RIFLE AND RANGE WITH THE 303

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18890, 15 October 1929, Page 3

RIFLE AND RANGE WITH THE 303

BY

“ TRIGGER.”

Prospects for the Season. The present season was opened on Saturday by most of the rifle clubs, both in Christchurch and North Canterbury. Several of the clubs show a large increase, in membership, this applying more especially to the country clubs. This is a good sign and shows that .303 shooting is holding its own with the various summer sports. A most gratifying happening on the Banks Peninsula has been the formation of a club at Chorlton by some of the old riflemen, amongst whom is that old time rifleman Charlie Craw. Local clubs should have a good season as the dates allotted at Redcliffs are the most satisfactory for a number of years. The Canterbury Rifle Association will hold its annual championships at Redcliffs this year on Saturday, December 28. In the past entries have not been very large when the meeting has been held on a close holiday like Boxing Day or New Year’s Day, so a trial is to be made on the week-end in between these two days. The “Jack Shield” competition which was such a huge success last year will again be held, Saturday, February 22, 1930, being the date selected. The Oakes Challenge Shield, which was won by the Christchurch Defence Club from the Ashburton Club towards the end of last season, will also be open for competition. Up to the time of writing no challenges have been received by the holders, but in the course of the next few weeks there should be quite a number.

The National meeting will be held at Trentham in the latter part of February and should be largely attended. There is a prospect of an Australian team again competing and this should lend a deal of interest to the gathering. Taking everything into consideration, riflemen should have a successful seaSpecial Articles. From week to week, the writer will provide articles which will be of benefit to those closely associated with the pastime, and also be interesting reading to the older riflemen, who are no longer actively interested. Jottings. The scoring under the reduced bulls- ; eye which comes into force this season has already reduced the rate of scoring, ,and inners will be recorded in plenty. The bullseye at 300yds has been reduced from nine inches to 7 b inches and at 500 and 600 from 18 to 15 inches. K S SS S. Nelson, the winner of the Christchurch Defence Club’s first competition last Saturday shot consistently in notching 43 at 300 yards and 44 at 500 yards. Another good effort was a 44 by the veteran Harry Reynolds at 300 yards, this being top score for the range. G. Crimp 46, H. Harris 45 and A. Halmshaw 45 were worthy of mention at the 500 yards distance. Handicap men were well to the fore at Rangiora last Saturday. D. T. Patterson with 8 points handicap put up 52 out of a possible 55 off the rifle at the opening range of 200 yards and with 43 out of 50 at 300 yards ran out a winner by four points. Rifleman W. Heney was well on the bullseye when he notched 54 out of 55 for the Rangiora Club last Saturday. Xhe Christchurch Defence Club will fire a long range sweepstake competition at 800 and 900 j r ards on the Tai Tapu range next Saturday. 1929 BISLEY. Canadians First and Second. All the thrills of a great match must have been present when the final stage of the King’s Prize was fired at the world-famed Bisley range. The first stage—seven shots at 200, 500, and 600 yards—-is a qualifying one only The 300 highest aggregate scorers go on to the second stage—lo shots at 300, 500, and 600 yards—and then another 200 drop out, leaving the “Final Hundred,” as they are known, to shoot in the final, 15 shots at 900 and 1000 yards. The contest throughout is one of the most gruelling, and a man must be in the very best of form to hold his place. The cable messages have not given us any idea of the weather prevailing, but, considering that the country was undergoing a drought, I should say that the weather was hot. The second stage was won by Captain Ransford, of the Suffolk Regiment, who has been in the final for the last three years, followed by Private Garnett, late Inns of Court, who has competed in the final on no fewer than six occas ions during the last seven years. LieutColonel Blair (Canada) scored 141 points in the stage. The winner of the King’s Prize was Lieut.-Colonel Blair, of the Seaforth Highlanders, Vancouver (Canada), after a double tie with Lieutenant Desmond Burke, of the GovernorGeneral’s Foot Guards, Ottawa (Canada), each with 283 points. Exciting Finish. Immediately it was known that another tie had occurred in the greatest 1 >(!lllllllllll!nill[inil!llll!lllllllll!llllin(inillillllllllll(n!ll![|ll!lill!lll!lll!l!llllll[l!ini

