Nottinghamshire Rifle Association

Derby Daily Telegraph, Monday, 9 October 1905

MINIATURE RIFLE SHOOTING.
IMPORTANT CONTEST AT DERBY.
THE KING'S PRIZEMAN A BIG WINNER.

The Society of Miniature Rifle Clubs held a series of highly important competitions on Saturday in the Midland Railway Shooting Hall, London-road, Derby; when some of the best shots in the country were amongst the competitors. The society was formed only a few years ago as an outcome of the South African war, and one of its chief supporters is Lord Roberts. The popular Field Marshall was practically one of the originators of the movement, which so far has been highly successful in its endeavours to encourage the youth of England in the art of rifle shooting.

"Bobs" is the president of the society, and the Duke of Connaught is the patron, whilst the vice-presidents and Council include the names of many well known military men, as will be seen from the following list of vice-presidents:- Viscount Colville of Culross, Earl Grey, the Earl of Meath, the Earl of Scarborough, Lord Annaly, Lord Iveagh, Admiral Lord Charles Beresford, Gen. Lord William Seymour, Lieutenant- General Sir Ian Hamilton, Major-General Sir Alfred Turner, Colonel Sir Howard Vincent, Sir Lewis McIver, M.P., Colonel C.E. Warde, M.P., Lieut- Colonel L. Longstaff, Dr. G.B. Longstaff. Council:- The Duke of Norfolk (chairman), the Duke of Westminster, the Marchioness of Londonderry, Earl Grey, Viscount Colville of Culross, Sir John Hollands, Lieuit.-General Sir Ian Hamilton, Major-Gen. Sir R.B. Lane, Major-General Sir Alfred Turner, Lieut.-General W.W. Biscoe, Lieut.-General F. Lance, Major-General C.E. Luard, Major-General W.H. Mackinnon, Colonel Prescott Decie, Colonel E.C. Garstin, Mr. G.T. Biddulph, Mr. Coles Child, Mr. F. Collins, Mr. Douglas Eyre, Mr. Everard A. Ford, Mr. F.S. Hay, Mr. R. Martin-Holland, Mr. E.J.D. Newitt (representing the London Rifle Clubs afiliated to the society). Mr. A.C. Norman, Mr. J.St. Leo Strachey, and Mr. F.H. Williams.

The first two annual competitions promoted by the society took place in London, that two years ago being at the Crystal Palace, and that last year at Olympia. This year is was decided to hold a number of competitions in the leading centres of miniature rifle shooting in the country. These are being held in about 20 towns, and one of the most important was the one at Derby on Saturday. The Midland Railway Company kindly placed their admirable miniature shooting range at the society's disposal, and have in every way possible assisted to make the meeting the success it turned out to be.

Major-General C.E. Luard attended as specially representing Lord Roberts, and he, together with Col. W. Wright-Bemrose, Major D. Bain, Messrs. F.E.M. Donne, C.V. Godfrey, Don. J. Jardine, R. Bryden and P.M. Payne, were the range committee. They had made admirable arrangements, and were greatly assisted by Mr. H. Marks, the secretary of the association, and Mr. L.S. White, the hon. sec. of the Midland Railway Rifle Club. During the day Viscount Colville of Culross, Sir Clement Bowring, Mr. John Mathieson, Mr. Walter Bailey, Colonel A. Buchanan, and Mr. J. Elliott visited the range.

There were eight competitions, and there was also an important match between teams representing the South of England and the Midlands. There were about 500 entries, the majority of contests being open to all comers. Amongst the competitors was Armourer-sergeant A.J. Comber, of the 2nd East Surrey Volunteers, this year's King's prizeman, and naturally his shooting created a good deal of interest, and was watched by a large number of people. He entered for the Marks Challenge Shield, the Challenge Cup, and the Midlands Championship, whilst he was a member of the South team against the Midlands. He used a Steven's rifle fitted with back sights, and won practically all along the line.

