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Saturday, 16 May 2009
The Rifle Club Movement, Contents Topic: MilitiaRC - Rifle Clubs
The Rifle Club Movement
Contents
While Australia was with the winning side toward the closure of the South African War, one element of this war becomes remarkably clear in the development of Australian military policy, the ability of the individual Boer as a guerrilla fighter in resisting the British war machine. Seeing that Australia suffered analogous conditions as that of the Boers, viz., little money for defence, low population numbers and vast areas to defend; it was only natural to take the successful strategies from the war and apply it to the local conditions. The Commonwealth impetus for funding the Rifle Club Movement came from this conflict.
A speech by Field Marshal Lord Roberts, July 1902 Topic: MilitiaRC - Rifle Clubs
The Rifle Club Movement
A speech by Field Marshal Lord Roberts.
Frederick Sleigh Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts, a portrait by John Singer Sargent.
The following is extracted from a speech by Field Marshal Lord Roberts, July 1902 circulated by Colonel John Charles Hoad, Deputy Adjutant General (DAG), and issued with General Order No. 162 of 13 September 1902.
While Australia was with the winning side toward the closure of the South African War, one element of this war becomes remarkably clear in the development of Australian military policy, the ability of the individual Boer as a guerrilla fighter in resisting the British war machine. Seeing that Australia suffered analogous conditions as that of the Boers, viz., little money for defence, low population numbers and vast areas to defend; it was only natural to take the successful strategies from the war and apply it to the local conditions. The result is this letter by Colonel Hoad with his remarks framed clearly withing this context.
Military Forces of the Commonwealth
Headquarters
Melbourne, September 1902
In view of the recent Minute on the subject of Rifle Shooting in Australia, issued with GO No 23 of 1st April last, the General Officer Commanding the Military Forces of the Commonwealth desires to invite attention to the following speech made by Field Marshal Earl Roberts, Commander in Chief of the British Army, when presiding over the prize distribution at the Meeting of the National Rifle Association at Bisley, England, in July last.
By order,
J. C. HOAD, COLONEL, DAG and CSO
Field Marshal Earl Roberts spoke as follows:-
Since I had the honour of addressing you a year ago, I have been able to consider more fully our musketry experiences in South Africa, and I believe that we have arrived at a peculiarly important and interesting stage in the history of rifle shooting. The campaign which we have just passed through bas been a long and arduous one, during which I should be afraid to say how many millions of rounds of small arms ammunition have been expended in the kind of shooting which societies like the National Rifle Association are formed to develop. It seems, therefore, that now is the time for us to consider our position carefully, and decide whether we are working on the right lines as regards the training of our soldiers and volunteers - whether, in fact, shooting, as practised at Bisley, and other kindred meetings, has produced the result which, presumably, they desire - viz., to enable our men to use their rifles with the best possible effect against an enemy. We soldiers most readily bear testimony to the fact that rifle associations have been of the greatest valve in the past, not only in encouraging rifle shooting, but in making those who take an interest in the subject realize the extraordinary power of the Service rifle in the hands of experts. But I venture to think we are not quite up-to-date, and we should now determine whether the class of shooting as carried on at these meetings is in all respects the best suited to the conditions of modern warfare, `which are so different to those of former days, and whether also it may not be necessary to make some radical change in our system of musketry instruction to meet the altered methods of fighting. The experience gained in South Africa will, I think, assist us greatly in coming to a satisfactory conclusion on those very important points. We have learned that fire discipline can be insisted upon to such an extent that it leaves no room for intelligent independent action, and actually prevents men from taking the initiative and using their rifles when circumstances admit of this being done with advantage. We have learned that volley firing can hardly be employed when troops are in extended order, or when they are exposed to a heavy fire. We have learned that a judicious use of the magazine by small bodies of men at long ranges may* often produce important results. And we have learned---sometimes by very bitter experience-that, while opportunities occasionally occur for highly trained experts to fire at individual objects at long ranges under conditions more or less approximate to those which obtain at Bisley, it is skilful snap-shooting at the shorter ranges which is most constantly required, which is of the highest value, and upon which (as I said last year) the results of battles in the future will, as far as we can now see, depend. While, therefore, I most thoroughly recognise the usefulness of careful target practice, I earnestly commend for the consideration of the Council of the National Rifle Association the necessity for gradually introducing such changes in their annual programme a-s will admit of shooting being carried on more in accordance with modern warfare than obtains at present. I am aware that objections may be raised to this proposal, as it entails a greater expenditure of ammunition, and, consequently, there is more wear and tear of the rifle ; but I feel sure that a change in the direction I have indicated is absolutely essential if our soldiers are to make the fullest use of their admirable weapon. For improvements in the other details of musketry which the experience of the late war has taught us, we, to whom the training of the Army is intrusted, are responsible, and we are determined to give them our earnest attention. We must make commanding and company officers, and also musketry instructors, clearly understand that good shooting; is not acquired alone by practice on the range, but that men must be taught in the barrack square to handle their rifles with ease and confidence before proceeding to the range. And we must endeavour to make officers realize that, while fire discipline is as essential as ever, the aim of all teaching must be to secure the prompt interpretation of signals, and intelligent individual action when opportunity offers. And we must not lose sight of the fact that to obtain the full value of the modern rifle a very high order of training is essential. I sometimes doubt whether skill in shooting has kept pace with the improvement of the rifle.
