RHR Payne LR Competition & Seely Challenge Shield
The third stage of the Payne Long Range Competition was the culmination of a series of shoots through the year that determined the champion shot of the Robin Hood Rifles. The Payne competition was shot at 800 yards on three occasions and all shoots counted towards the grand aggregate, which also incorporated the Battalion Annual shoot and the Battalion Aggregate shoots.
The Payne Long Range competition by itself was awarded to the rifleman with the best 2 out of the 3 scores made at each stage.
Private W. Bailey had made 61 in the Battalion Annual shoot, placed behind Cpl. F. Mackenzie (63) and Sergeant J.W. Hildyard (62). His record in the three shoots of the Battalion Aggregate were 99, 95 and 88, making a total of 282, one point behind Sergeant Hildyard on 283; but 7 points behind Private G. Allen (289), the top scorer in the aggregate. Allen was now in the lead. Mackenzie was a long way behind.
In the third round of the Payne, Private Bailey made a steady 47 at 800 yards, equalling his two previous scores at the same range. His score was equalled by Capt. A.N. Lee; but he had already dropped too many points in the second round to catch up with Private Bailey, who won the Grand Aggregate by an eleven point margin from Sergeant Hildyard, whose second round Payne score also let him down.
Private Bailey thus won not only the Grand Aggregate but also the Payne Long Range.
Shot concurrently with the Payne Long Range was the Officer's Long Range Cup and there were four contestants: Capt. A.N. Lee, Lieut. G.H. Stubington, Major P.M. Payne and Capt. H. Hanson. Handicap points were added to scores; but made no difference to the final result, which was a win for Captain Lee. Captain Lee collected the Cup and a silver spoon. Lieut. Stubington and Major Payne also received spoons.
Nottingham Evening Post, Tuesday, 21st September, 1909
SHOOTING AT TRENT.
ROBIN HOOD RIFLES' GRAND AGGREGATE.
THE NEW CHAMPION.
With the conclusion of the Payne Long Range Competition at Trent Range yesterday, the champion shot of the Robin Hoods for the present year was found to be Private W. Bailey, of E Company, who obtained the regimental shooting blue riband for the first time in his career. For the grand aggregate, the battalion annual, the battalion aggregate and the Payne Long Range Competitions are counted, and Bailey's record was an excellent one. The table is appended:—
| Battalion Annual | Battalion Aggregate | Long Range | Grand Agg. | |||||
| Private W. Bailey | 61 | 99 | 95 | 88 | 47 | 47 | 47 | 484 |
| Sgt. J.W. Hildyard | 62 | 95 | 93 | 95 | 44 | 38 | 46 | 473 |
| Private G. Allen | 61 | 94 | 101 | 94 | 36 | 39 | 41 | 466 |
| Lt. G.H. Stubington | 60 | 90 | 93 | 93 | 47 | 29 | 43 | 455 |
| Capt. A.N. Lee | 52 | 86 | 94 | 93 | 46 | 36 | 47 | 454 |
| Cpl. F. Mackenzie | 63 | 88 | 82 | 89 | 41 | 38 | 40 | 441 |
| Cpl. H.S. Freestone | 59 | 79 | 86 | 85 | 45 | 37 | 41 | 432 |
| Col.-Sgt. D. McCaig | 58 | 97 | 90 | 90 | 27 | 26 | 40 | 428 |
| Sergt. J.W. Hall | 55 | 85 | 84 | 93 | 33 | 40 | 36 | 426 |
PAYNE LONG RANGE COMPETITION.
