Top Army shooters gather

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 10, Issue 466, 15 December 1992, Page 5

Top Army shooters gather

By

Jan

Savell

Forty of the Army's best shots competed for thc prestigious Queen's Medal in Waiouru on 2 and 3 December. The competition con sists of three daytime practices and a night shoot all with the infantry soldier's standard issue rifle. The ranges for the competition vary from 300m to 50m with a wide variety of targets, still and moving, being used. This year the weather also contributed to the variety inherent in the competition. Conditions changed rapidly throughout the two days of shooting. We had four seasons in one day. The first detail fired in brilliantly fine conditions. As the second detail came to the mound it clouded over and a massive wind came up. For the third detail it was pouring down!" said an

Army spokesperson. Last year's runner up, Private Rodney Bird of 1RNZ3R (Linton) was the winner of the Queen's medal after a tense shoot off with Staff Sergeant Mike Scully (also of 1RNZ3R). They both had an aggregate score of 194 out of a possible 210 during the competition. Competftors came from all corps within the Army but this year the infantry were represented in record numbers. Infantry soldiers also cleaned up in the prize list. Colonel Clive Sinclair, Commander of the Army Training Group, presented the trophies and took the opportunity to congratulate all the competitors who had been selected as the top 40 shooters. He said he was disappointed there were not more officers in the competition. The prizewinners were: The Queen's Medal and

Championship Belt (highest overall score) Pte Rodney Bird lRNZ3R;The Lewis Trophy (for practice one) SSgt Mike Scully 1RNZIR; The Vickers Trophy (practice

two) LCpl D J Jellie 2/1RNZIR; The Army Cup (practice three) SSgt Mike Scully; The Trentham Rose Bowl (nightshoot) Pte C M Dewes; The Waiouru

' Shield (for the highest scoring Waiouru soldier) Sgt A F Tukariri;The School of Infantry Trophy (highest scoring infantry soldier under 23) Pte R D Bird 1RNZIR.