the King’s Medal, which is confined to purely New Zealand Territorials, forces, and staff. Two others, M’Calhim and Kearney, topped 150, and half a dozen others made T4O or over. The Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. J. Rolleston). with Major-general Young, Colonel C. 6. Powles, 0.C., Central Command, witnessed the final practice of the match, the detailed result of which is as follows:—

King’s Medal and £6 —Staff-sergeant ,L S. Thompson (Palmerston North) 157 £4-—Sergeant A. J. Howard (Royal.. Marinos) 157 £3—C. R. M'Callum (Christchurch) 154 £2 —Staff Sergeant-major J. H. Kear-

ney (Permane. i Staff) ) .. .. 152 The following take £1 each:—R. H. Perkins (Auckland) 148, G. E. Parker (Wellington) 144, Sergeant F. A. Hiscock (Royal Marines) 143, Lieutenant T. J. Denton (Christchurch) 143, Seaman E. H. Durham (N.Z. Naval Division) 142.

10s each: —Lieutenant A. J. Moore (Staff Corps) 140, A. R. Symons (Napier) 139, Lance-corporal L. H. Tobin (9th Mounted Rifles) 139, Corporal F. H. Poolman (9th Mounted Rifles) 137, Staff Ser-geant-major W. Bates (Permanent Staff) 135, Sergeant T. J. Eyre (Permanent Artillery) 135, Staff Sergeant-major C. H. Kitzema (Permanent Staff) 134, Sergeant L. Shepherd (Waikato Regiment) 133, Lieutenant C. W. Cayzer (Otago Regiment) 133, G. W. Foote (Auckland Regiment) 133, Corporal H. G. Burrell (Wellington West Coast Regiment) 132, Company Sergeant-major A. R. Mayhill (Auckland Regiment) 131, Staff Sergeant-major G. P. O’Leary (Napier) 131, W. S. Mansell (Royal Marines) 131, Sergeant A. H. Fergusson (6th Mounted Rifles) 130, Sergeant P. Williams (Wellington Regiment) 129, S. Pearce (Auckland Regiment) 127, F. Jamieson (15th Battery) 127, J. P. Mason (Royal Marines) 125, Sergeant J. E. Milner (Canterbury Regiment) 125. THE KING’S MEDALLIST.

King's Medallist Thomson belongs to the Permanent Staff, being instructor of mounted rifles at Palmerston North. He saw service in the war, and competed at Bisley tn 1919, but just failed by one point to get into the King’s Hundred. Les Love day, who won the King’s Prize on that occasion, pipped Thomson in the scramble to get in at the tail end. Both were members of the New Zealand team at that meeting, under Captain Simmonds, of Wanganui, who two years ago distinguished himself at Trentham by carrying off both the Service Championship and the King's Prize nt the national meeting. Thomson’s (and -Howard’s) 157 out of a possible 200 constituted a very fine performance under service conditions. PRIZES PRESENTED.

As soon as the shooting was completed and the positions of the men were ascertained all the men paraded around the stand on which the Minister of Defence, with General Young and the staff officers, took the post. The General very briefly welcomed the Minister and expressed pleasure at the manner in which the meeting had been carried through. The discipline at the butts had been excellent, but he hoped next year to see an improvement in the discipline on the firing mounds The Hon. Mr Kolleston, in acknowledging the welcome to, himself as Minister of Defence, said he was pleased to see the Interest all had shown In the meeting, despite the .break in the sequence caused by last year's epidemic. New Zealand’s defence system had been through rather difficult times, but he felt the outlook was now better, and that the system was going to prove thoroughly successful, and produce a Territorial force of which they could be proud It was essential that the whole personnel should put heart and soul into the work, and then the fullest efficiency would be secured. Mr Rolleston concluded with an expression of pleasure at seeing the naval men taking part, an 1 congratulated them on having made some calls upon the prize money. The Minister then presented the prizes: the King’s medal and the army and cadet champions wore each chaired by their respective comrades, and heartily applauded, while the appearance of the naval team to receive second prize in the services match evoked prolonged applause and cheers. The Auckland cadet team also came in for special notice, but seemed able to carry off their honours with an aplomb which some services seemed unable to muster. This ended the 1926 army meeting, and by the evening the camp had resumed its normal state. It will be awake again on Monday with the advent of riflemen for the National Rifle Association’s meeting.