Great efforts are being made to improve the shooting in the Army. The number of rounds allowed for practice has been considerably increased, and additional ammunition has also been provided for the training of recruits and Volunteer Cadet Battalions. Then 95 new ranges have been completed during the last thirteen months, and 22 more are in the course of construction ; while to meet the difficulties attendant on suitable open ranges in populous districts, plans for safety and miniature ranges, such as fire largely made use of by other European powers, have been approved and published. Safety and miniature ranges may not be as useful as open ones, but they are a long way better than no ranges at all, and men can become good shots b careful practice at them. I think too that such ranges close at hand, where they can be constantly used, by must contribute more to efficiency than an open air range at a distance, and, therefore, not always possible to get at."
A letter from Colonel JC Hoad, DAG, 26 March 1902 Topic: MilitiaRC - Rifle Clubs
The Rifle Club Movement
A letter from Colonel JC Hoad, DAG.
Colonel John Charles Hoad.
The following is extracted from a memorandum circulated by Colonel John Charles Hoad, Deputy Adjutant General (DAG), and issued with General Order No. 23 of 1 April 1902.
While Australia was with the winning side toward the closure of the South African War, one element of this war becomes remarkably clear in the development of Australian military policy, the ability of the individual Boer as a guerrilla fighter in resisting the British war machine. Seeing that Australia suffered analogous conditions as that of the Boers, viz., little money for defence, low population numbers and vast areas to defend; it was only natural to take the successful strategies from the war and apply it to the local conditions. The result is this letter by Colonel Hoad with his remarks framed clearly withing this context.
Military Forces of the Commonwealth
Headquarters
Melbourne, 26 March 1902
The Secretary,
(... Insert name here ...) Rifle Association
The General Officer Commanding the Military Forces of the Commonwealth requests that you will promulgate to the members of your Council copies of this minute containing his observations as regards the development and changes necessary in the rifle practice of the future. Copies should also be forwarded by you to the Secretary of each Association in affiliated with you.
(1) The modern rifle, with its extreme accuracy and length of range, renders necessary a more advanced form of instruction, and of practice, ill rifle shooting than has hitherto pertained. It is obvious that the practice of rifle shooting, as initiated 50 years ago, on the first introduction of the breech-Ioading rifle, must now be modernized so as to utilize to the fall the vast developments which have been made, and which are now taking place. The recent campaign, moreover, has very clearly indicated that the "sporting" element of rifle shooting is an important factor towards success in the individual or scattered formations of all modern battlefields, and especially such as those upon which our troops have been engaged in South Africa, where there are so many conditions of special interest to us in Australia. The excellent shooting which has given such advantages to our enemies in South Africa is the result of constant warfare against savage peoples, and continuous experience in the killing of game. The Boer has thereby acquired by tradition, by practical knowledge, and by mature experience a facility in the practical and ready use of his rifle, and a broad knowledge of its capabilities, which few of us in Australia can hope to achieve except by artificial means.
