< Previous4 T H E R I F L E M A N June, 1943. pre-war models in this respect, and the variation in jump caused by the bayonet was found in some cases to be as much as 9 minutes and in others almost negligible. This, of course, threw out the accuracy of the battlesight. Another complication has also been caused by a change in training pohcy, since it is now laid down that bayonets will only be fixed at the last possible moment before the assault. It will be realised, therefore, that a reversion to some form of adjustable sight was called for in spite of difficulties' of production and shortage of materials and labour. In the meantime the adoption, even as a temporary measure, of the extremely easily produced dual battlesight has meant many more rifles in the hands of troops than could possibly have been issued under the handicap of the bottleneck, which the original leaf sight would have become. One cause of complaint and of damage to rifles has been the protruding barrel. The S.M.L.E. is the only S e r v i c e r i fl e i n t h e w o r l d i n w h i c h t h e b a r r e l d o e s n o t protrude beyond the nose-cap, and it appears that familiarity w i t h t h e S . M . L . E . h a s c a u s e d c a r e l e s s n e s s i n t h e u s e o f the No. 4. It has been found that soldiers who have been used to the S.M.L.E. are prone to allow the muzzle of the No. 4 to poke into the ground with the result that dirt, enters the barrel and, on firing, bulging of the barrel often occurs. This is really only a matter of education in care of arms, for if the soldiers of other nations can keep the muzzles of their rifles out of the mud there is no reason why our troops should not be able to do the same. "The reason for the departure from the S.M.L.E. type of nose-cap was, of course, an effort to lighten the latter with a view to better shooting accuracy and greater ease of handling. Without the heavy, solid nosecap, some other suitable support had to be found for the bayonet, and the only solution was to put it on the end of the barrel. The .22 Rifle helps the Minesweeper We've got a tough job ahead of us. We've got to clear up all the mines the enemy laid off North Africa, and all the mines we ourselves laid to catch the enemy convoys formerly sailing to and from Sicily. When I went out with the original convoy we had to clear the routes, make the harbours safe, and do escort duties as well. Like destroyers in the last war, we seem to be the Navy's maids-of-all-work. Our main worry was torpedo-bombers. One torpedo missed us by just one inch. A favourite German trick was to drop one bomb from a high-flying aircraft to get us to swerve and give away our position. We soon learned about this, and just sailed on, con centrating on the biggest difficulty of all—the shallow sea. We had a rifle competition on board—.22 rifles, we used—and the best six shots got the job of shooting the mines. The engine-room, we found—rather to our sur prise—provided some marvellous shots. It usually takes about 50 rounds to get a mine. It doesn't matter what part of the mine you hit. Wherever you puncture it, it fills with water and sinks, though some times it explodes. Mines are never taken on board. Simon Wardell, Daily Express. An Improved Target Frame D£r/}/L 5 OF By F. Raistruck. T / ) F I G F T H O L D E F. T O i . l F - r U P O uA TO L / F T O P - TA P c r r la J P i . Y . F / j o r / T 8 _ SfCT/onf A B This consists of two frames screwed together, preferably from the back in order that the screws are out of sight. The back frame is an ordinary rectangular frame with the centre opening the size of a target card, and with a triangular black in each corner to take plywood replaceable back board. T h e b o t t o m r a i l s h o u l d h a v e a small groove in back inside edge to take card. The top frame has two side rails and a bottom rail the same size as the back frame screwed on to back frame and the top rail fastened to the two side rails by dowels allowing the top rail to lift to insert card and drop to hold card in position. These dowels should be set as near to the top edge of top rail as possible, to allow rail to lift. SPT ALl UPOOVf '-OP CAPO T O OKOP mT o BOTT Oftn JFtPV/fT/O/V WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKJune, 1943. T H E R I F L E M A N 5 More Reflections of an Aim Corrector By Brig.-Gen. A. F. U. Green, C.M.G., D.S.O., p.s.c. T H E B A T T L E S I G H T 1HAVE been hatching out these notes for some time and, wishing to avoid talking nonsense, I have consulted experts, some of whose comments are interpolated in brackets, thus: [" "]. Modern British Service rifles are provided with a " battle sight," i.e. an aperture sight in a fixed position to secure hits on a man up to four hundred yards (or more) without adjustment. Full descriptions of all Service rifles have been frequently published, and in my " Home Guard Pocket Book," 1942, I explained their differences. Here it is sufficient to enumerate the modern British Service rifles with battle-sight of sorts. These are: Ross, S.M.L.E. Mk. V and vi, the so-called No. 3 rifle (i.e., P.14 and P.17) and Rifle No. 4 (i.e.. the present form of S.M.L.E. Mk. vi). Each of these has a different trajectory, but the principles of the battle-sight apply to all. I am confining my attention to the P.17, with which so many H.G. are armed, and I make no reference to the others. The correct designation of this rifle is: " United States Rifle Caliber .30, Model of 1917." It is called by us the P. 17-and is described as "calibre point three 00 (or .300)."—These are stated to be technically misnomers, the rifle being more correctly called " M17 " (i.e. model rather than pattern, to conform to American practice) and " caliber .30," which is not the same as .300. I am personally a great stickler for correct nomenclature but terms which by continual use, or abuse, have become almost universal must be accepted ■ as currency, so I therefore refer to the rifle as P.17 and to the ammunition as .300, which is the description printed on all packages of U.S.A. ammunition that I have seen. (I surrender at discretion and shall in future call it M 17 once this article is published.) Though the principle and the use of the battle-sight are familiar to the designers of such rifles there is still a confusion of ideas in the minds of the authorities who draft manuals for the use of the rifle. I have searched the British and American manuals for clear instructions as to the use of the battle-sight in vain. The first publication that I have come across that really gets down to business is a leaflet—" Dry Shooting," by Major A. E. Martin, Musketry Adviser " G " Area, H.G., which I heartily commend to all riflemen, and above all to all musketry instructors and authorities, however hard-boiled. Major Martin is a rifleshot of international reputation and a very well-known rifle maker, and I venture to borrow from his superior knowledge some points to illustrate these notes. All riflemen probably understand the adjustable aperture sight as fitted to any high-class miniature rifle, but I am talking about the battle-sight which is fixed and therefore quite different. In practice the aperture is disregarded and indeed disappears from view. The nature of a pinhole is such that if the pupil of the eye is close to it light is concentrated at the centre and the eye can focus on the foresight, which is aligned on the point of aim and there is no need to try and focus backsight, foresight and target siinultaneously (which is impossible), but only to direct the foresight on the target and the focus of foresight and target (though nob really simultaneous) appears to be a simultaneous process. [" The Service aperture is so big that its sharpening effect is much less than that of the small apertures common on the small-bore range, but Service conditions will always compel the focus to be on the enemy, the foresight being clear enough with distant focus to give Service accuracy."]'