Regular and Reserve soldiers from Army units across the North West have been at Altcar Training Camp on Merseyside to test their shooting skills.
The five-day competition saw scores of marksmen and women descend on the coastal training area to show off their soldiering skills.
Personnel from full-time Regular and part-time Reservist Infantry units as well as medics pitted their skills against each other in tests of accuracy and endurance.
All the units involved recruit from, and are based in, the North West of England. Each entered a team of eight people, equipped with both SA80 rifles and Glock pistols, with every competitor tested against a variety of shooting challenges.
Scenarios included accuracy in response to an attack, firing in a built up environment, long distance ‘march and shoot’ competitions and target practice – every event was scored and prizes awarded on the final day.
Major Tony Brotherton, the competition organiser, said the competition makes better soldiers: “This is not only about aim; it’s about endurance. The teams are out on the shooting galleries from 8am till 5pm, so it’s a long day in cold conditions and they need to keep their concentration levels high. This competition champions marksmanship and helps to develops a core set of high quality shooting skills which will benefit every unit taking part.”
Senior Army officers from across the North of England visited Altcar to watch the competition and are now considering whether similar events can be staged elsewhere.
The winners were as follows:
Best Overall winner: 2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment (Team A)
Best team in the Regular unit competition: 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment
Best team in the Reserve unit competition: 4th Battalion The Duke Of Lancaster’s Regiment