The third and final stage of the Payne Long Range Competition - three shoots at 800 yards, two sighters, and ten shots, two best shoots to count - was as follows:—
| Private W. Bailey (E) | 47 | Sergt. T.L. Birks (A) | 40 |
| Capt. A.N. Lee (A) | 47 | Cor. F. Mackenzie (G) | 40 |
| Pte. C.F. Hammond (A) | 46 | Col.-Sgt. D. McCaig (F) | 40 |
| Sgt. J.W. Hildyard (A) | 46 | Corp. G.C. Dunstan (D) | 39 |
| Sergt. J. Smart (G) | 45 | Private D. Simkins (F) | 39 |
| Major P.M. Payne (G) | 44 | Copr. A. Brameld (B) | 37 |
| Private H. Lee (H) | 43 | Pte. F.G. Hickling (A) | 36 |
| Lt. G.H. Stubington (F) | 43 | Sergt. J.W. Hall (E) | 36 |
| Le-Sgt. W. Crossland (G) | 42 | Capt. H. Hanson (B) | 35 |
| Cor. H.S. Freestone (A) | 41 | Pte. H.V. Billyeald (A) | 33 |
| Private G. Allen (G) | 41 | Sergt. J.R. Coupe (A) | 32 |
| Corp. B.R. Smedley (A) | 40 | Corp. J. Henshaw (A) | 19 |
The full figures of the competition were, therefore, as follows:—
shoot | shoot | shoot | ||
| Private W. Bailey | (47) | 47 | 47 | 94 |
| Captain A.N. Lee | 46 | (36) | 47 | 93 |
| Sergeant J.W. Hildyard | 44 | (38) | 46 | 90 |
| Lieut. G.H. Stubington | 47 | (29) | 43 | 90 |
| Major P.M. Payne | 45 | (43) | 44 | 89 |
| Private F.G. Hickling | 47 | 40 | (36) | 87 |
| Lance-Sergeant W. Crossland | 45 | (0) | 42 | 87 |
| Corporal H.S. Freestone | 45 | (37) | 41 | 86 |
| Sergeant J. Smart | 41 | (18) | 45 | 86 |
| Private H. Lee | (38) | 39 | 43 | 82 |
| Corporal F. Mackenzie | 41 | (38) | 40 | 81 |
| Captain H. Hanson | 46 | - | 35 | 81 |
| Private G. Allen | (36) | 39 | 41 | 80 |
| Private C.F. Hammond | (21) | 34 | 46 | 80 |
| Sergeant T.L. Birks | 39 | (27) | 40 | 79 |
OFFICERS' LONG RANGE CUP.
The second of the two officers' competitions for the Robin Hoods was also decided yesterday, the scores in the Payne Long Range counting, with the addition of handicap points. Captain Lee secured the trophy, and a silver spoon was also won by the first three. The figures were:—
| 1st shoot | 2nd shoot | 3rd shoot | H'p (ea. shoot) | Tl. | |
| Capt. A.N. Lee (A Co.) | 46 | (36) | 47 | 2 | 97 |
| Lieut. G.H. Stubington (F Co) | 47 | (29) | 43 | 0 | 90 |
| Major P.M. Payne | 45 | (43) | 44 | 0 | 89 |
| Capt. H. Hanson (B Co) | 46 | - | 35 | 2 | 85 |
The conditions for shooting yesterday were not of the best, the light being very poor.
The Seely Challenge Shield has been mentioned several times in these reports. It was a tough challenge starting with a nine mile march from the Derby Road headquarters to the range at Trent Junction, followed by a three range shoot advancing from 600 yards to 500 and then ending at 200 yards. Teams were of ten men.
The exact course of fire is not stated here; but looking back to previous reports it was a snap competition with targets appearing for 5 seconds with 15 seconds between each appearance at each range. The team fired in five volleys per range. In one report it was stated that scores were one point per hit; but this does not seem to match up with this year's recorded scores.
The Shield was won by A Company by a large margin. Their leader was Captain A.N. Lee.
Nottingham Evening Post, Saturday, 9th October, 1909
SEELY CHALLENGE SHIELD.
R.H.R. COMPETITION AT TRENT.
The annual competition among the companies of the Robin Hood Rifles for the challenge shield offered by Colonel Sir Charles Seely took place to-day. Seven companies had entered, but at the eleventh hour only four of them put in an appearance. The conditions of the contest were teams of ten per company, three of whom were recruits. Each team assembled at headquarters in Derby-road, Nottingham, at various periods between 8 a.m. and 9.30 a.m., and marched from Nottingham to the Trent Range, the route being along Derby-road, through Beeston, Chilwell, and Long Eaton Market-place. Arrived at the range the distances of firing were 600, 500, and 200 yards. The light proved somewhat glaring, but was otherwise good, and a fairly steady breeze had to be allowed for. By the route selected the distance covered in the march was nine miles, which had to be accomplished in heavy marching order within three hours.
A Company won somewhat easily, the team being constituted as follows: Sergeant J.H. Stagg, Shoemaker-Sergeant J.R. Coupe, Sergeant T.L. Birks, Lance-Sergeant J.R. Martin, Corporal B.R. Smedley, Corporal H.S. Freestone, Private F.G. Hickling, Private C.F. Hammond, Private R. Neville, and Private C. Greenwood. Captain A.N. Lee was team commander, and Private W.G. Field reserve. Major A.C. Channey, of the 20th Battalion County of London Regiment, was range officer. Scores:—
| Total | |||
| A Company | 129 | 276 | |
| G Company | 115 | 250 | |
| F Company | 110 | 240 | |
| H Company | 70 | 146 |
Transcripts from the Nottingham Evening Post
21 September and 9 October 1909
British Library Newspaper Archive