^ .The optical effect of an aperture in clearing the view" may be illustrated by two simple experiments, firstly make a pin hole in a card and holding it to one eye, see how much more easily you can read a telephone directory, and secondly take a tube (such as used to take a large roll'ed-up map) and hold it to one eye, and keeping the other eye open look into a dark corner of the room. The tube appears to illuminate a circle like the beam from an electric torch. [" The pin hole experiment succeeds by bringing into sharpness print nearer than can comfortably be accommo dated by the eye, and is a substitute for reading spectacles. The experiment also depends on the lighting on the print being good, as only a small part of the available light is admitted to the eye. The use of a tube to look into a dark corner has the effect of causing dilation of the pupil so that the eye admits more of the light in the dark corner, but it is found that the increased apparent brightness in the corner is accompanied by reduced sharpness of detail in the corner. On small-bore ranges the use of large discs with small holes, and of darkened firing points both tend to pupillary dilation, and unnatural brilliance of target. It has been found that many men can perform better when these conditions are changed to more natural basis. The outer diameter of the Service aperture is too small to cut off enough light to cause pupillary dilation, which is determined by the background. Take a No. 3 rifle in a room in daylight, and look along the sights at the sky. Note the rapidly increasing width of the dense aperture rim. Next swing round to point the sights into the darkest corner of the room, and within a few seconds you find that the dense rim dissolves and the whole rearsight becomes completely transparent. The pupil of the eye has becorne wider than the rim of the aperture. Nevertheless, if you know the feel of your rifle in the aiming position the eye will find the clearer bit of the smudge which is the hole, without any diversion of attention from the foresight and its objective."] Now a word about the 6 o'clock aim or, on the other hand, the central aim contemplated by official instructions. Six o'clock has been accepted by generations of riflemen the world over when using a blade foresight. If sights of a different type are used (e.g. crosswires) this rule does not hold, but it should be clear to anybody that if you try to aim up into the centre of a bull's-eye or a figure you not only lose the clear definition of the foresight, but you actually blur the target—this is an optical fact. WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UK6 T H E R I F L E M A N June, 1943. Around the sharply defined edge of the foresight there is a slight blurring of visibility due to what is technically called " halation,"—it doesn't matter what it is called, but the fact is that you can keep foresight and bull's-eye clearly defined if they are kept separate by ever so httle, e.g., by aiming at 6 o'clock, but once they are superimposed there is necessarily this slight blurring which it is desirable to exclude in meticulous target shooting, but which must be reahsed as unavoidable when it comes to aiming up or down without being able to adjust the sights. With fixed sights we must accept this natural phenomenon and do-our best to overcome it when aiming " ud " or " d o w n . " - Now let us compare the "point of aim " in the case of open sights and battle-sight. Here is the official diagram:— T h e U .S.A . " Ba s ic F i e ld Ma n u a l " c o n ta i n s th i s diagram: (a) Open sight. FIG. I. On publication of this diagram I wrote as follows:— " This appears to be a very misleading diagram. The blade of the foresight is twice too high. The whole of the ' blade, foresight' and most of the ' foresight block ' and ' foresight protector ' should be clearly visible in the aperture and form an essential part of the ' correct aim ' picture. The drawing of the aperture is also most unrealistic and resembles no aperture or battle-sight in the Service. The aperture should be indicated by a circle on a shaded area with the silhouette of the foresight and protector inside the circle. This diagram is fundamental for all men to be trained with the rifle and is the most important of all in teaching the correct aim. I am therefore justified in bringing to notice what appears to be a serious error." This [has [never been a u t h o r i t a t i v e l y c o n t r a d i c t e d n o r c o m m e n t e d o n . An amusing advertise ment gives the following diagram, which beats any I have seen (provided we are concerned only with open sights and are pre pared to adopt a central aim). This does not help us i n t h e m a t t e r o f b a t t l e - sight, but is worth repro ducing for its clearness in illustrating the first principle of co-ordination between foresight and backsight. HIE MM of GOOD SHAVING FIG. 2, (By permission of the Erasmic Co. l-td.) FRONT SIGHT © O © FIG. 3. Sight allnement and aim. (With acknowledgments to '* U.S.A. Basic Field Manual.' ) Compare this with my first figure above ! It is certainly very clear, but in the text there is no precise instruction as to aiming, and though I admire its clearness, I have a feeling that though (2) is irreproachable the bull's-eye in (3), on which the foresight is properly directed at 6 o'clock, ought to be down in the centre of the aperture and the foresight directed at 6 o'clock on the top half or " tin hat." I am not prepared to argue about that, but I do maintain that although this manual illustrates realistically what foresight looks like through the aperture it gives no guidance on the use of the fixed battle-sight at different ranges. Let us now consider the fixed battle-sight on the P. 17 (leaf down) and how to use it. I am not proposing to discuss precision target shooting and scoring by points, but how to learn to aim up or down so as to score a fatal hit on an animate figure which may be a standing man, or a head and shoulders, or only part of a face. The next diagram (at top of next page) illustrates the rise of the bullet above the line of sight at ranges up to 400 yards. The bullet rises above the line of sight as follows: At 100 yds. .. 10 in. 200-230 yds. . . 14 in. 3 0 0 y d s 1 1 i n . 4 0 0 y d s p l u s o r m i n u s 0 The rules for aiming with the battle-sight are therefore these:— At a standing man at any range up to 300 yards—aim at the centre of the waist. At a portion of a man (say head and shoulders or face only):— At 100 yds. aim nearly 10 in. below the ground line At 200-230 yds. „ 14 in. A t 3 0 0 y d s . „ 1 1 i n . At 400 yds. aim at the point you want to hit. With bayonet fixed (as it should be from 200 yds. to point-blank) no alteration of aim is necessary with the P. 1 7 . WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKJune, 1943.THE RIFLEMAN note It must be dearl/ understood that the proportion of helrhts to di^f,„,„ • ( . r T T r . • e n o r m o u s l y e x a g g e r a t e d i n t h i s d i a g r a m . l a v o u r o t H . G . n e v e r n r m g a t r a n g e s I a m s t i l l i n l a v o u r o t H . G . n e v e r over 200 yards except snipers or good shots detailed for special tasks. I therefore think the H.G. need only remember that from 0 to 100 yards his bullet rises to 10 in. and from 100 yards to 200 it rises to 14 in. Try this always on the range firing at figure targets, whether for grouping or application. ***** I have deliberately stuck to the P 17 rifle, but recent FIG. 5. Viewed at I8ins. shows what the eye can see when a rifle is correctly aimed at a man 200 yards away. (From Mojor Alort/n's " Dry Shooting," note :—Apology is made to Major Martin for the hazy reproduction of this block due to its being printed on different paper to his " Dry Shooting," but this haziness actually adds some realism to what an old H.G. might expect to sea at two hundred yards.) shown that the subject requires clarifying o/f rmes fitted with a battle-sight. I came across some \ c ^ e x c h a n g e d S M L E ( w i t h o p e n gntsj tor No. 4 Rifle. They were completely at sea and Uow wasting their time and ammo because there was no sifi t liow to use the blankety-blank battle- gnt to hit the things they were shooting at. * * * * T would be grateful if experts will criticise these notes on battle-sight to strengthen my appeal to the authorities to-give us something official to goby— It IS high time after nearly three years of the P. 17, and many years of battle-sight before that. My last diagram reproduced by permission from Major Martin's " Dry Shooting" gives the most realistic representation of what you really see when using the battle-sight. I think with most eyes the ring round the aperture does get more nebulous than in this illus tration—in fact, I think when one gets habituated to the battle-sight you can almost lose sight of it altogether. But unquestionably this is the most illuniinating and instructive diagram yet published, and I do urge that authority should confirm or correct these views so that the H.G. may get full value out of the hundreds of thousands of admirable battle-sights at our disposal. Home Guards, please write to me c/o. the Rifleman (or " Roundabout, Pulborough "), whether you agree or disagree—all we want is the truth, and I feel sure we shall never get it except by discussion among ourselves. (End.) Martin's Rifle Practice Piston By Brig.