VICKERS’ MACHINE-GUN MATCH.

WON BY OTAGO “HUSSARS.” (Peb United Press Association.) TRENTHAM. March 12. The work done by the Vickers machine gunners last night was highly eulogised by gialf observers as a fine performance for men to most of whom practice was quite now. The idea was that the guns were maintaining a barrage to cover the advance of a raiding party, and the job presented novel and interesting features, which kept a considerable number of men watching the 15 teams engaged till the end of the shooting. after 10 o’clock, despite the fact that the air grew keen. Some teams did not get a hit on the target, which is a very small affair—a bft by 6ft screen in the dark. 600 yards away. But. a s Major Wallingford pointed out. they need not be discouraged. Their shots would be very near the target, and make thinks unpleasant for the enemy if a party was there. , . , The match was won by the sth Mounted Rifles, Otago Hussars (Leader, Trooper Logan). who take £lO. The Ist Canterbury Regiment (Leader, Sergeant Forbes) are runners-up, and the Ist Auckland Regiment (Leader, Sergeant Marriage) are third. In connection with yesterday s demonstration of the effect of concerted rifle and machine gun fire it should be noted that the party of 16 riflemen were just drawn haphazard at the squadding posts, and were not in any sense a nicked body. Thev might, however, have been selected and specially trained to judge by the cool and collected manner in which thev went about the iob, and the effect of their fire on the “enemy.” It was a fine tribute to the quality of instruction given the Territorial forces.

WAIRARAPA MEETING.

OPENED IN STRONG WIND,

(Per United Press Association.)

CARTEiviON, March 2.

Tho Wairarapa rifle meeting was opened at Papawai to-clay with a strong northwest wind and rear fish tail. There was a large attendance of riflemen from all over the Dominion. Service Match.—-F. IT. Sharland, 43, £2; W. N. Knmmer, 42, £1: 11. Hart, 42, £1; Pres. S. A. Elliott. 42, £1; Pres. H. Marshall. 41. £1; T. Goodall. 40, £1; six secured 10s each and three wore counted out. Bidwlll Match.—W. J. Feast. 49, £4; A. S. Ballinger, 48. £3; C. J. Nix, 48, £2; W. 11. West, 47. £2; R. Piper, 47, £1 : Donald, 47, £1; 30 secured £1 each and 11 were counted out. Of the tyros four got £1 and seven 10s, one being counted out. Auckland Match. —P. C. Hamilton, 49. £4; D, M'Ken/ie. 49. £3: L, T. Duncan, 48. £2; P. Nicholla, 48, £2; H. Harris. 48, £2: W. M'Bain, 48, £2; 30 secured £l. and five wore counted out. Of the tyros four won £1 each, seven 10s, and onp was counted put, / „, -

pleted a very succosslui evening. Wellington Match (600 vards).—T. Marett. 49 £4; J. Christian, 48. £3; A. .T. Green. 47 £2; VVi! Feast. 46. £2: V. Jones, 46. £1: G. R. Smith. 46. £1: 30 pot £l. and seven were counted out. Of the tyros four crot £1 and seven 10s en^h. Canterbury Match (600 yards).—l. U Fenst 50. £4: H. Tewahaiti. 48, £3: W. M'lver. 47, £2; D. J. Anderson, 47, £2; Wil Feist. 47, £1; W. J. Green. 46. £1: 30 eot £l, and 10 were counted out. Tyros: Four cot £l, and seven 10= each. Midfield aggregate in matches 1,2, 3 and 4_j. G Feast, 187. £S: R J. Anderson. 182 £3 10s: A. S. Ballinsrer. 182. £3 10s: C J Ni\- 181. £2: C Whitemnn. 181. £2; W. Ballinger. 180. £1: "!7 trot £1 each. TEAMS MATCH. New Plymouth, 673. £4 10s. Grevtown No. 1, 671. £2 14s. Wanpanui, 661, £1 16s.