(2) In order to obtain the result above indicated, it will be advisable to divide rifle practice into 'two classes, namely:
(a) The Elementary Stage, which includes shooting at a fixed mark on a measured range, and, where ordinary ranges are not available, practice by means of miniature ammunition on a miniature range.
(b) The Advanced Stage, which comprises shooting at all object moving at varied rates of speed and at measured distances, and at appearing and disappearing objects.
(3) It is evident that if the full value is to be obtained from our modern rifle, and if we are acquire excellence under the conditions which we know to prevail on the modern battlefield, it will not be sufficient to confine our instruction in, or our practice of rifle shooting to the elementary stage, no matter to how scientific a point that elementary stage has been brought.
(4) It is essential that the higher scientific knowledge, and the more expert skill with the rifle under conditions of actual war, which the Boer possesses, should be acquired, and, with this object in view, we must devote the greatest possible attention, and the most important prizes with a view to attaining the highest standard of excellence in the advanced stage referred to in 2 (b). It is obvious that to hit an object moving, laterally (or advancing and retiring) at a given distance and at a given speed, requires not only all the expert knowledge possessed by the man who fires in the elementary stage at a fixed mark, but, in addition, the scientific knowledge and the tried experience which will enable the firer to calculate the pace at which the object moves, and the distance and time required for the bullet to travel in order to reach that object.
A similar expert knowledge and continuous practice is required in order to achieve success in firing at comparatively small objects which appear and disappear. The General Officer Commanding, therefore, desires to appeal to the expert at shooting at a fixed mark to devote all his knowledge, all his experience, and all his scientific training to firing at moving and disappearing objects under the very difficult conditions which he must meet with in actual war, bearing in mind that he has yet to acquire the knowledge and the instinct which is inbred in the Boer, and which is the result of the experience of generations in shooting at game and in fighting their enemies.
(5) The General is well aware that there are many difficulties in adopting means to the ends in view, and that some expense and no little ingenuity will be required in order to arrange moving targets which at a given distance shall maintain an unvaried speed and in making a system of appearing and disappearing targets which shall meet the requirements without undue expense. Suggestions on this head will be circulated at an early date.
(6) It is also most desirable that every encouragement should be given by Rifle Associations to riding and shooting combined. The special characteristics of the Australian make skill in horsemanship and marksmanship specially consistent with his value as a citizen soldier. In this respect, also, valuable lessons may be learnt from our gallant enemy in South Africa. The General desires that the Associations will carefully consider the best means of encouraging this speciality of the Australian Military Forces. Competitions might, in his opinion, be arranged without difficulty for (a) single horsemen; (b) groups of 4 men; and (c) troops of 12 men and an officer. A course of about 1½ miles might be laid out with three firing points at comparatively short ranges - 300, 400, and 500 yards - and competitors started to gallop over the course; points being given for marksmanship, time, and horsemanship. In this connexion it may be remarked that the single horseman would require to tether his horse on the plan adopted in the North-Western Provinces of Canada, namely, by attaching the bridle to the stirrup-iron or girth, or by the use of a linker; by groups - 3 men dismounting, and the fourth holding the horses and by troops - three-fourths dismounting, and one-fourth remaining mounted.
(7) The General Officer Commanding proposes during the ensuing winter to invite the attendance of the Commonwealth Council representing the State Rifle Associations to discuss the above-named points, and to ask them for suggestions as to how the foregoing developments may be best carried out in the interests of rifle shooting, and to the increased benefit of the Military Forces of the Commonwealth generally.
Phil Fargher's Personal Diary Entry, 22 June 1897.
Phil Fargher played a successful part in the team shooting in the competition at Bisley and finally securing the Kolapore Cup. During this time away from Australia Phil Fargher maintained a diary. From these recollections he wrote about his adventure upon arrival back in Australia. The book was called "To Bisley and Back with the Kolapore Cup", and was published in Melbourne during 1898. It is a most entertaining book written by one of the leading marksmen in Australia at the time. Fargher played a long and distinguished role in promoting the rifle shooting movement in Australia. Here is the transcription of the diary entry regarding the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of 22 June 1897.
