The Infantry shoot it out

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 423, 11 February 1992, Page 7

The Infantry shoot it out

BY

JO

HOWIE

Over 1 - 2 February the eight Infantry Battalions of the New Zealand Army conducted the annual Freyberg Trophy Competition for

shooting. The Freyberg Trophy was presented in 1964 by Sir Eugene Millington-Drake. It has been competed for since 1966 by teams from the two regular force and the six territorial Infantry Battalions and on occasions by the New Zealand Special Air Service. The trophy is awarded to the team with the highest overall score in the competition. Shooting involves three matches for which separate trophies are awarded: Rifle Match - Stafford Perpetual Shield for Musketry; LSW C9 Match - The Gun Trophy; and the Section Match - The Canterbury Shield. The overall aim of the Freyberg Trophy Competition is to foster a high standard of small arms weapon training and shooting among infantry soldiers. Each unit's team comprises an officer or warrant officer non-firing team captain and a section of ten men. Major Phil Gibbons, Chief Instructor at School of Infantry, said "the Freyberg Trophy Competition is very keenly contested by all participating units." Usually the teams assemble in advance to train. Past competitions indicate a fairly even , spread of winners, with former winners including 1 RNZIR, 2/1 RNZIR, 2, Cant NMWC, 5 WWCT, 7 WnHB, 1 NZSASGp. "In the past bonus points were awarded to units with Territorial soldiers in the team but this has not been done this year or last year. The TF units are able to compete on an equal basis with the regular force. A number of territorial soldiers rank among the top shots in RNZIR as was proven last week with Lcpl I C Theobald from 2 Cant NMWC attaining the highest individual score in the Rifle Match." Usually the competition is shot in the home location of the competing units and umpires from the School of Infantry travel around to oversee the conduct of

each. This year it was decided to concentrate all teams in Waiouru for the competition, so as to make a significant Turnpage 8