WBS v WBS VRC Speech Day 2012 – The Derek Holt Memorial Shooting Match
We see the Derek Holt Memorial Match as the culmination of our shooting year, but for the school shooting squad it’s the beginning of a new academic year, and young cadets are shooting for the first time.


Mike Baggs 67-71 F and Lewis Pring 78-83 C went down in the first detail against Rosalind Lee and Cicely Pring for the school. Rosalind, who has apparently been doing some training with the Red Army in Beijing, promptly equalled Baggs with a score of 50. Cicely has yet to be beaten by her father, Lewis, so we stood two points adrift and felt slightly worried. Terry Curtayne 51-56 F and Philip Grant 91-98 F went down next against the formidable duo of Emily Small (Capt.) and Harmony Castat (Ex-Capt), and before long the school VIII were 16 points ahead. Sean Beer 79-81 B and Andrew Broggio 82-87 F took the penultimate detail and clocked up a respectable 89, but Matt Dixon and Ruan Pring (both senior cadets) stood up with a combined tally of 84, leaving the VRC trailing by 11 points.


Guy Avery 80-89 F and I took the last detail, with a lot of catching up to do, against Chris Turner and Darcy Castat. Darcy, we noticed, was left-handed – a considerable disadvantage with right-handed weapons, especially in the speed shooting. Perhaps we could still claw our way back... Sean Beer magnanimously suggested we should award Darcy an extra 5 seconds in the speed shooting. I over-ruled Sean, in a last-minute attempt to wrest victory from the jaws of defeat, but I couldn’t help noticing a steely glint in Mark Woodward’s gaze! Needless to say, Darcy then produced the highest score of the day (including 13/15 in the speed section), and a combined tally of 96 with Chris Turner. Guy and I managed a measly 95, meaning the VRC was well and truly beaten.


Many congratulations to the school Captain of Shooting, Emily Small, for a well-deserved victory. Also to Darcy Castat who won the Heather Ludlow trophy for the highest score for the School VIII on his first attempt. Well done to Ruan Pring for beating sister Cicely by 1 point, and his father, Lewis, by 3 points on only his second outing.


Finally, many thanks to Capt. Mark Woodward for producing such a well-drilled team of young cadets, all brimming with a level of enthusiasm that I haven’t seen for many years. And also to all the veterans who travelled from far and wide to take part.

Chris Wilson Captain 67-72 B WBS VRC


Derek Holt Memorial shooting match 2012 results
WBS                                                                                        WBS VRC
Rosalind Lee                         50                                           Mike Baggs                            50
Cicely Pring                           45                                           Lewis Pring                            43
Emily Small                            45                                           Terry Curtayne                     36
Harmony Castat                    46                                           Philip Grat                             41                                          
Matt Dixon                            38                                           Sean Beer                              51
Ruan Pring                            46                                           Andrew Broggio                   38
Chris Turner                          40                                           Guy Avery                             39
Darcy Castat                          56 *HLT                                  Chris Wilson                          56
 
TOTAL                                    366                                                                                         354
 
Memories of the last shoot at Filleigh and of Bisley
Last shot at 100: Sgt Adam Stanbury
Last shot at 300: Frank Bromley
Certificates presented by Mrs Mary Sanders
Last Post played by Stephen Fricker.

Sean Beer says, “I seem to remember that bottles of Champagne were put on the ranges for the last shots. Adam hit his. Frank didn’t. When I asked him about this, Frank said, “You didn’t think I would, did you, and waste the champagne?””
Robert Parsons writes, “I have some photos of Bisley from various years and a couple from the last shoot at the old school range. The Bisley pics are from about 1985 to 88.”