Amongst the other rifles used were the Greener Club, the Winchester single loader (for schoolboys), service rifles with Morris tubes, the Winchester repeater, Colts repeater, etc.. The shooting hall was fitted with four targets at 50 yards, ten at 25 yards, and an automatic pool target at 25, whilst owing to the large number of entries a special range had to be fitted up in the Pullman car repairing shed. The competitors came from all over the country, amongst the places represented being London, Newcastle, Nottingham, Ilkeston, Buxton, Lowdham, Newport, etc., whilst there was a good muster of local men. Shooting was commenced at ten o'clock, and was kept up until after six o'clock in the evening.

The contest for the Earl Grey Challenge Cup, which was presented by Earl Grey, the Governor-General of Canada, was cancelled on account of the fewness of the entries. It was confined to members of cadet and school corps and lads' brigades, who would have had 10 shots at 25 yards stationary. The following are the details of various competitions.

THE MARKS CHALLENGE SHIELD.

This trophy has been presented by Mr. Marks, the secretary of the society, and is for teams from rifle clubs, Volunteers, Regulars, school or cadet corps, or lads' brigades. The conditions were rapid firing for one minute at a special figure target at 50 yards distance, the target representing to scale the head and shoulders of a man at 500 yards. Each hit on the target counted a point. Eight teams entered, their names being Stanley Works Rifle Club, Ilkeston Volunteers and Civilian Rifle Club, who sent two teams, Buxton Rifle Club, Midland Railway Rifle Club, Newport and District Rifle Club, Southfields Rifle Club, Jardines Miniature Rifle Club, and Lowdham and District Rifle Club. As was anticipated, Southfields won rather easily with 11 points. Newport was second with nine points, and the Midland Club and Jardines tied for third place with six each. The winning team included Comber, the King's prizeman.

THE LUARD CHALLENGE CUP.

Major-General C.E. Luard presented this cup, which was open to members of the Derby Schoolboy's Association. Fifty-eight lads entered, and they had ten shots at 25 yards stationary. St. James' Higher Grade sent 15 boys, Traffic-Street Council, 10; St. Andrew's, 9; Firs Estate, 5; Brighton-road, Canal-street, and Osmaston Council, 4 each; St. Chad's, 3; and Pear Tree and Trinity Church, 2 each. The winner was C. Dixon, of St. James' Higher Grade, with 74 points out of a possible 100. The same school also secured the second and third prizes, J. Ramsey obtaining 63, and L. Mansfield 62 points. F. Wild, also of St. James', was next with 61. G. Saunders had 61, A. Bennett 60, F. Tyler and O. Henson 55 each, B. Sharratt 54, and A. Dobson 51.

THE CHALLENGE CUP.

This competition was open to all comers, and they had ten shots at 25 yards at a stationary target. There were 48 entries, and out of a possible 100 A. J. Comber, the King's prizeman, secured 96, but G. Powley, of the Southfields Rifle Club, tied with him, and W. Baker, also of the Southfields, was third, one point behind. Comber and Powley shot off for the first prize, the result being that Comber was the winner, he hitting the target three times in succession and so securing 30 points to Powley's 25. Other scores near the top were G.D. Taylor 94, W. Pimm (Southfields) 93, J.S. Huson (Midland Railway) 92, W. Wallace (Midland Railway) 92, T. O'Shea (Southfields) 92, J. Dobson (Midland Railway), S.J. Fenton (Southfields), and W. Heard 91 points each.

THE NESTLE CUP.

This competition was open to members of civilian rifle clubs, and they had eight shots at a moving target 25 yards away. There were over 40 entries, and the winner proved to be T.H. O'Shea (Southfields Rifle Club), with 74 points out of a possible 80. W. Baker (also of Southfields) and J. Hillyard (Midland Railway Rifle Club) tied for second place with 69 points. Frank Bell (Midland Railway Rifle Club), W. Pimm (Southfield) each had 67, W.H. Dean 65, F.W. Bracegirdle (Midland Railway Rifle Club) 64, C.R. Graham, and G.D> Taylor 63 each, and A.J. Comber (Southfield) 57 points.

UNSQUADDED COMPETITION.