-Gen. A. F. U. Green, C.M.G., D.S.O., p.s.c. The best contrivance for contrivance tor instruction in aiming, holding and trigger pressure with any pattern of service rifle that I have seen is Martin's Rifle Practice Piston, suitable for P.14, P.17 and No. 4 rifle, w i t h a s h o r t e r m o d e l f o r S . M . L . E . It is simplicity itself, fits any man's own rifle, can be used any where without ammunition and costs only 15s. 6d. complete with targets (a reduction is made on a quantity, dozen or over). The device consists of a rod fitted to the rifle by insertion in the muzzle, through which it is free to protrude through a guide. The rod is kept back in the bore by a light coil spring so that if the rifle is cocked and the trigger pressed the striker propels the rod a few inches from the muzzle, where a slight projection resembling a firing pin makes a pin prick on the target. The target consists of upper rows of miniature figures scaled down to represent the No. 5 figure at 200 x when seen at a yard from the eye, i.e., two or three inches beyond the muzzle, and below these miniature figures are miniature scoring rings, on which the firing pin of the pistol makes a pin prick recording the accuracy of the aim. I have had the device tested imdepcndently, and the verdict is that it is absolutely accurate and that it knocks into a cocked hat all the costly machines that have been devised for the same purpose; the Martin piston is in fact the most ingenious on the market and reduces to the very simplest terms an old principle, which has hitherto been difficult to apply owing to the necessary complexity of the appanttus. This device is simplicity itself. It is equally useful to trained riflemen, regular and Home Guard units and quite indispensable to any Cadet formation whatsoever. The inventor is the well-known rifle shot. Major Alex. Martin, Rifle Makers, 20, Exchange Square, Glasgow, to whom enquiries should be addressed. WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UK8 T H E R I F L E M A N June, 1943 Some Thoughts on Mr. A. G. Banks' Projected Rifle By Major R. Brown, D.S.O. IT is a long long time since the days when I was actively concerned in running a (now defunct) Village rifle club. Things may have changed a lot since then, so let me describe it as it then was. Most of the members were agricultural labourers, and couldn't afford to buy the con'verted Martinis with which we shot. A few members owned one, usually with a 5s. stamped metal aperture backsight, and we always had difficulty in producing a team of eight. We had four rehable shots, one very good indeed, but a very shaky " tail." In fact, the various village teams were " Rabbits," and shot most enjoyable matches against other rabbits like themselves ; and were never known to win a match against the " Tigers " of the Town rifle-clubs. If any such clubs exist today, how will they be able to provide themselves with Mr. Banks' projected new rifle ? If the Government factories were allowed to make it, which I very much doubt, and we were allowed to buy them at " Vocabulary Rate," they would probably cost about £7 10s. each. Those made by private firms would cost anything from £10 10s. upwards. Of course the Tiger will have the best, whatever it costs—one of them recently offered a London gpnmaker £40 for a new super .22 he had there, if he could induce the owner to part with it—but very few of us after the war will be able to pay much for a rifle. So let's have a cheap rifle for the rabbits, and let us shoot our little competitions using our cheap rifle " as issued." How are we to get our cheap rifle ? I suggest that after the war the Government will have on its hands a vast number of No. 4 rifles with worn-out barrels. Perhaps they could be persuaded to sell these at scrap-iron price, as they did the Martinis. We could convert these to .22 as cheaply as possible, and would be able to buy them at perhaps £3 each, which would be about the equivalent today to the 24s. we paid in 1912 for the converted Martini. Now that is a very good point Mr. Banks makes about the difference in the time the bullet takes to emerge from the muzzle in the .22 and the .303 respectively. In our cheap rifle we might get over the difficulty in, so to speak, two stages. First, by shortening the stroke of the striker, by cutting off part of the cocking piece, grinding out the half-cock notch, and fitting a stronger mainspring. The second stage is in the barrel. Experiment has shown that a .22 cartridge gives its maximum velocity in a barrel of about 17 inches. Any increase of length over that slows down the bullet through friction in the barrel. Before re-lining a barrel one bores it out to about .4 inches, and one could put in a lining about 17 inches long, and leave the muzzle end unlined. About " Charger-loading." The best solution I can think of is to use tiny Mann- licher-type clips to hold 5 cartridges. These would fit into service chargers, and would be pressed down into the magazine from the charger. When the last cartridge was loaded into the barrel the chp would fall out underneath. However, if this plan of a cheap converted rifle doesn't appeal to anybody, and we go in for a rifle advocated by Mr. Banks, why not go the whole hog and produce a new cartridge too ? The .22 R.F. is a marvellous example of what can be done with a long-obsolete cartridge. The central-fire .22 with inside lubrication is overdue, and if there was suffi c i e n t d e m a n d f o r i t d o u b t l e s s t h e a m m u n i t i o n m a k e r s would produce it. The cartridge would be something like that illustrated on page 17 of the December 1942 issue of The Rifleman, but as its length wouldn't matter if it were to be used in an entirely new kind of rifle, it might be made with a bit more powder space. Anyway, its exact dimensions,weight of bullet, and velocity would probably have to be settled by a Committee, in consultation with the cartridge manu facturers. It would probably very much resemble the cartridge f o r t h e . 2 2 W i n c h e s t e r s e l f - l o a d e r o f 1 9 0 3 . On page 5 of the March Rifleman Mr. Banks speaks of the backsight now fitted to the No. 4 Rifle, only giving elevations for 400 and 600 yards. I think I am correct in saying that only some models of this rifle are fitted with that sight, and that eventually all will be fitted with one very much like that on the P. 14 and M. 17. There's one point on which I don't agree with Mr. Banks. That is, about the " Perverseness " of the War Office in not ordering the use of slings. There are many occasions on active service—jungle- fighting, for instance—where one hasn't time to use even the most beautifully pre-adjusted sling. The man who has never been accustomed to use a sling can shoot almost as well as the man who always uses one whereas the rnan who never shoots without one feels all wobbly if an occasion arises when he hasn't time to use it. But this is the only objection I make to any part of Mr. Banks' article. Competitions in three positions at practical targets would be far more interesting, as well as useful, than the everlasting prone shooting at black spots. And ban the ring foresight, designed for the one purpose of hitting those black spots, and useless for any other purpose. But I do wish we could prevail on the " authori ties " to give us an alternative white