Shooting
A very successful year was to be had by the County Shooting Team, a dedicated
band of cadets tirelessly guided by a small team of instructors and supported by
all those who encourage and facilitate shooting week in week out at Detachment
and Company level. Throughout the year cadets train come rain or shine in
preparation for the annual Inter-Service Cadet Rifle Meeting (ISRCM). Held at
Bisley, ISCRM is not only the largest single event in the cadet shooting calendar,
with 650 cadets attending from all three UK cadets forces, but also the largest
single gathering of UK Cadet Forces anywhere in the world. This year, UK
cadets were joined by five teams from the Royal Canadian Army Cadets, two
teams from the Australian Cadet Force and two teams from the Hong Kong Air
Training Corps, who were in attendance to compete for honours alongside their
UK counterparts. Northumbria entered two teams with outstanding success. Cdt
SSgt Tordoff and Cdt Cpl Witherley were selected to shoot for the ACF in the
Inter-Services match, with Cdt Cpl Witherley collecting the Somerset Cup for top
shot. In addition Cdt SSgt Tordoff, Cdt Cpl Witherley, and Cdt Bdr Charlton achieved the much sort after “Cadet
100” award. Immediately after ISCRM, Cdt Cpl Witherley departed for Canada with 13 other ACF Cadets, to take
part in the ‘ACLI Marksman’ Course, held at Camp Connaught, Ottawa, with the Royal Canadian Army Cadets.
During this seven week course, held during the summer holidays, Cpl Witherley underwent intensive training in the
principles of marksmanship, which culminated in competing in the ‘National Canadian Fullbore Championships’ and
‘Dominion of Canada Rifle Association’ competitions, which are the pinnacle of shooting in Canada. A tremendous
opportunity and he returned with literally armfuls of medals and trophies.
Come the autumn, Northumbria travelled to Pirbright, Surrey, to compete for the first time in the Cadet InterServices Skill at Arms Meeting (CISSAM), with the team placing highly in a number of matches, including first
places in the Defence Match and Team Snap Shoot, but more importantly achieving Champion Unit in the ACF
Unit Competition, and second place in the overall Unit Championship. An outstanding result for our first time in
attendance at this competition. As the end of the year beckoned the team were victorious in the RFCA (NE)
Surtees Shield Competition, with an overall team score of 828 out of 900, taking victory away from Durham ACF for
the first time in 8 years. Cdt Cpl Furness coming taking first place, and Cdt Bdr Charlton as runner up. Under the
leadership of County Shooting Officer, Lt Richard Stebbings, the team are very much looking forward to the 2015
shooting season.
Congratulations also to the officers and adults of the County Clay Target Shooting Team, who under the leadership
of Lt Col Simpson, came runners up in the National Championships held in Cambridgeshire. It was with great
disappointment that representation at the national cadet competition could not be realised, as they had to pull out
at short notice. They have a strong team and hope to be able to compete nationally in 2015.
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