RIFLE SHOOTING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3862, 20 March 1928, Page 18

RIFLE SHOOTING.

ARMY CHAMPIONSHIPS.

- TRENTHAM, March 13. The annual New Zealand Army Rifle Association meeting opened this morning. The weather was good, with the usual tricky range wind. Colonel Burgess addressed the terri-' torials and cadets. He said that the entries constituted a record, the number being upwards of 700. Colonel Burgess congratulated the competitors on tneir soldierly appearance, and wished the meeting success. The competitors are the best marksmen of the respective units, being first tested out in area and military districts’ competitions. The match in progress is the Army Championship for the Belt, which comprises four practises based on active service conditions, and is for the purpose of determining the best marksmen. The leading 100 of these will compete for the King’s Medal, when shooting will be under similar conditions. The match is open to members of the permanent military forces, air force, territorials, and cadets. The officers and other ranks of the British Army service in New Zealand are eligible to compete for the money prizes, but not for the medal. The Cadet Champion Belt, open to competitors under 18 years, is being fired, the practices being the application, snapshooting, rapid, and moving targets, all at 200yds. There are 200 competitors. Last year the Belt was won'by Corporal G. Parker (Wellington Regiment), Lieutenant J. Hepburn (Waikato Regiment) second, Lieutenant C. Cayzer (Waikato Regiment) third. The King’s Medal was won by Lieutenant T. Denton, of the air force, and the Cadet Championship by Corporal C. Cullyer (Hokitika), Sergeant-major R. M’Gill (Boys’ High School, Dunedin) being second, and H. Stevens (Hamilton) third. One of the main features of the meeting is the machine gun matches, which arm, it is considered, will be more relied upon in future wars. Last year the Hawke’s Bay Regiment was successful with the Vickers, North Island Regiments with the Lewis, and Nelson Mounted Rifles with the Hotchkiss.

The shooting in the championship series was delayed owing to the large number of entries. Squadding commenced at 7.50 this morning, but the first practice was not in progress till after 9 o’clock, the first of the two stages being completed this evening. A’* fishtail ” wind interfered with good markmanship the varied force of which throughout the day, T combined with the fact that no direction flags were permitted, increased the difficulties. It was common for a competitor to register a bull with a sighter in deliberate shooting and to miss the target with the next three shots.

The territorials opened with rapid firing at 300yds, and when direct hits were announced it was found that there was a considerable number of misses, corrections of sight not being allowed. Similar conditions obtained when the snap shooting at 300yds was in progress. Many competitors at 600yds did not hit the target during the afternoon practice. The conditions were that each man was required to run 100yds, fire two rounds at 500yds, 45sec being allowed for exposure. A further 100yds were then traversed, and two rounds fired. Similar conditions obtained at 300yds and 200yds, while at 100yds the firing was from a. standing position. Two competitors were disqualified for firing three shots at short range. In the aggregate, however, the shooting was in advance of last year. The first stage of the Cadet Championship disclosed good shooting. The most dihicult practice in this series is firing at a moving target shaped like a pennant. Last year highest score for the four practices was 89, and this year 106 was secured by Sergeant Hancox (Christchurch), Lieutenant Zook (Christchurch) was second with a point less, while Sergeant Hudson (Dunedin) registered 98, Sergeant-major Buchanan (Dunedin) 96, and Pountriey (Hamilton) 90. , The weather is overcast and rain appears probable. The health of all units is good. There will be a night firing competition with a Hotchkiss gun on Wednesday between team s of seven men, three of whom will each fir© a strip of 30 rounds. The following is the prize list: — CADET CHAMPIONSHIP (first stage). Application snap shooting, rapid and

moving target, all 200yds. (Possible 125.) 40s—Hancox (Christchurch) 105 30s—Zook (Christchurch) 105 20s—Hudson (Dunedin) 98 I'orty-two with scores from 96 down to 71 divide 120 s. CADETS’ MATCH. Application and snapshooting, time limit, each 200yds. (Possible 50.) 40s—Dyer (Pukekohe) 46 30s—Haden (Petone) ./_45 20s—Beattie (Dunedin) ... 43 Ihirty-two with scores from 43 down to 35 divide 190 s. TERRITORIAL CHAMPIONSHIP (first series). Rapid 300yds, snapshooting 300yds, deliberate 600yds, fire with movement 600yds to 700yds. Class 1, for commissioned officers, permanent staff and reservists. 40s—Kearney (Napier) 11l 30s—Bates (Christchurch) m 20s—Moore (Greymouth) t „ 102 Seven with scores 98 down to 91 divide 455. Class 2. 40s—Symon (Oamaru) 113 30s —Rathbun (Greymouth) ... ... 107 80s—Parker (New Plymouth) ... "... 102 Fifty-seven divide £33.