foresight, which under many conditions is so far more useful for shooting at practical targets. Towards the end of the last war there was an issue of luminous sights. I have always thought that every military rifle should be fitted with them. But after the war in an orgy of " economy " they were withdrawn and broken up for the value of the radium they contained. When I was in England in 1915 we tried some experiments in night shooting. We fixed up targets to represent a man lighting a cigarette, and a door showing a light when some body went in. We found black sights perfectly useless until we painted them with blobs of luminous paint, like those on the French 1915 rifle ; one on the foresight, and one at each side of the backsight. The village rifle-club of which I was speaking had no indoor range. Our range was on a bit of marsh alongside an estuary. But when {Continued on page 30.) WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKJune, 1943. T H E R I F L E M A N The Army Cadet Force {Officially Army cadets have a long history. In the days of the Volunteers, cadet battalions were formed, and these were started in schools as far back as the fifties of the last century. Cadet Corps for working boys were founded later, and there are records of them in Manchester in 1884, and in London in 1887. How little the objects of the old Volunteer Cadet movement vary from those of the Army Cadet Force in 1943 may be seen from the following quotation from a speech made by Sir George White, V.C., then Commander- in-Chief in India, at a meeting at Paddington in February, 1893. He said: " I cannot imagine any system that will lead to a higher type of life than that of lads coming forward voluntarily to learn self control and self discipline. The boys of England are the most enterprising spirits in the world. Enrolled in- these corps they are a ' Band of Hope ' for the Empire. " And besides this aspect of the movement for the benefit of the working lads of England, an aspect which I call the social aspect, there is another to be thought of—the military aspect. The young lads, who first join the Cadet Corps and afterwards enlist, will prove as useful a leaven to the Army as do the one year volunteers in Germany. And these lads learn the first duty of citizenship, namely the duty of defending the land which gave them birth." To-day the objects of the Army Cadet Force are, on the military side, to produce first-class recruits and potential leaders for the Army, and on the social side to turn out good citizens. Now after a career, during which time its strength and support have varied directly according to public interest, the Army Cadet Force has come to the front again as a live youth movement, catering for its full pro portion of-the boys in the country. With H.M. the King as Colonel-in-Chief and units in practically every county from the Orkneys to Cornwall, the Army Cadet Force now has an effective strength of 180,000 boys. This number, moreover, does not include the cadets in the Junior Training Corps at schools. The age of the Army Cadet Force is from 14-17 years; that is, from the age of leaving school to the age of entry into the Home Guard. Training is based on the syllabus of War Certificate " A " and Certificate " T." War Certificate " A " is in two parts, the first being basic or individual training, and the seeond section leading for junior N.C.O.s. The subjects taught in the first part are squad drill, rifle, map reading, field intelligence, physical training, with aircraft recognition as an optional subject, while the second includes the light machine gun and section leading in addition to more advanced study of the subjects taken in part one. The technical or " T " certificate is taken by potential tradesmen. All cadets taking this course must also pass the first part of War Certificate " A." All cadets are encouraged to shoot with miniature rifles. An issue of these and ammunition has been made to units, and they are officially encouraged to enter for N.R.A. and S.M.R.C. competitions. Camp is the peak of the cadet training year. Nearly all working boys get a week's holiday with pay, and this enables the cadet units to go Contributed.) ^ ^ a m p a n d - l i v e a s a u n i t . Nomina training is laid on fieldcraft and r a n n p v p r 1 f t l i o s e S u b j e c t s w h i c h ThrArm. r n VS Hall at home. Fvf>rv rmmlv ^^^^ce IS Organised on a county basis. Committee, with the Lord f,^Pr^^^dent These committees have repre- r FHnrJt in addition to the military members. Local Education Authorities and other organisations con- of R^vs^ CInhf National Association tZ t • administer all cadet units. i"esponsibility of the local military commanders. Each county has a Cadet County Com- ^ Cadet Commitlees are closely linked with the Territorial Army Associations, and m every case the secretary of the T.A. Association is also honorary secretary of the County Cadet Committee. Cadet policy is now controlled by the War Office, but much useful advice is given by the British National Cadet Association. This body was formed in 1934 to correlate ml cadet activities, and controlled the cadets until the War Office assumed fuU responsibility. Cadet units are now considerably financed by the Government, their annual grants being large enough to pay all norrnal expenses of training, but they are also entitled to financial grants from the educational authorities in respect of welfare, games and sports gear. This, however, IS a very recent development, and for long and difficult years the cadet movement has been dependent on the generosity of private individuals, business houses and public schools. The Army Cadet Force sets out to co-operate to the fullest possible extent with all other youth organisations. It is fully realised by those who control the Sea Cadet Corps, Army Cadet Force and A.T.C. that the national interest demands the closest co-operation, so that boys may go into that service for which their talents and inclination fit them, and a system of transfers allows for this; while with the voluntary organisations, such as the Boy Scouts and Church Brigades, agreements have been made ensuring that the good work which these bodies have done in the past, will not be lost. All units of the Army Cadet Force have two affiliations. The first is to the local Home Guard unit. This gives to the cadet unit the right to share or borrow accom modation, training equipment and instructors, while the Home Guard unit should benefit from a supply of trained recruits at 17 years. The second affiliation is to the local Territorial Army battalion. This allows the cadet unit to wear the badges and carry on the traditions of the County Regiment, a very important link, with so many units of the T.A. on active service. To the readers of the Rifleman the cadets will be seen as the future intake into the Army; as boys who must learn to shoot because they, above all, are the most likely to have to shoot in earnest. In the months to come many new cadet units will be affiliating to tlie S.M.R.C., and many a club will be given the opportunity of teaching cadets how to shoot. This is a chance to be taken with both hands. The boys are as keen as possible, they are at the right age to learn, and they can be trusted to make the right use of their knowledge. Let the aim be not to create a few prize winners, but battalions of first-class shots. WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UK10 June, 1943. Womens Home Defence" VICTORY HOUSE, LEICESTER SQUARE, LONDON, W.C.2. A meeting held on 1st May, was attended by over 100 organisers, accompanied in many cases by their Home Guard C.O.s, was very successful in that it confirmed the points contained in the reports received from those unable to be present, and was unanimous in its approval of the following resolutions :— (1) That women should be enrolled in the Home Guard, subject to the same rights and obligations as the men and accepted for all duties consistent with their qualifications and ability to release men for active service in the home defence of their country. (2) That a woman liaison officer should be appointed, for the purpose of welfare, discipline, records and any other work which would otherwise devolve on the Home Guard, whose