For this competition, which was open to all comers, six shots were fired at 20 yards range at miniature figures similar to those in the musketry regulations and a miniature horse and rider. The time of exposure of each figure was three seconds, and the interval between successive exposures six seconds. Each hit counted a point, any competitor making six hits continued to fire tie shots until he missed. The first prize was a 1905 Winchester musket, presented by the Armoury Co.. Sergeant A.J. Comber, 22 points,1; W. Baker (Southfields), 22 points, 2; W. Pimm (Southfields), 10 points, 3.

NOVELTY COMPETITIONS.

The Society of Miniature Rifle Clubs novelty competition (open to all comers). Ten shots at 25 yards, special targets. E.J. Fenton, 94 points, and A.J. Comber,94 points,1; G. Powley, 92 [points, 3; W. Baker, 88 points; J. Hildyard, 87 points; J. Hendry, 86 points; C.R. Graham, 86 points.

The Society of Miniature Rifle Clubs novelty competition (open to all comers). Ten shots at 50 yards, special target. Sergeant A.J. Comber, 92 points, 1; W. Baker, 88 points, 2; W. Pimm, 87, 3; T. O'Shea, 86, 4; H. King, 85, 5; E.J. Fenton, 84, 6.

MIDLANDS CHAMPIONSHIP.

Single entry squadded competition, open to all comers. The competitors fired in two stages. They first fired ten shots each at 25 yards and 50 yards ranges stationary target. The winner in this stage was awarded a bronze medal, and the first ten were entitled to shoot in the second stage. For the second stage four shots had to be fired as a moving target travelling eight feet in 32 seconds; four shots at a disappearing target, three seconds exposure, six seconds hidden. The maker of the highest aggregate in the first and second stage was the winner. First prize, a cup, S.M.R.C. gold medal, and a money prize.

		Second stage
	First   Stage.	M       Target.	D     Target.	Total.
Sergt. A.J. Comber (Southfields)	190	34	31	255
T.H. O'Shea (Southfields)	189	30	32	251
G.D. Taylor	184	34	31	248
W. Baker (Southfields)	183	32	30	246
J. Hillyard (Jardines)	180	31	33	244

MIDLAND COUNTIES V. SOUTHERN COUNTIES.

Two good teams were selected to represent the Midland and Southern Counties respectively. The competitors first fired at 25 yards range, the Southerners scoring 18 points more than their opponents, their record being 637 points out of a possible 700. G. Powley did particularly well to register but five points short of the possible number. The same competitor scored a like number in the second stage, and the Southern representatives won by 1,272 points to 1,239.

MIDLAND COUNTIES	25yd.	50yd.
F. Mackenzie (Ilkeston)	78	80
H. Montgomery (Nottingham)	88	88
J.D. Pearson (Lowdham)	93	93
J. Hildyard (Nottingham)	94	94
J. Dobson (Midland R.C.)	91	90
S. Bennett (Buxton)	86	86
W. Mack (Midland R.C.)	89	89
Totals	619	620
SOUTHERN COUNTIES	25yd.	50yd.
A.J. Comber, G.M. (2nd East Surrey)	92	92
W. Baker (Southfields Rifle Club)	93	92
T. O'Shea (late 2nd Yorks.)	93	93
G. Powley (Southfields R.C.)	95	95
S. Fenton (Southfields R.C.)	86	95
F. Pimm (late London L.R.B.)	85	84
W.K. Sykes (late 20th Middlesex)	93	93
Totals	637	635

The awards were afterwards presented by Sir C. Clement-Bowring, J.P., at the Midland Railway Institute. Col. W. Wright Bemrose occupied the chair, and both he and Sir Clement agreed as to the advantages and usefulness of miniature rifle shooting. Thanks were accorded to the Midland Railway chairman and directors, to the general secretary of the society, Gen. Luard, the Viscount Colville of Culross, and the secretary of the society (Mr. H. Marks). Ultimately a dinner was held at the George Hotel, at which Mr. H. Marks presided. There were some 40 or 50 guests, and the Southfields Rifle Club presented a handsome silver punch bowl to Mr. W.H. Dean in recognition of the manner in which the Caerleon Rifle Club entertained the competitors at a similar meeting at that place recently. Thanks were also accorded to Mr. L.S. White and those at Derby responsible for the arrangements.