of all rifle matches in the world, arrangements were made to decide the winner. Both were marksmen of more than ordinary ability, and it was realised that a great fight would result. The conditions were that each would be allowed one sighter, not to coiyit, and three shots at 1009 yards. Both scored bullseyes with their sighters, and then commenced the tussle. Firing shot for shot, Blair and Burke kept on the bullseye for another three shots. Still a tie. By this time the atmosphere must have been electric, with considerably more than a thousand spectators grouped behind the ropes and scoring-boards. For two more shots both scored bullseyes. At Bisley the authorities are most particular that a competitor shooting a tie must not race ahead of his opponent. Blair again scored a bullseye with his sixth tie shot, while Burke was in the inner ring. Thus ended a great match. Blair was “chaired” in the customary manner and proclaimed the winner by one point, after firing 87 shots over all ranges. Two others tied for third place, each with 282 points. Captain W. N. Masefield, of New Zealand, was included in the “Final Hundred,” as well as Warrant-officer Boxall-Chapman, of the Australian Flying Corps. Lieut.-Colonel Blair is one of the best shots in Canada, and was in the “Final Hundred” in 1926. He is Canadianborn, and fought throughout the Great War with the Canadian forces. Lieut. Burke—The Marvel. When Lieutenant Burke, then aged 19 years, won the King’s Prize at Bisley in 1924, a great future was predicted for him. That the high opinions then formed of his extraordinary ability as a marksman have been more than justified is borne out by his subsequent performances. Sergeant Arthur Fulton of the Queen’s Westminsters, has won two King’s Prizes and been second in two others. He visited Australia when quite a lad with the first British team in 1907. Lieutenant Burke has already one win to his credit, but the most extraordinary feature of his long string of successes is that he has been second in the King’s Prize for the last three years in succession. In 1927 he was second to Captain Vernon, beaten by one point. Last year he again second to Lance-Corporal Hale, three points down; and now ties with the winner and loses the shoot-off.

It has been said by an eminent Canadian authority that Burke is so consistently brilliant that “he may be found near the top in every competition.” The following are some of his performances:—

1923 Won tyro aggregate, Ontario (Canada), Duke of Cornwall, and G.N.R. match, as well as the D.R.A. silver medal. 1924 Won King’s Prize; won bronze medal in first stage for highest score. 1925 Won King’s medal (Canadian army championship), with 175 points; scored 73, 75 (possible). 74—222, for 15 shots at 800, 900 and 1000 yards, with th*. U.S.A. Springfield rifle, in the Palma match at Camp Perry (U.S.A.) between the United States and Canada; was one of 29 to score the possible at 900 yards in the Palma individual match at Camp Perry. 1926 Sixteenth in the Bisley team aggregate.

1927 Second, King’s Prize, one point down to the record score of 292 points out of possible 300 points; lost shoot-off for silver medal (second stage); won the Governor-General’s (Canada) first stage with 34, 35, 35—104, out of possible 105; second for the Governor-General's prize, one point down; fourth, Canadian grand aggregate; first, Bisley team aggregate; won for second time the King’s medal (Canadian Army rifle championship). 1928 Won Southern Railways match at Bisley; won first stage King’s; second Alexander (500 and 600 yards), with 35, 33—68; fifth all-comers’ aggregate; won grand aggregate; second, King’s Prize; top scorer for Canada, Kolapore Cup and top scorer Canada, Mackinnon Cup. When he returned to Canada after winning the King’s Prize in 1924 a great public demonstration and reception was tendered Burke. He was then a private, but was shortly afterwards promoted to the rank of lieutenant. Private Hayhurst was the first Canadian to win the Queen’s Prize, as it was then, in 1895. Since that time other Canadians to win have been Private S. J. Perry (1904), Private W. J. Clifford (1911), and Private W. Hawkins (1913) The late Dave- M'Alister (Junee, N.S.W.) was third in 1914, and, but. for being squadded in one of the most i exposed portions of the range, may have won. M’Alister was afterwards killed in action, as was A. L. Halliday (Queensland), who was fourth to M’Alister. J. M. Jamieson, also of Junee, won the first stage, and he, too, was killed in action.

New Zealand at Bisley. By a recent mail I received a letter from Rifleman P. Robertson, of Christchurch, who competed at Bisley. He gives a most interesting account of his experience on the historic shooting ground. As the letter will be of con siderable interest to local riflemen, I will deal with it fully in next week’s notes.