responsibilities we wish to relieve, not to increase. (3) That uniform should be provided for the following r e a s o n s : — (a) It is practical. (b) For the purpose of maintaining discipline. (c) To prevent a woman being treated as a franc tireur by the enemy. (4) That Women's Home Defence should continue and expand in order to :— (a) Establish an efficient pool of trained women ready to fill any gaps in the Home Guard at a m o m e n t ' s n o t i c e . (b) Provide training in musketry and any other subject deemed to be useful and not available from other sources. Also to provide training for any individual, whether in other Services or not, who wishes to increase his or her know ledge. (c) Maintain the existence of an organised body which will help to protect the rights of women in the Home Guard. (5) That, where practical, women should train as fire guards in order that in the event of an air-raid they may assist the Civil Defence, provided that the action stations of the Home Guard have the first c a l l o n t h e i r s e r v i c e s . Dr. Summerskill duly raised these points with the Committee of the Parliamentary Home Guard which, under the chairmanship of Sir Thomas Moore, M.P., was attended by Lord Bridgeman (Director-General of the Home Guard) and Major Arthur Henderson. Sir Thomas Moore supported Dr. Summerskill in all that she said, and the rest of the Committee appeared to be sympathetic. Major Henderson, while noting all the points, expressed the opinion that it was too soon to make any decision and that he would reconsider the matter in the light of informa tion received after the scheme had been in operation for some time. Meanwhile, it is generally understood that the work of W.H.D. units should continue exactly as before. This ' applies particularly to First Aid, C.C.'P.'s and signalling arrangements, which in the first place would not have been organised had the demand not been necessary. To celebrate the 42nd birthday of their leader. Dr. Edith Summerskill, M.P., the members of the W.H.D. provided a three-tier birthday cake and presented her with a statuette symbolising action and victory. SHOOTING COMPETITIONS. It is time that W.H.D. demonstrated its musketry '"^^?""Unit League competition, under S.M.R.C. rules, is being arranged forthwith by Mr. W. Birrell, 16, Farringdon Street, Ludgate Circus, E.C., and Mr. Salter, of 97, Caithness Road, Mitcham, Surrey (Telephone Mitcham 3198). If you wish to enter will you advise Mr. Salter, giving your full address and unit, without delay. There will be a prize for the winning unit. MEETINGS. Many organisers are now otherwise engaged on Saturday afternoons training facilities are no longer required at H.Q. and the whole organisation now runs, on its own wheels. So that they do not lose touch, however it has been agreed that for the time being Victory House will be open on the first Saturday in each month only, starting from 5th June, for organisers to attend only if they wish. The Hon. Sec., however, can receive 'phone messages at Chancery 6271. COPY OF " DAILY MAIL " LEADER, 21/4/43. HAPHAZARD PLAN. Women are now to be permitted to join the Home Guard—on terms. They will do such non-combatant duties as clerical work, cooking and driving. They will have no uniform—only a brooch. They will not, because of their Home Guard duties, be exempt from other existing obliga tions of war-time service. They will not, apparently, be undef any form of military discipline. This seems to us to be an entirely anomalous position. Either women are needed in the Home Guard or they are, not. ' If they are, their conditions should approximate as closely as possible to those of the men. They should be under orders, and if they have tasks essential to the organisa tion—and presumably they have, or they would not be enrolled—due time should be ensured for their performance. The casualness of the proposed system will encourage the erroneous but rapidly spreading idea that the Home Guard is a body of amateur soldiers training for duties which they will never be called on to perform and, in fact, a slight embarrassment to the authorities who called them into being at a time of dire need. When this country is denuded of Regular.Troops for a second front in Europe, the Home Guard will have a vital part to play in the defence of these shores. It would be ludicrous at such a time for a commanding officer to say " I c a n n o t c a l l o n M r s . o r M i s s S o - a n d - s o . S h e h a s o t h e r duties to perform." The way in which this matter has been treated suggests that the time has come for a comprehensive revision, certainly a more competent planning, of the call-up of women to war work and their allocation to different needs. While improvisation was in progress mistakes were inevitable. We have had many of them—the muddle of women's fire-watching duties, doubts as to the liabilities of classes, too numerous examples of what appear to be privileged escapists. (.Continued on page 16). WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKJune, 1943. T H E R I F L E M A N 11 Lt.-Col. Sir Lionel Fletcher, R.M., C.B.E., Chairman of the Council, presided, supported by Mr. Edwin L. Bell, the Vice-Chairman and Hon. Treasurer. Those present included :— W. W. B a n c r o f t G. F. Booth W. C . F. C o r k ' Lord Cottesloe Capt. W. Drew J. Goldrick Alan D. Mitchell Major Sir Clive Morrison-Bell, Bart. (one-time organising Secretary of the S.M.R.C.) J. J. O'Leary E r i c H . P e r k i n s Air Vice-Marshal F. C. Halahan F. W. Pinhard T . P . H a r t l e y E r n e s t P o l d e n N. C. Headland Supt. M. Purbrick G. L. Holliwell Cecil Ramsay C e c i l M a c k p . G . R i c h a r d s o n Major D. L. McSweeny (repre- Lt.-Col. Sir Philip W. Richardson, senting High Commissioner for , Bart. I n d i a ) D r . E d i t h S u m m e r s k i l l , M P W . M a t t h e w s F . J . T u c k n o t t J. H...While. Geo. Pethard (Secretary). The Chairman, having declared the meeting open, read out the letters of regret for absence amongst which were those from the President and the High Commissioner for India, yvhilst verbal messages were received from those of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. He then called upon the secretary to read the notice and agenda of the meeting as announced in the Daily Telegraph of 24th March, 1943, and the March issue of The Rifleman, and circulated with audited accounts for 1942 to all members and affiliated units of the Society. The Chairman thereupon called upon Mr. Edwin L. Bell as hon treasurer to read the auditors" report on the accounts for the year ended 31st December, 1942. The Chairman, in rising to propose the adoption of the report and accounts said:— Lady and Gentlemen,—You have all had the opportunity of reading the annual report of the Society for the year 1942 in our Journal The Rifleman, a precedent we decided to adopt after our A.G.M. of last year in order to give more time for thought to the club officials and members previous to the meeting, where discussion is invited. In addition you have had circulated to you as usual the audited accounts for the twelve months ended 31st December 1942. From a year packed with progressive activity the outstanding feature has been the signal honour done the Society when at the e n d o f A p r i l , 1 9 4 2 , H i s M a j e s t y t h e K i n g g r a c i o u s l y b e c a m e i t s Patron. This gracious act makes the year the most memorable in the history of the Society, and inspires its members, the president, vice-presidents and Council to still greater efforts in the cause of civilian marksmanship. Following the policy announced last year, the President and Council have invited some well-known personages to strengthen the list of vice-presidents, and to the list given in the report should now be added the names of the Earl of Harewood and Col. Lord Lovat. Moreover, the intimation given last year that ladies would be invited to become vice-presidents has been adopted, and the following ladies have accepted in the past few weeks:— The Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, Dr. Edith Summerskill, M.P., and Miss Patricia Young, M.B.E., of Lincluden. In this way recognition is given of the great service rendered our cause by women in all parts of the country. In particular we must e x p r e s s a d m i r a t i o n f o r t h e fi g h t i n g s p i r i t o f t h e W o m e n ' s H o m e Defence, of which Dr. Edith Summerskill, M.P., is the leader, one who strongly advocates that women should learn to shoot and so f o l l o w i n t h e f o o t s t e p s o f t h e w o m e n o f R u s s i a . A t t h e W. H . D . range in New Bond Street an international teams league has been inaugurated, of which 1 have the honour to be president. The rifle clubs of the Society have rendered, are rendering and will continue to render service to all branches of H.M. Forces, both national and local, adult and junior, and the tribute of appreciation of such assistance exrpessed in the House of Commons in February, 1942, by the Secretary of State for War is deeply valued and gratefully remembered. Fortieth Annual General Meeting OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY OF MINIATURE RIFLF CrilRR wac lacr r. WEDNESDAY, 2Is. APRIL, 1943, IN THE WRITING IoomOf'thI ROYAL'SN^^SFI^VrE? INSTITUTION, WHITEHALL, LONDON, S.W.I. SERVICES I94^°thurhrin'l!l?h and affiliated during bringing the total of clubs affiliated for the veir to ? 