TRENTHAM, March 14

Ideal shooting conditions prevailed today, and wer< taken advantage of by marksmen, as was shown in the improved scoring in the Territorial and Cadet Championships. In the final stage in the Trentham Match there was a number of fine hits, and on© competitor put all six shots into the moving target. Corporal Sanford, the winner, is a son of the well-known marksman who has attended many National Rifle Association meetings. A number of teams competed in the Anti-aircraft Match, ’this being an innovation, and the direct hits recorded were considered satisfactory. White screen targets wer e erected, 10ft by 3ft, bearing three small silhouettes of aeroplanes along the top, one to represent an aeroplane crossing to the right, one to the left, and the centre one diving. Ten shots were fired at each ’plane by three separate men under service conditions, the time allowed being 75sec. Ihe practice was keenly watched bv Major-general Young. The Caaet Championship was won by Sergeant Hudson (Dunedin), with a score of 199, exceeding th© aggregate of Corporal Collyer (Hokitika), last year’s winner, by nine points. The aggregates generally showed a distinct improvement. The highest scor© in the Territorial Belt Championship, which was last year secured by Petty-officer Griffiths, of the Renown, with an aggregate of 200, but who was not eligible to hold it, was secured by G. Parker (Wellington) with a total, of 201. The winner of the. belt this year is Corporal H Simon (Oamaru), 199. The highest score (217) was obtained by Sergeant-major Kearney, of the Permanent Staff. Parker and Lieutenant Duncan (Auckland) tied for second place, the former losing his position on a count.

The night firing competition with Hotchkiss and Lewis guns was held to-night Verey lights being used to fir e at the direction targets.

CADET CHAMPIONSHIP (Second Sta<re) 40s—Duff (Christchurch) 105 30s—Burton (Hastings) 105 20s—-Bowling (Hamilton) 103 Forty-two scores from 103 to 77 divide loOs.

AGGREGATES. 60s. Belt and gold jewel—Sergeant R Hudson (Dunedin) lg g 40s and silver jewel—Sergeant L. look (Christchurch) ... jgg 2°s and bronze jewel—E. Burton (Hastings) 190 ANTI-AIRCRAFT MATCH. Thirty rounds, 25yds. (Possible 60.)' Lewis Gun. —Hawke’s Bay . 17 40s—otago ... ... ••• j' Engineers and Wellington teams, 14, equal, third. ’

Fourteen teams competed. _i?° TC ?r KISS GUN SECTION. 80s—Otago Mounted Rifles 14 40s---Auckla.nd Mounted Rifles ... . 11 Six teams competed. The following are the leaders i n the ICO highest scorers in the championship series who will compete for the King’s VedaT 7 P ’lX/ ds ’ snapshooting 300yds, deliberate 600yds, and fir e with movement 600yds to 1000yds : — kergeant-major Kearney 217 Sergeant M Currie 212, Corporal Simon 199 Par£ na i n <;7 T P Uncan and L.-corpora] Paiker 157, Private Cathcart, Staff Ser g ra e “l92 ] Tr? 6S R l95 ’ PoolKenning 187 T t ßurge£s n 188 ’ Lieutenant 18 Lieutenant Moor e 184 Cadet Pilot Watt 181 Captain Clifton 180 S‘aff ton 177, L.-corporal Carmichael 176 Cor AI CI2 (Secolld Stage), ciass 1 Officers and Permanent S~?- rs : a, “ (i>"S s,a “i 2I 30s—Lmutenant Duncan (Auckland) 110 Seve“Sr s £ Ke, ’ r ” ey

Class IT, Rank and File 40s-Burgesg (Waipukurau) m SOs-Corporal Kenward (Dunedin) S m, a T'RENTHAM, March 15. n T 1 0 Arm y nfle meeting was advanced 15m?" .™ niDE ’ nijit firing competitions were jield beSot©hV teamS ° f Vickors ’ L^i s , and 2 the V- Sectlous ' The conditions ot the Vickers competition for a shoot .at 800yds, 200 rounds. a team of four men, at sunset. The leader marked the position of the tripod, and wfth° d ti a I ? yds distant > in alignment with the target. It was a dark night, and to give the direction of the target a lamp was hung on the peg. The Ist Battalion Hawke’s Bay Regiment, made a remarkable shoot, being easily a record for New Zealand, and comparing favourably with the records of the British Army. The possible was 400. 2 points being the award for each hit. Hawke’s Bay team secured 264, of which over 60 were in the -centre of the target, Last year this match was won by the Waikato Mounted Rifles, -with a total of 17, when 15 teams competed.

