The history of the 1st Batt. Wilts Volunteers, from 1861 to 1885Gibney, R. D. (Robert Dwarris)
History
The history of the 1st Batt. Wilts Volunteers, from 1861 to 1885
Gibney, R. D. (Robert Dwarris)
Great Britain. Army. Wiltshire Regiment. Battalion, 1st -- History
In 1863 we find that at ranges 200 and 500 yards with five rounds
at each range, Corporal Marshman, missing once, scored 28, whilst
Colour-Sergeant Graham, also missing once, scored 27, but Ensign
Stancomb, hitting each shot, scored 25, but in the Challenge Cup given
by the ladies of Trowbridge, at ranges 200, 300, 500, and 600 yards,
five rounds at each range, with only two misses, Colour-Sergeant Graham
won the Cup with a score of 45, Private Reddrop, shooting as well,
scoring 44. Again on another occasion, at 200 and 400 yards, five
rounds at each distance, Colour-Sergeant Graham and Private Reddrop,
making no misses, scored respectively 33 and 31.
In 1869, at a distribution of prizes in Hill's Hall, Major T. Clark
gave a short epitome of the history of the corps since it was first
raised in 1859, showing the improvement made in every way during
the ten years that had elapsed. There were prizes given not only
for skill in open competition, but for class firing, attendances at
drills, and proficiency in drill. Later on, in 1873, in a challenge
between Trowbridge and Devizes, seven shots at 200, 500, and 600
yards, Trowbridge won, scoring 488 as against 393, Private Hart, of
Trowbridge, scoring 58, and Corporal Ruddle 54, being several points
higher than any made by their opponents. Again, in competition with
Melksham, seven shots at 200, 500, and 600 yards, the Trowbridge scored
264 as against Melksham 391; but in the return match, the following
week, the tables were reversed, and Trowbridge scored 410 as against
381. In 1879 the Trowbridge were considerably beaten by the Devizes
Company, the score of the first being but 417, against that of Devizes
amounting to 477. The last record we will give is in September, 1885,
at their own butts, Stranger's Corner, Sevrington, distances 200, 500,
and 600 yards, seven shots at each distance. Colour-Sergeant T. Hill
won the Challenge Cup with a score of 71, with Private Frank Long
making 70.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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