MILITARY & WAR YEARS – Big Gun Competition at Redcar

Accreditation the Redcar and Saltburn-by-the-Sea Gazette 31/05/1878.

BIG GUN COMPETITION AT REDCAR.

            On Saturday (25/05). The members of the 1st North York Artillery Volunteers held their prize firing at Redcar, the prizes to be competed for being the challenge cup presented by Major Stevenson, and £9 for the first detachment; £4.10s. For the second, and £2.5s for the third and fourth, and other four prizes of £1.2s.6d. Each battery in the brigade was allowed to enter as many detachments as they could arrange, and 32 detachments entered, including several from Self Stockton, Guisborough and Redcar, the largest number, of course, belonging to the Middlesbrough batteries. A special train left South Stockton at 2 PM., And Middlesbrough, at 2:10 PM. Upon arrival at Redcar the men, numbering about 350, including the band, marched down to the battery under the command of Major Stevenson. Among st the offices present were Captain Owen, T. Jones, R.M.A., Adjutant 1st N.Y.V.A.; Captain Hill, Captain Knights, Captain Schmitz, Captain Willman, Captain Rudd, Captain Dixon, Captain Ellerton, and Captain Bell; Lt Bolsover, Lt Tait, Lt Harkess, Lt Brewster, &c. At the battery lots were drawn for the order of firing, each detachment being allowed to fire three shots from the 32 pounder smooth bore guns; range about 1500 yards, the time allowed for the three rounds be six minutes; the rounds to be changed after each shot. Very fair practice was made, and the times was remarkably good, 23 detachments out of the 32 completing the three rounds much under the time, four of them only taking four and three quarter minutes. The total score obtainable, was 36 points. The following are the scores of the winning detachments:-

First, Sgt Ripley’s detachment, No.6 Battery, 5 min.32 secs., 30 points; Second, Sgt Chapman’s detachment, No.6 Battery, 6min.10 secs., 29 points; Third, B.S.M. McLaughlan’s detachment, No.5 Battery, 5min.52secs., 28 points, Fourth, Sgt Blower’s detachment, No.7 Battery, 5min.32 secs.28 points; Fifth, B.S.M. Armstrong’s detachment, No.8 Battery, 5mins.52 secs., 28 points; Sixth, Sgt Henderson’s detachment. No.4 Battery, 6mins. 27 points; Seventh, B.S.M. Nicholson’s detachment, No.1 Battery, 6mins. 26 points; Eighth, Sgt Anderson’s detachment, No.1 Battery, 6mins. 45secs. 25 points. It being the Queen’s birthday, after the first shot was fired, the band played “God save the Queen.” Great credit is due to the officers, and particularly to Adjutant O. T. Jones, for the efficiency with which the arrangements were carried out. A large number of spectators mustered on the banks, and displayed considerable interest in the shooting

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Lol Hansom November 29, 2016 Military & War Years, Redcar