The Lewis gun competition, also under service conditions, proved spectacular, lhe possible was 141. The teams were of seven men, three of whom fired 47 rounds each. To give direction Verey flares were used, and the gun fired 600 rounds a minute, seven being Bowed each marksman. It takes three seconds for a flare to rise and burst, so the actual time was ssec. The ground being dry, the lights set fire to the grass on descending, consequently the men firing through a smoke screen. The Wellington West Coast Regiment, which was the winners secured 60 points, which was 2 points ahead of the Ist Battalion, North Auckland team, last year’s winners.

when conditions were more favourable. The Hotclikiss section wms similar to the Lewis gun section, but the result was not equal to 1927, when the Ist Mounted Rifles, C.Y.C., won with 54' points. To give additional interest, Colonel Burgess stated that he would endeavour to secure dummy tanks for next year s competitions. Last night’s results: — NIGHT HIRING. Vickers Guns. ' 150s—Hawke’s Bay Regiment (D. R. Graham, W. J. Burton, P. T. Crawford. J. C. Cater, and J. M. Forrest) 264 125s—Otago Mounted Rifles 86 100s—Auckland Regiment ... 64 75s —Canterbury Regiment 46 Seventeen teams competed. Lewis Guns. 160s—Wellington West Coast Regiment (W. Hutchinson, I. James, L. H. Beardsmore, S. Trott, F. Signal, R. Rusden, G. Hayward, and M. Mowatt) 60 120s—Hawke’s Bay Regiment ...... 43 gOs—Nelson, Marlborough, and West Coast Regiment |9 40s—Southland Regiment 38 Fourteen team s competed. Hotchkiss Guns. 120s —Auckland Mounted Rifles (W. Buttimore, H. Waddington, J. Harcombe, K. M’Pherson, E. N. Vipond, A. Kewish, E. A. Kerr, and JJamieson) 22 129s —Nelson and Marlborough Mounted Rifles ••• 22 80s—New Zealand Mounted Rifles, Timaru 19 Six teams competed. REGIMENTAL TEAMS MATCH. (Challenge Shield.) £l6—Hawke’s Bay Regiment 579 £12 —Nelson and Marlborough Regiment ••• 557 £lo—Wellington-West Coast Regiment 552 160s—Wellington Regiment 549 120s—Central Command, N.Z.P.S. ... 544 80s—South Command 534 Twenty-six teams competed. Fine weather again favoured the shooting to-day at the Army Rifle Association meeting, when the competitions were advanced to the final stages, and to-mor-row morning will see the conclusion of the most successful gathering of this annual function from all points of view. Certainly the most interesting feature to-day •was the battle practice competition by both Territorials and cadets. The competition represents an enemy attack in force over 1000yds reduced to scale, its objective being a trench occupied by the competitors, who represent a platoon of four sections, with the remainder of the company on either flank. The teams taking part consisted of eight men representing each command, selected from those who registered the highest scores in the Regimental Teams’ Match. Forty rounds per man were allowed, points being given for hits on targets, for fire, direction, control, and discipline. It is assumed that aeroplanes have reported an enemy concentrating in force behind the landscape, and the platoon is instructed to hold its ground at all costs, while the supply of ammunition is limited. The enemy is advancing under gas and high explosive shells. The enemy is represented by mechanically-operated figuers which increase 'in size as they advance A model aeroplane passes overhead bursting powder representing gas bombs. The competitors’ masks and the enemy deploying and taking cover give a realistic touch to the competition. Each figure hit represents a casualty and drops out of action. The climax is a bayonet charge at life-sized figures and the possession of the trench by the enemy was the signal to cease fire. The competitors from Hawke’s Bay collectively have proved the best marksmen at the meeting, and will take away with them more than half the prize money In snapshooting practice, Sergeant-major Stitchbury (Gisborne) obtained the remarkable score of 48 out of a possible 50. The following is the prize list:— SERVICES’ TEAMS’ - MATCH. ’ £l6 Challenge Shield, silver spoon to ' each member. —New Zealand Permanent Forces (Captain Clifton, leader, Lieutenants Denton, Moore, Sergeants-major Bates, Kearney, Stitchbury, Thomson, and M’Currie), 765. , 160 s and silver s’Jobn each.—Central Command. Territorials, 567. 120s.—Southern Command Territorials, 522. BATTLE PRACTICE.

Five teams competed in the battle practice for cadets’ teams of eight. 90s.—Northern Command, 513. 455.—-Southern Command, 422. Central Command also competed. CADET TEAMS’ RIFLE MATCH.

180 s C.A.C. Challenge Shield and silver spoon each.—Southern Command A (Cadet Boyce leader, C. S. Mackie, Corporal Watts, Cadet Duff, Sergeants Cook, Hudson, Hancox, Beattie, Cadet Homer) 533.

