Nottingham Evening Post, Monday, 12th July 1909

BISLEY.

The annual tournament at Bisley under the auspices of the National Rifle Association opened to-day, when competitions began for prizes amounting in value to over fifteen-thousand pounds. Again, there is a falling off in the number of paid entries for the King's Prize, though the aggregate is nearly a hundred in excess of last year, the difference being accounted for by an increase in the number of "free recruits", as a result of the offer to admit without fee members of the Territorial Force winning the N.R.A.'s jubilee badge. No doubt the abolition of bull's-eye target practice in the army will in course of time bring about a material alteration in the conditions of the contests at Bisley. There will always be a certain attraction in the sporting aspect of the long-range competitions of the kind to which we have been so long accustomed. But Bisley will have to accommodate itself to the new order of things before the popularity of the meeting with the citizen army is thoroughly revived.

Nottingham Daily Express, Wednesday, 14th July 1909.

MARKSMEN AT BISLEY

FINE SUCCESS BY COLONEL MELLISH

SOME GOOD SHOOTING

The meteorological expert at Bisley Camp may congratulate himself upon the accuracy with which he predicted the climatic conditions for yesterday. Early morning was ushered in with an outburst of glorious sunshine, which promised well for the remainder of the day, and the camp was astir soon after cock-crow, but the man at the instruments evidently knew what was to happen, for he informed the camp that they might expect fair weather with a rising temperature and some showers. True enough the showers came. The first was a very heavy one, fortunately falling after the first of the two big competitions of the day had been concluded. Then the sun shone strongly for some time, a pleasant westerly breeze tempering the hot atmosphere. As the afternoon progressed the wind increased in velocity, until in the final stages of the Edge Competition it was blowing fairly strongly right across the range. The sky became overcast, peals of thunder were heard, and rain again began to fall, but once more the sun peeped through, and when the last shot was fired in an exciting competition the range was bathed in a golden glow.

Visitors continue to arrive and yesterday public schoolboys in large numbers poured into the camp in preparation for the Ashburton Shield Competition. Yesterday Colonials were everywhere in evidence, and amongst the most interesting of the arrivals were a number of Servian officers, who will take part in the All-comers' Competition.

The Bass Competition, open to all-comers, opened the morning's proceedings on the Stickledown range. The conditions were ten shots each at 900 and 1,000 yards, match rifles being used. Sixty pounds were offered as prize money. At the commencing distance the highest possibles were made by Mr. P.K. Whitehead (Bury), Captain Parkinson (Kent Cyclists), Mr. Thomas Caldwell (Ulster), and Mr. A.E. Rogers (English Eight Club). Going on to the longer distance, Mr. Whitehead dropped two points, and thus let in Lieutenant-Colonel Mellish (8th Notts. and Derby), who made a highest possible. As he had previously only dropped one point his aggregate of 99 secured him the first prize. Mr. R. Wigram (English Eight Club) made 49 at each distance and was second. Mr. Whitehead was third, and Mr. Maurice Blood (Irish Rifle Association) was fourth.

The winners of the Bass Competition were as follows:—

		900	1,000	Tl.
£10	Lieut-Col Mellish (8th Notts and Derby)	49	50	99
£8	Mr R Wigram (English Eight Club)	49	49	98
£6	Mr. P.K. Whitehead (Bury)	50	48	98
£4	Mr. Maurice Blood (I.R.A.)	48	49	97
£2	Major T. Ranken (8th Royal Scots)	49	48	97
£2	Mr. W. Lane Joynt (I.R.A.)	49	48	97
£2	Colonel J. Hopton (late H.L.I.)	49	48	97
£2	Capt. T.P. Parkinson (Kent Cyclist B.)	50	47	97
£2	Mr. T. Caldwell (Ulster R.A.)	50	47	97
£2	Mr. A.E. Rogers (English Eight Club)	50	46	96
£2	Major P.W. Richardson late 5th Northumberland Fusiliers)	46	49	95
£2	Lieut-Col. Hon T.F. Freemantle (Bucks)	47	48	95
£2	Mr. L.D. Rankin (N.R.C. of Scotland)	48	47	95
£2	Lance-Sergeant St.G. Maxwell (Oxford University)	45	49	94
£2	Mr. C. Mack (North London R.C.)	45	49	94
£2	Mr. D.E. Stoddart (4th Royal Scots)	46	47	93
£2	Mr. D.A. Shannon (I.R.A.)	45	47	92
£2	Col-Sergt. H.A.C. Goodwin (Cambridge University)	47	44	91
£2	Sergt. M.D. Mawe (Cambridge University)	46	44	90
£2	Sergt. H.S. Reed (Cambridge University)	48	42	90

The Edge Match Rifle Competition, open to all-comers, which took place in the afternoon on the Stickledown Range, was watched in its closing stages by quite a large crowd. The conditions were fifteen shots each at 900, 1,000, and 1,100 yards, for prizes value £50.

