WORLDS MOST FAMOUS RIFLE-SHOT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2612, 6 November 1915, Page 3

WORLDS MOST FAMOUS RIFLE-SHOT

OMMUNDSEN KILLED IN ACTION Lieutenant H. Ommundsen, of the Hon. Artillery Company, whose death (killed in action), was recently cabled, was undoubtedly tho best marksman in tlio British Empire, and perhaps tho greatest rifie shot in the world. His name figures in the National-_ Riflo Association records at Bisley twice as often as those of any two other marksmen put together among tho present generation of shots. Apa,rt from that he was the most rapid shot, even when vital issues hung on his last cartridge, on Bisley Common. His deliberate shooting was as fast, from the moment of aiming to the moment of firing, as the ordinary marksman's rapid shooting, the average timo being three seconds.

Lieutenant Ommundsen won time and again events which many great and ambitious shots have striven for years to win oiice. For instance, the Service Rifle Championship, whicli was instituted in 905, and comprises the best scores in deliberate, rapid, and snap shooting events extending over nearly ten days' firing—a most comprehensive test of skill—lie won no fewer than five times, 1905, 1908,1910, 1912, and 1913. No other man has ever won it more t-lian . once. He performed almost similar feats in connection with other aggregate competitions, winning tho Terri-. torial Aggregate in 1905, 1912, and 1913, and the Grand Aggregate in 1900, 1905, and 1910, besides being_ runnerup in 1911 and 1912. The winaing of all threes aggregates in 1905 was a prodigious feat of marksmanship. As regards tho Queen's and King's Prize, ho was looked upon every year as a probable winner, and though actually only winning he was always in the first dozen or so. Between 1898 and 1914 lie was thirteen times in the final, and won tho first prize of the King's in 1910, after a tie with Lance Sergeant Burr, of the London Rifle Brigade. Ho had the distinction, shared by no other man in the history of the N.11.A., which was founded 55 years ago, of having wok the King's bronze, silver, and gold medals. Li 1913 he won tlio bronze and the silver medals at the same meeting, and just missed the further -unequalled distinction of winning the gold medal as well, after leading the whole way from the first stage down to the penultimate range in the final. Ho won tho St. George's Vase in 1899, and among other successes he gained the "Daily Graphic," Duke of Cambridge, Martin's Cup, and Elkingtdn Cup. No Scottish or Great Britain team was complete -without him. He went in as a matter of course. Ho shot for the United Kingdom in two Olympic teams, 1908 and 191.2, making the best British scoro in 1908. Ho shot for the Mother Country in the IColapore Cup in 1908 to 1914 Consecutively, being several times top scorer, and for Great Britain in the Empire competition, 19D7, 1910, and 1913. Every Scottish team from 1908 to .1914 also included him. As a service rifle shot lie had also won the Scottish championship at Darnloy. Two years ago he took up match riflo shooting, and after only a few weeks' practice lie was in the Scottish Elcho' team at Bisley. When the war broke out Ommundsen was selected to sail with th© Great Britain team to compete for tho Empiro match in Australia, but the event was cancelled.

He was a native of Edinburgh, and achieved fame when a non-com. in the 4th Royal Scots'(Queen's Edinburghs), hut came to London two years ago and joined the H.A.C. He was originally a typist and clerk -in a solicitor's office, and latterly became interested in a rifle business in London. He invented the negative angle sight, which enabled a man to hit a target at unknown ranges. This year, with Mr. E. H. Robinson, of the English Elclio team, he issued a took on rifles and ammunition. Lieutenant Ommundsen was a- corporal in the H.A.C. before the war broke out, and then he received a commission. He was married in London only on the Tuesday before Germany declared war on Russia.