Went to London by 7-5 train from Brookwood and managed to get a good position to view the procession in Trafalgar Square. Policeman allowed us to come through the crowd and stand in front. The turnout was very gorgeous and overlaid anything in processions the world ever saw. Dutch Princes in large numbers. Decorations very fine and people very enthusiastic. Cockneys a very loyal crowd and worship the Royal family. Came home early 4-10 train. Went to Ruaphill in evening and saw the fete. Finished up at the bonfire at Bisley. Went to bed dead tired.
The cover of To Bisley and Back with the Kolapore Cup
After a playing a successful part in the team shooting in the competition at Bisley and finally securing the Kolapore cup, Phil Fargher wrote about his adventure upon arrival back in Australia. The book was called "To Bisley and Back with the Kolapore Cup", and was published in Melbourne during 1898. It is a most entertaining book written by one of the leading marksmen in Australia at the time. Fargher played a long and distinguished role in promoting the rifle shooting movement in Australia.
Phil Fargher, “To Bisley and Back with the Kolapore Cup”, 1898.
We left Glasgow on Saturday night immediately after the matches, and went right through to Bisley, where we arrived tired out with the long journey.
We continued our practices the following week in rather bad weather, which enabled us to find out some of the weak points of the new rifle. The effect of the wind of 600 yards is much greater than with the Martini Henry, owing I presume to the lightness of the bullet and greater changes are necessary for any variation the wind.
About this time, there was great excitement in anticipation of the Jubilee. Everybody appeared to be Jubilee mad, and the talk was of nothing else for some days before that event came off. We could get no information as to what arrangements were being made for us, and the members of the team were in a state of uncertainty. We were all anxious to see the procession, and certainly thought that a place would be provided for us along the line of route, but in this we were disappointed. We received a telegram the evening before the event giving us permission to fall in with the colonial troops at 7 a.m. at Chelsea Barracks, and march on foot in the procession in rear of the mounted troops. No sleeping accommodation was provided, which made it necessary for us to get a late train into London, and dodge about all night waiting for the morning. We decided not to accept the "chance," but to go "on our own," and if necessary to pay for a seat from which to see the show.
This treatment was in keeping with the manner in which the team was neglected by the official and military people right throughout our visit. They took no notice of us until political pressure was brought to bear, and when they did grant any concession, it was at the last moment and under such restrictions as to make it worse than useless.
I will mention one or two instances to show how things were managed. In connection with the Naval Review at Spithead, which we were very anxious to sec, we could get no information until the night before it took place, when we received a telegram to say that we could join the colonial troops by going to London that night, sleep in a tent in Chelsea Barracks, and parade at 4am for the purpose of being marched to the train for Portsmouth. This necessitated losing a night's sleep, and trotting about all day from 4 a.m. until a late hour at night, when we could have joined the train at Woking, which is within five miles of Bisley, and nearly half-way to Portsmouth. As it was only about a fortnight to the Bisley matches, we did not care to take the risk of catching cold by sleeping in a tent in wet weather, or getting out of form by the fatigue involved in a long day's exertion, so we refused the concession which had been so grudgingly and ungraciously granted.
We received an invitation to attend a display of the working of their guns from the Maxim and Nordenfeldt Co., but we did not get it until the clay after the affair came off.
Sir Henry Irving gave a theatrical performance to the colonial troops in England, which was a great affair. We heard of it for the first time when we saw the report in the newspapers the day after it took place.
These little things did not trouble us much, as we did not wish to do any "gallivanting around," but it would have been just the same in any case, our opportunities being strictly limited so far as the official set were concerned.
On Jubilee Day the weather was splendid, and we got a good position from which to see the procession - thanks to the Melbourne Rifle Club uniform and a couple of policemen-in front of the crowd at Trafalgar Square.
We were rather late in getting to London, and the streets through which the procession was to pass were already full of people. We were standing in the rear of a big crowd, when a policeman noticed Walker and Kirk, who were dressed in the Melbourne Rifle Club uniform. On finding that they were Australians, he made an opening through the crowd and told them to come to the front - the remainder of us followed, as a matter of course.
It was a great Show in every respect, and was a grand opportunity for the display of loyalty on the part of the hundreds of thousands of people who were bubbling over with it. One little Welshman, who stood beside me for a couple of hours, kept shouting so enthusiastically and continuously that he became quite exhausted. I was at a loss to know why the little fellow made so much noise, but I suppose it was because so many others were shouting too.