90s and silver spoon each.—Central Command B 637. 45s.—Northern Command, 480. MACHINE GUN MATCHES. Six teams competed in the Machine Gun matches. Vickers. £l5 and challenge trophy.—First Mounted Rifles (I. Lloyd, I. Cresswell, W. Sanford, R. Davidson, and J. Collen), 111. 200s.—Seventh Mounted Rifles. 109. 150s.—Waikato Mounted Rifles, 88. 100s.—Wellington West Coast Regiment, 79. Hotchkiss. £l2 and challenge trophy.—Nelson and Marlborough Mounted Rifles (A. Brown, W. Brown, R. Brown, and T. Mills), 43. 200s.—Auckland Mounted Rifles, 38. 100 s—Manawatu Mounted Rifles, 37. Seven teams competed.

Lewis. 2405, challenge trophy, and silver spoon each.—First Battalion Hawke’s Bay Regiment (Sergeant Hampton, Lance-corporals Carmichael, Symonds, and Hood), 184. 200 s and silver spoon each.—First Battalion North Auckland Regiment, 90. 100 s—-Third Field Artillery, 87. Depot Engineers, 87. Sixteen teams competed. STAFFORD CHALLENGE SHIELD. Stafford Challenge Shield. Open to all battalions in the Territorial Force, awarded to the battalion whose teams gain the highest aggregate score in the regimental teams. Vickers and Lewis Gun Matches.

First Battalion Hawke’s Bay Regiment, 756. Wellington West Coast Regiment, 701. First Battalion Wellington Regiment, 696. BATTLE PRACTICE (For territorial teams of " : ght). 18G’s.—First Battalion Hawke’s Bay Regiment (Sergeants Graham, Hampton, Slade, Stewart, Corporal Ellis, Lance-cor-porals Carmichael, Symons, and Burton), 593. 90s.—Southern Command, 518. Northern Command, 344. THE KING'S MEDAL. TRENTHAM, March 16. The King’s Medal at the army rifle meeting was won by Lance-corporal S. W. Bernet (Wellington) with 158. Lieutenant I. Denton (Air Force) was second with 157, Trooper J. M. Jameson (Pukekohe) third with 150, and Lieutenant I. C. Maclain© (Air Force) fourth with 146.

The winner receives the medal and 120 s ; second, 80s; third, 60s; and fourth, 40s. The following take 20s each:—Private Cathcait (Johnsonville) 146, Lieutenant Kenning (Wanganui) and Sergeant Thompson (Palmerston North) 145, Lance-cor-poral Carmichael (Hastings) 142, Trooper Bown (Caversh2am) 141.

Tlie following take 10s each: —Corporal Ellis (Napier) 141, Private Jepson (Johnsonville) 138, Private Poulson (Christchurch) and Lance-corporal Parker (New Plymouth) 137, C.S.M. Osmond (Dunedin) and Captain Weir (New Plymouth) 136, Driver Hall (Auckland) 135, Cadet Pilot Watt (Auckland), Lieutenant Dunean (Auckland) 134, Lieutenant Poolman (Whangarei) 133, Captain Poppelwell (Gore), Lieutenant Hepburn (Hamilton) 132, Sergeant Linton (Seddon), S.S.M. Carney (Napier) 131, Sergeant Mackey (Auckland), and Lance-corporal Symons (Hastings) 130, Trooper Davidson (Christchurch) and Private A. Moore (Wellington) 129, Sergeant Shepherd (Rahotu) and Corporal Kenward (Dunedin) 128. Except for a light shower the weather conditions were excellent. The service regulations governing the shoot are similar in all parts of the British Empire, the trophy being a gold medal presented by his Majesty. The practices are rapid 300yds, 10 rounds, time limit 40sec; snapshooting, 300yds, 10 rounds, 3sees’ exposure at- irregular intervals during the period of 2min ; deliberate, 600yds, 10 rounds fire, with movement; 600yds to 100yds fire, to 45sec exposure, at intervals of 15sec. The possible is 200. The shooting throughout was very good. An official stated that, collectively/ it wa s the highest standard obtained since the meeting was inaugurated. During snapshooting practice, T. Denton (Air Force) and J. Jamieson (Pukekohe) secured 45 out of a possible of 50.

The winner is a member of the machinegun section of the Ist Wellington Regiment. He is a civil servant, recentlv transferred from Whangarei, and the present is the first occasion on which he has taken part at a meeting. Lieutenant Denton, Christchurch, won the medal last year with a score of 145. The highest score in the match was obtained by Petty-officer Griffiths, of the Renown, with 150, but he wa s not eligible. Private Cathcart (Johnsonville) tied for fourth place, but lost on the count back. Colonel Sinclair Burgess, chief executive officer, who presented the prizes in the unavoidable absence of the Minister, stated that next year it wag intended to increase the Vickers and light automatic gun matches. He stated that the mechanisation of armed warfare was going ahead bv leaps and bounds. This did not mean a curtailment of rifle matches, as the final decision in land warfare in th© future rested with the individual with the rifle and bayonet. The colonel congratulated the competitors on the excellent sporting spirit displayed throughout th© meeting.