A Surprise

At the opening distance Major Ranken, of the Royal Scots, made 74. Mr. Maurice Blood, of the Irish Rifle Association, compiled 73. Going to the 1,100 yards, Major Ranken got 73 and Mr. Blood 74, consequently at the last range all eyes were turned upon these two competitors, who were thus far top scores. Consequently it came somewhat of a surprise when Mr. R.M. Thorburn (sic), of the National Rifle Club of Scotland, was announced the winner. His scores were 72, 71, and 72, and his aggregate of 215 topped that of Major Ranken by one point only. Both Major Ranken and Mr. Blood failed to do much at the final range, and consequently the scores worked out as follows:—

		900	1,000	1,100	Tl.
£10	Mr. R.M. Thornton (sic) (N.R.C. of Scotland)	72	71	72	215
£8	Major T. Ranken (8th Royal Scots)	74	73	68	214
£6	Mr. L.W. Henry (Ulster R.A.)	70	72	71	213
£4	Major S.A. Pixley (English Eight Club)	72	72	69	213
£2	Mr. C. Crombie (Ulster R.A.)	72	72	69	213
£2	Mr. T. Caldwell (Ulster R.A.)	72	73	68	213
£2	Mr. Maurice Blood (I.R.A.)	73	74	66	213
£2	Mr. C.J. Woodrow (Salisbury R.C.)	71	68	73	212
£2	Mr. W. Lane Joynt (I.R.A.)	69	68	72	209
£2	Colonel J. Hopton (late H.L.I.)	71	67	71	209
£2	Lieut-Col. the Hon T.F. Freemantle (Bucks)	68	70	70	208
£2	Mr. D.E. Stoddart (4th Royal Scots)	72	68	67	207
£2	Capt. D. Campbell (8th A. and S.H.)	67	71	68	206
£2	Captain P. Godsel (3rd Oxford and Bucks)	70	70	66	206

The results of the Sweepstake Competition which took place on Monday, were announced yesterday as follows:—

200 YARDS
Sergeant Anderson (14th London), Private Fidgeon (Hon. Artillery Company), Sergeant Harris (1st London), Petty Officer Morton (R.R.), Lance-Corporal Newton (Hon. Artillery Company), and Sergeant-Major Wallingford (School of Musketry), 35, each receiving £2 3s. 4d.

300 YARDS
Sergeant Anderson London), Sergeant-Major Campbell (East African Rifles), Sergeant Harris (1st London), Captain Hope (83rd W.I.I.), Mr. Lathey (R.W.A.), Lance-Corporal Newton (H.A.C.), Corporal Palmer (3rd Worcestershire), Mr. Radford (Harborne R.C.), Private Thomson (Cambridge University), each made 35, and received £1 2s. 4d. each.

600 YARDS

£5	Private Lockwood (7th Essex)	35
£3	Viscount Deerhurst (N.R.A.)	34
£2	Private Gillman (28th London)	34

Corporal Miller (9th London), Lance-Corporal Newton (Hon Artillery Company), and Major Marsh (R.A.), £1 each.

300 YARDS
Mr. Shiel (Perth Rifle Club), 34, £1 8s. 7d.

The percentage of possibles in yesterday's unfinished competitions was large, particularly in the Sweepstakes and in the Gale and Polden. The latter, which is open only to eligible members of the Ashburton, Watts, or Cadet teams, gave the scholars a fine opportunity for practice in view of the schools competitions, which take place to-day.

There was some first rate shooting in these minor competitions, some forty lads just missing the highest possible. The following possibles were made in the unfinished competitions:—

SWEEPSTAKES (seven shots at 200 yards)
Private Ward (6th Devon Battery), Sergeant-Major F. Abraham (Hon Artillery Company), Armourer-Sergeant Laurence (8th A. and S. Highlanders), Mr. H. Lattey (late London Rifle Brigade).

SWEEPSTAKES (seven shots at 300 yards)
Private R.S. Landick (3rd Devon C.L.I.).

SWEEPSTAKES (seven shots at 500 yards)
Quartermaster-Sergeant-Instructor Yates (Transvaal), Captain A.G. Forbes (Transvaal), Lieutenant-Colonel Griffin (5rh Devon), Armourer-Sergeant Padgett (4th East Yorkshire).

GALE AND POLDEN (seven shots at 500 yards)
Sergeant Higginson (Jersey), Private Askell (Bradfield College), Private Taylor (Haileybury College).

LONDON AND SOUTH WESTERN RAILWAY (seven shots at 500 yards for Tyros)
Lieutenant A.F. Ball (5th Devon), Private R.G.H. Pixley (Eton College), and Lance-Corporal Praed (Eton College).

PIXLEY SERVICE RIFLE (eight shots at 800 yards)
Colour-Sergeant Freeborn (Canada)

BROOKWOOD (seven shots at 500 yards)
O.S. Young (Eastbourne R.C.), Lieutenant Acland (Oxford University), and Cadet F.R. Radlee (Oxford University)

SKILLED SHOTS (seven shots at 500 yards, Service Rifle)
Staff-Sergeant Dayles (Canada), Sergeant W.G. Elliott (5th Durham Light Infantry)

MCQUEEN (seven shots at 300 yards, Service Rifle)
Mr. H. Playfair (Lichfield)

BURT (eight shots at 200 yards)
Sergeant-Instructor Atkinson (Natal)

BANDCO (ten shots at 900 yards, Match Rifle)
R.W. Barnett (Ulster Rifle Club)

Nottingham Evening Post, Thursday, 16th December 1909

NEW TARGET.

IMPORTANT CHANGE IN KING'S PRIZE SHOOTING.

A far-reaching change in connection with targets is proposed by the council of the National Rifle Association. For the first time in its history it is intended to introduce into the King's Prize competition at Bisley a figure target on the approved service lines.

This new target will supplant the bull's-eye target at 500 yards, and will be what is technically known as a second-class sectional target, such as is used in the Pixley match at Bisley. It will be coloured blue and brown. The scoring values will remain as hitherto. The targets at the other ranges will remain bull's-eye targets as now, the figure of a man appearing at only one range.

This decision by the council is the outcome of the compromise between the War Office and the National Rifle Association in the controversy of bull's-eye versus figure targets of the service pattern. It will be remembered that the N.R.A. recently issued statement announcing that a slight alteration in the conditions for the King's Prize would be proposed. We understand that the decision of the council, as now shown, was made with a clear majority.

An alteration in the King's Prize targets implies a general change all over the empire in practice and competitive shooting with the service rifle, nearly all of which is based on the conditions laid down for "The King's", this competition being the guiding authority.