147 Affiliated"units individual members totalled 1,017. 'The rifles hnH hpl have been more numerous and larger if .22 rifles had been obtainable in sufficient quantitv The fact that at Cohe Societv"7e impopible to'purchase a new .22 rifle is oneot the Society s greatest problems. This matter is having our earnest SSces Th' be done in the e"sdng Riflrof ffi^FniJr^ -- '1® G ®^"ks entitled " The Club P r o d , c H n n i n R i fl e m a n g i v e s f o o d f o r t h o u g h t . 1939 and no S, country of .22 rifles ceased soon after September, MeanwhflP dior? coming here from the U.S.A. or elsewhere. tU end of h great and increasing demand for them, and until b e i ^ e L ' b a t d e m a n d i s t o a Jo ^Tnirmition we are supplied by the War Office with a monthly allocation from their stocks, without which the Society's work would cease. All imports of American brands other than for Government purposes were stopped in June. 1942. Targets, whilst being limited to essential patterns and to most economical sizes and quantities, have so far been available through the reasonable treatment of the paper control authorities. At the same time all clubs must see that their used targets are returned for repulping as soon as possible to the local collecting depots for salvage, and if receipts acknowledging delivery can be sent to S.M.R.C. head quarters when next targets are ordered it would assist greatly when dealing with the control. On the provision of additional rifle ranges, it will be noted from the report that the Society was helpful in the building and passing of 144 in various parts of Britain during the year under review. We regard this as most important. It is evident, however, that a range building fund is desirable in order to meet the needs of voluntarv groups of people who wish to form clubs and provide ranges of their own apart from those confined to employees of large firms, which ranges, of course, are not open to the public. We shall always remember that the founder of the movement. Lord Roberts, aspired to a nation of marksmen with miniature rifle ranges operating in every village and town throughout Great Britain. We are a long way from this ideal, but before the year is out we hope to be in a position to make an announcement on this subject. The useful suggestion made at last years A.G.M. that old timber resulting from houses destroyed by enemy action might be utilised for the repairs or construc tion of rifle ranges was investigated, and it was ascertained that at one time a surplus had been available for the free use of local residents. The local rifle clubs, in common with other folk, had thus had oppor tunities to acquire what was of use to them. That privilege ended with diminished supplies and greater national demands. We are delighted to welcome the liaison between official and voluritary effort for the better training of the male youth of Great Britain in all-round citizenship. To a large extent for many years the ideal has depended on the vigour and enterprise of voluntary officials and associations burdened by the constant need of funds. The British National Cadet Association, of which a vice-president of the Society, F.M. Lord Milne, is the president, and the National Association of Boys'-Clubs, of which Lord Aberdare, a l.ife Member of the S.M.R.C., is one of its leaders, are typical. Now these boys can elect to serve as members of any one of the three official training corps, the Army Cadet Corps, the Sea Cadet Corps, or the Air Training Corps. The conditions for our annual Junior Training Corps postal team competition organised for public schools in the michaelmas term will allow metallic peep sights, thus bringing conditions comparable to modern practice. As shooting develops self-discipline and the responsible team spirit, both essential for citizenship and national defence, it is a natural step for 'contact to be established between our rifle clubs and the local units of the youth movement in order that the skill of the club members and their ranges and equipment shall be made available to help the boys to become marksmen. Standards of efficiency certificates will be awarded. Meanwhile we are very busy exchanging addresses between local units concerned. On 12th April, of the 262 junior units affiliated to the S.M.R.C., there were 62 A.T.C., 33 J.T.C., 27 A.C.C. and 27 school cadet corps. WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UK12 T H E R I F L E M A N June, 1943. Club members will have not only the satisfaction of imparting [ their knowledge of shooting, but the prospect that as the boys grow up they will become first-rate members of the rifle club and good citizens. Similar satisfaction has been and continues to be derived from ! the assistance to the Home Guard in many clubs. i The first H.G. team competition under postal conditions was shot ! during the year 1942, when over 10,000 men took part. A second i competition was started late in that year, and an entry of 2,336 | platoon teams of ten men took part. It is the largest entry ever received | by the Society for a team competition. As will be seen from the entries and results of the Society's com- j p e t i t i o n s , r e c o r d e n t r i e s a n d fi r s t - r a t e r e s u l t s w e r e o b t a i n e d . i It is noteworthy that in the Colonial Match, under the exceptional j difficulties of the war, the splendid entry of 12 teams competed in the aperture sight section and 11 teams in the open sight section, no fewer than 13 diflferent colonies being concerned, and among these St. Helena entered a team for the first time. During the war no j fewer than 31 colonial teams in the aperture sight and 32 in the open i sight section have competed and 20 different colonies have been concerned. We congratulate all these on their keenness and at the same time thank the Colonial Secretary and officers administering the Governments ofthe Colonies for their great help and sustained interest. The four league competitions alone involved 1,045 teams shooting in 99 divisions, which are practically separate competitions. The i strain on the Society's staff has been excessive and will increase rather than lessen until we can again get the County Associations more fully into operation. In normal circumstances we do not organise the 25 yards League from headquarters, but leave such competitions entirely to county or other local .Associations, and thus they are I decentralised. Therefore we must pay a tribute of thanks to those few Associations who are continuing League competitions, etc. Thanks are also due to all those good friends named in the report who so generously contributed books and challenge trophies to help to reinstate some of those lost through the total destruction by enemy action of the Society's late headquarters at 23, Blackfriars Lane, London, E.C.4. 