What struck me at first was the splendid quality of the horses ridden by the Life Guards, and also by other mounted troops. Each regiment rides horses of an uniform colour and size. One regiment rides bay horses another chestnut, another grey, and so on; but they are all alike in the splendid quality of the horses.
The colonial troops went by first, and were more noticeable for the high standard of the men themselves than for the gaudiness of their equipment. The Premiers of the various colonies drove along with the troops of their particular State, and a little cheering was done as they passed, but I saw no reason why G. H. Reid should sit in his carriage bareheaded bowing right and left-certainly, the warmth of the reception did not justify it. The only colonial who was received with anything like enthusiasm was the Premier of Canada.
After the colonials came the great pageant which the press has described as the greatest thing of the kind the world has ever seen. I am quite prepared to take their word for it, as it would he hard to imagine anything in the way of processions that ever did or ever will eclipse this one. Great military swells, fairly covered in gold braid, were cavorting on horseback. Princes and Rajahs of every nationality and of every shade of colour were there, dressed in all possible kinds of uniform, and in rich variegated silks covered with gold lace. It appeared to me that the descendants of all the princes since the days of Saul were present, and dressed in clothes shat had taken from his time: until now to make.
Another impression one could not help receiving was that the Great Ones of this earth are mostly “Made in Germany."
Hundreds of these Great People were simply covered in gold lace and medals of all kinds-the latter being the badges of the different orders to which Their Greatnesses belong.
To give an idea of the magnificence of some of the dresses, they were to the ordinary Australian staff officer in full fig, what a thousand candle power electric light is to a farthing dip.
The horses that these people rode were also covered in gold lace. The carriages which were occupied by the princesses, who were there in great number, and in every possible variation of age and beauty, were covered at each end with hanging material of some sort which was also ornamented with gold lace. The horses in the carriages were also decorated with the same material, and so were the flunkeys who occupied positions fore and aft on the carriages. In fact, one could only catch glimpses of some of the living things in the show through chinks and crevices in the gold lace.
All this led up to the Grand Culmination of the whole show, which consisted of a carriage that scented to be plated with gold, set on golden springs, on golden wheels, hung with gold cloth, drawn by eight cream-colored ponies harnessed in gold, led by a number of individuals on foot clothed in gold lace. I have often wondered where all the gold of Australia and California had gone. I know now. It was being prepared for the Diamond Jubilee procession, and it all appeared in that magnificent Show.
The Queen looked bright and well. She was quietly dressed in some darkish material, and bowed and smiled pleasantly to the crowd, who were cheering for all they were worth. The little Welshman I have mentioned made a frantic final effort to cheer as the Queen passed us, and nearly expired in the attempt.
The Queen looked pleased, and with good reason, for she occupied the proudest position during that drive ever taken by anyone in the history of the world.
After the mounted troops, in the extreme rear of the procession, came the miscellaneous detachments of the troops on foot that represented the various parts of the British Empire. They consisted of a lot of little squads from ten to twenty or thirty each, and of every shade of colour ranging between white and black, including a squad of Chinese.
The Queensland Rifle Team were the last of all - immediately in rear of the Chinese-trudging along with their rifles held at different angles, looking forlorn and neglected, and entirely out of place in a Show of that kind. When we saw them, and the position they were placed in, we heartily congratulated ourselves on having escaped such humiliation.
There was one very noticeable feature in connection with the procession, and that was the entire absence of the Ministry or M.P.’s. The whole thing was run by the Royal Family, the Aristocracy and the Military, The representatives of the people appeared to be entirely ignored, and took no part in the demonstration. The most amazing part, however, was the fact that the people seemed to expect nothing else, and did not appear to think it al all strange that they, through their Parliamentary representatives, were being overlooked. Yet we hear that England is practically a democracy. From what I saw while in England, I would say that the country is ruled by the Royal Family and Relatives, with the assistance of the Aristocracy and the Military - especially the latter; and that Parliament is simply used for the purposes of raising funds to keep things going. England is certainly not a democratic community as we understand the term in Australia.
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