1 would like to mention here that in the annual report as given in the March Rifleman we omitted to mention the valued gift of a trophy by Col. Sir Philip Richardson, to whom we owe thanks. The Rifleman has been in good demand, and each quarterly issue, strictly limited to 5,000 by the Paper Control, is quickly absorbed. The Council has been strengthened by the election of eight new m e m b e r s a s f o l l o w s : — Major-General Viscount Bridgeman, D.S.O., M.C. Air Vice-Marshal Sir Philip Game, G.C.V.O., G.B.E., etc., D.S.O. L t . - C o l . S i r H u g h Tu m b u l l , K . C . V. O . , K . B . E . Major-General G. Dalby, C.B., D.S.O. A. C. Bossom, Esq., .M.P. T. P. Hartley, Esq. D. McGillivray, Esq. Supt. .M. Purbrick, .M.B.E., Met. Police. It will be noted that on this body the interests of all the Services are fully represented in the ex-officio members of the Council. Colonel Waring, of the A.R.A., now retired, earns our gratitude and thanks. Capt. A. G. Rumbelow, M.B.E., has succeeded him as e.x-officio member of the Council to represent the Army R.A. The Council met three times during the year 1942, in February, April and November. T h e E x e c u t i v e C o m m i t t e e m e t o n e l e v e n o c c a s i o n s t o t r a n s a c t the business of the Society, and Mr. G. P. Booth, who was elected by the Council in November, 1941, has proved a very valuable adviser Each of the seven normal funds of the Society shows a surplus, and there are two new funds. The nine funds show a total of £2,837. The most important, of course, is the General Fund, and so the analysis of increases and decreases in profits and losses is given. As the Society is a company limited by the guarantee of its mernbers, it has no dividends to pay. Therefore all surpluses are applied to the encouragement of rifle shooting. It will be remembered that at the last A.G.M. the question of shooting in the silting, kneeling and standing positions in addition to the prone position was discussed. It is the intention of the Council after the war to give this matter their consideration, but at present all our ranges are passed as safe by the War Office for the prone position only. Moreover, telescopic sight shooting might well be deyeloped beyond our past efforts. In view of the practical value of this kind of shooting for sniping practice the Society should encourage it in every possible way, not only at the open air ranges, but on indoor ranges, for which special targets are available. In some clubs in the U.S.A. they teach beginners with telescopic sights as it steadies their holding by magnifying their errors. * We now have to give grateful thanks to the British Press as almost every day we obtain a package of cuttings relating to .22 rifle shooting activities over all parts of Great Britain. At this time when news paper space is so valuable we are more than grateful for such publicity. The staff of the Society although overwhelmed continues to give of its best. Of the 25 members operative in 1939 nine of the male members are still- with us, the others being on service. There are n o w t e n w o m e n a s s i s t a n t s . O u r t h a n k s a r e d u e f o r m o s t l o y a l s e r v i c e f r o m a l l o u r s t a f f . Finally, I wish to stress that we cordially invite suggestions or criticism from the members not only here at this meeting today but at all times. I will endeavour to answer any questioiis to the best of my ability ; it may not be possible to give answers to all questions put to us today as certain matters may have to be investigated before we send a written reply. But 1 can assure you that it will be the object and constant endeavour of the Executive Committee and the Council to keep members well informed of the activities of the Society at all times. 1 now move the adoption of the report and accounts, and I will ask the Vice-Chairman to second the Resolution. Mr. Edwin L. [Bell: 1 have much pleasure in seconding the adoption of the report and accounts. The Chairman; 1 shall now be pleased to answer any questions to the best of my ability. Mr. Polden: Before the motion is put 1 would like to ask one question on the second point of your report—that is, the statement to the effect that ranges are only passed in respect of safety for shooting in a lying position. 1 happen to be honorary secretary of a club affiliated to the S.M.R.C. Our range was passed some time in June, 1941, and I do not know of any such clause in the War Office certifi cate. 1 may be under a misapprehension but so far as 1 know the danger from ricochet is actually reduced when the angle of departure of the bullet is higher from the ground—in other words, the higher you get from the ground the more the danger from ricochet is reduced,. 1 would like to ask the question whether it is a fact that there is a clause in the safety certificates issued by the various competent authorities stating that firing in the prone position only is permitted. The Chairman: I share your surprise in a way, but when we put that point in the Report we asked Mr. Pethard if it was so arid he assured me that it was. 1 will ask Mr. Pethard to explain the position. Mr. Polden: I trust before Mr. Pethard replies to this very serious point, you will say if there is no definite legal ruling upon the point and the S.M.R.C. will consider that in their reply to my direct question. ... Mr. G. Pethard: Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, the position is this. All our rifle club ranges are based on dimensions giwn in one book, that is Small Arms Training Vol. 5, as issued by the W.O. School of Musketry. The safety certificates I have signed are, with few exceptions, for the use of ranges in the prone position only. In special cases the War Office may allow other than prone shooting if the ranges are specially adapted for that purpose but there is no printed matter issued to allow standing shooting on rifle club miniature ranges. The Chairman: I am glad Mr. Polden raised that point. I had intended to dictate a letter to the War Office in connection with it before 1 came here today. 1 will take the matter up with them and point out that shooting in the prone position is only half the shooting game, in my opinion, and 1 think the War Office might consider whether in the circumstances they could help us to carry out a pro gramme which will enable the ranges to be used for every form of shooting. 1 am obliged to you for raising that point ; 1 had it in mind myself. Mr. Polden: You are asking for trouble if you go to the War Office suggesting that the present certificates do not cover other forms of shooting. 1 know Volume 5, S.A.T. and have studied it carefully, and there is no such certificate printed in the pages there. In fact, for 30 yard ranges, of which they give detailed construction plans, there is no such limitation that the ranges shall be used in the prone position only. I consider, you will correct me if I am wrong in this respect, that if such certificates have been endorsed for lying position only by the S.M.R.C., that is the S.M.R.C.'s own endorsement. The Chairman: We will take the matter up. I will go to the War Office and make the best deal 1 can. Thank you for having raised the point ; it is really a most important one. The Resolution for the adoption of the Report and Accounts was then put to the meeting by the Chairman, who declared tt carried unanimously. The Chairman: 1 would like now to thank Mr. Edwin Bell for the way in which he has fulfilled his duties as Treasurer. He never likes to know how long he has held the position of Treasurer—it is lost in antiquity—but he carries out his duties in a most exemplary fashion and I think the Society owes him a great debt of gratitude. WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKJune, 1943. T H E R I F L E M A N 13 ( H e a r, h e a r ) . I w o u l d a s k t w o r , . ■ who are not connected with the ® hall, re-election. ' "^'I'stration, to propose Mr. Bell's M r . P o l d e n : 1 p r o p o s e t h a t M r „ Treasuer for the ensuing year. ' ^wm L. Bell be elected Hon. Mr. Ramsey: • have pleasure in seconrt,'no The Resolution was then put to the i, u r-u ■ declared it carried unanimously. eeting by the Chairman, who M r . E d w i n L . B e l l : M r C h a i r . r , . . „ in the first place, 1 would like to thank voi; gerntlemen, very kind words you have e.xpressed about ticularly fortunate, during the many vears rTn u this Society, in presenting a good balance Ihe u been due to good luck or the hard work of ^ • but I hope it will continue. We shall rf^rta!«i ^ do not know, I a m n o t s p e a k i n g n o w a s H o n o r a r v T r f ^ - i e - ' ' Society should be extremely proud nf , think the whole strong position we are in at the present t.w, h?ve done and the ^ position and 'l see no reason whv we sho. la almost a record | favourable position. I thank von rn^a continue in that very j electihg me again and 1 shall certain^ gentlemen, for re- , to the best of my ability for, I hope manv°""""® Society Jt now gives me very great pleasure ? to come. (Applause), very able and business like manner in which "Jh v.^ p r e s e n t e d t h e a c c o u n t s . T h e y h a v e b e e n I for many years. We have fomd tLm moct ^ '' """T' h a s a l w a y s b e e n v e r y a b l y c a r r i e d o u t ^ wish to propose that their fee which in m, —^ thanking them I heavy one, be raised from 45 to 50 guineas a^from"tL^^ firm the action of the Executive Committe r i general meeting. Committee after last years annual . E.xecutive Committee '""preasinfthe'Store'^Ve^ g u i n e a s b e c o n fi r m e d , a n d t h a t r - h j l o . u elected Auditors at a fee of 50 guineas Mr. Bancroft: I second that decili^S^t;;^:!^.^ Chairman, who A ii"' '!'®P''esenting Messrs. John Craggs and Co., the Tr' ' Mr. Chairman lady and gentlemen, may 1 thank the Irn'Ze /h -ecnnHe A™ and may 1 thank the AnHi?nrc n?ie s:°" w re-electing us as Auditors. We have been Auditors of the Society of Miniature Rifle Clubs for many years, and, may say so, is a great pleasure to work for such a very good cause. referring to T/w Rifleman loss of f o t h e r 1 t o m a k e a s u g g e s t i o n to the Council. This suggestion of mine may have been tried before and may have been a failure possibly, but yesterday 1 bought a copy ^eeill !"rr\'it through I found a section entitled, 1 bel eve Shooting bag " which is entirely devoted ^ sniall advertisements of shooters' requirements—things tha't riflemen want to sell or to purchase. Today there is no section in the The Rtflenum of this nature and any revenue which could be obtained from small adsjrtisements goes, 1 am afraid, to people like The f^chanue and Mart 1 revenue could be obtained from small adver tisements It would be to a great extent oflTset that loss of £609. 1 submit It as a suggestion to the Council. ^ e i n t o t h a t , b u t 1 a m a f r a i d n o t m a n y people have any stocks of anything in this country ! That is the real trouble. inditidu-ds''^'^^' ' ^o much of firms as of private .w There is another point arising from that. I think a good many people have got .22 rifles for which they have not taken out certificates and so these are frozen. 1 wonder if anything could be done to ease that situation. I, iJ ' 'hmk the police have stated that if they are handed tn fines would not be inflicted. Mr. PuRBRiCK : I think this is a general policy. Mr. O'Leary: Why not pay good prices for any such rifles surrendered ? At the moment you get nothing for them. Mr. Polden: While on the question of the deficit shown 'oy The Rifleman I think there are 2,500 copies distributed gratis to affiliated units. 1 suggest that they should be approached when they get the next Rifleman and asked to pay half the cost—say 2s. 6d., the 2s. 6d. to go to a " Promotion Fund " to promote rifle shooting after the war. Secretaries would see that it would be to their interest to contribute to this fund. 1 think The Rifleman is good value for money, and 1 think if such a suggestion is adopted it would meet with some response. of 1 should like to dra(v attention to the dateof pubhcatmn of The Rifleman Couldn't we get it nearer the dafed"'"^ month instead of the end, because as it is, it is ante- timJ"^ tTHAiRMAN: Mr. Pethard says it could be published at any . beginninJoHhe monrh:''^ In other words, you would sooner have it on into that ^ on the 31st March ? (Laughter). We will look nttp!tlin'n^l°^''^.^'' opportune time to ask the present forward w fh ^^'^ether there are any concrete suggestions to be put lorward with regard to postwar reconstruction and furthering the f n t h i s w a r . I t h i n k t h e w a r n i n ® m the Editorial of the March issue of The Rifleman page 2 was verv ouTto'yoC ' Jt isrsfoflowf:-^ While looking forward to victory we do not forget the re action which followed the war of 1914-18, when indifference almost killed the rifle movement as well as practically all other forms of National Defence." io same article goes on to refer to the support the Government is giving to the Youth Movement and again a statement is made that !vtn fully set out in this connection rest upon the good- n t>m 9 comments and criticisnis would be welcome as Ilifle Club Committees have fully considered the matter. 1 feel that the whole matter requires looking at from an entirely difJereitt point of view. Instead of relying on the co-operation from Ulub Committees such as they are at the moment, and with mv own kn^owledge and surely your own experience one will ask the question as to wnetner they are competent or representative enough or able to look Inward and have the vision to give constructive criticisms and the "pessary co-operation needed, and also whether they will approach me matter with the right view-point, as 1 submit that these Rifle Club committees in many cases are not able to see the wood from the trees as they are so involved in their own narrow view-point which has surely been responsible for the existing accepted condition which is n a m e l y ^ ~ - V l a r c h R i fl e m a n " Besides the feeling of strength in our movement at this time there stands revealed some weaknesses. It is only natural that being fostered by it strong sporting appeal and aspect the original objective of .22 shooting has become dulled and arti ficial aids to precision and comfort somewhat overdone'" 1 feel that what is wanted is an Advisory Panel or Committee cons^ting of representatives of the follovving :—Army Cadet Corns Sea Cadet Corps. Air Training Corps, Junior Training Corps Police' Women s Home Defence, S.M.R.C., N.R.A., and the Railway com- panies, and it should be suggested to the supplying trade—manu facturers of rifles and ammunition, etc., that they should send a reore- s e n t a t i v e t o t h i s C o m m i t t e e . ^ These are the matters which to my mind need in\estiaation. 1 nave numbered them under various headings but 1 feel it is a matter of direciiori from the ners'e centre, from the parent body, which should give gmdance upon certain direct lines, rather than say that arrant^e- ments have been made in such and such a way and " we look forwtfrd to the co-operation of the members on the snowball system," etc. I do not think that that is the way to approach the matter. It is not the way a business concern approaches its legitimate marker. The board of directors get together and make a survey of the potential rnarket and the expenses that can be met in buying its product. In the same, surely, we should try to get new members to take up our sport when so many competiti\c sports are crying for a portion of the domestic budget and the spending of leisure time. My suggestions a r e ! — * (1) To definitely lay down a policy with regard to type of shooting and competitions which will appeal to the newcomers' The man in the street accepting the fact that those who are already bitten by the bug of rifle shooting in its immediate pre-war state, namely, had arrived at the point where persistent shooting with expensive equip- nient with artificial aids is the order of the day. When he started shooting at the local club he had little prospect of becoming one of the experts and had little chance of competing against them success- tully. I will refer to my suggestion at the meeting last year, that careful consideration should be given lo anyone possessing a cheap rifle, of which there should be thousands when the war is finished, such as the Mossbergs, Winchesters, etc., rifles that sell in America for five dollars. All these five dollar rifles will group into half inch at 25 yards and have an accuracy which is totally inadequate for the standard decimal or metric targets that are the order of the day. WWW.RIFLEMAN.ORG.UKNext >