On the 28th of June 1915, a “Carnival” of shooting was held at Randwick Rifle Range in order to raise money for the Belgian Relief Fund. The Belgian Relief Fund had been organised in late 1914 to provide food to displaced Belgians after the attacks by Germany. Around £600 was raised during the day.
A crowd of 12,000[1] to 15,000 was estimated to have attended the Carnival including around 5,000 riflemen with 12 competitions organised throughout the day with the three teams matches involving 980 shooters.
Many of the Rifle Clubs participating were newly formed. A newspaper report mentions Mosman Neutral Bay Rifle Club that had been formed about 3 months prior to the event. The matches devised for the day show a broad range of skills being tested by the various teams of riflemen and gives us an insight as to what training the members of rifle clubs were undergoing in preparation for eventual enlistment.
The first shooting match was “The Wallack”:
Representing the final stage in an attack – the firing line was at close quarters. Firing superiority was attained when the targets, representing the enemy showed themselves.
The target represented the head and shoulders of a Turk in the act of firing, and was exposed 5 times, 1 round at each exposure.
The second match was “The Cairo”:
This match represented a sectional attack on a position which was indicated by disappearing targets.
Target – Running man figure. Number of shots 8; 4 rounds at each halt. Each hit to count 4 points.
The third match was “The Dardanelles”
Targets – Tiles 8 inches x 6 inches. Number of shots unlimited.
The service object of this match was to represent a duel at close quarters, and also to demonstrate how fatigue affects accurate firing.
One newspaper reports this was a particularly exciting event to observe.
Match four was “The Gallipoli”:
This match represented the enemy leaving the trenches and being sniped at.
Target – Figure of a man in the act of running. 10 shots at 300 yards.
Match Five was “The Alexandria”:
Target – ordinary 3rd Class. Continuous match. 300 yards, 7 shots.
Match Six was “The Turk Sniping”:
This match represented a duel between two snipers.
Target – Turks head and shoulders. Bull’s-eye 4 inches in diameter. Number of shots 2.
Match Seven was “The Mons” – Alarm and Rush:
Open to teams of 4 men from any mounted unit.
Target – Figure of a running man.
5 rounds at unknown ranges – each hit 5 points
In the Alarm[3], at a given signal, the men would saddle up, don their uniforms (spurs and jacket), and advance at the gallop, stopping when ordered to fire at service targets before returning to the start.
Match Eight was “The Neuve Chapelle”:
Open to teams of 1 officer and 8 men from any mounted unit.
Target – Figure of a running man
5 rounds to be fired – each hit to count 5 points
Match Nine “Champion Service Team”:
Open to teams taking part in the Wallack, the Cairo and the Dardanelles.
Match Ten “The Dudley Cup”:
Open only to teams drawn from clubs that have been formed since the outbreak of the war.
The Challenge Cup presented by Lord Dudley, will be awarded to the teams making the highest aggregate in Wallack, Cairo and Dardanelles matches.
Match Eleven “Review and March Past”:
The NRA Regimental Challenge Bugle will be awarded to the Club, whose membership exceeds 100, that makes the best display in the Review and March Past.
It was reported that 4,659 members of the Metropolitan Rifle Clubs were marshalled for inspection by the State Commandant (Colonel Wallack) who took the salute as the riflemen marched past. Newspaper reports[4] suggest larger numbers were expected, 7,000 or more.
Match Twelve “Company Challenge Bugle”:
The NRA Company Challenge Bugle will be awarded to the Club whose membership is under 100, that makes the best display in the Review and March Past.
THE PARADE[5].
The parade disclosed diversified companies. The regimental militia band, smartly uniformed in khaki, struck up the well-worn time “It’s a Long Way to Tipperary” to the hit of which rode past a little squadron of the Legion of Frontiersmen. The horses were spirited, and the riders sat there well, their free and easy’ style being suggestive of wild west cowboys and rough riders. All the rest of those taking part in the procession were on foot and as each company responded to the command, “Eyes right,” in deference to the saluting State Commandant, it could be seen that in the main the physique and bearing of the men were well above the average and most of them had no uniforms to impart the finishing touch from the military standpoint to their appearance. Gold lace is not an embroidery affected by the riflemen, whose regulation uniform is of a quiet khaki pattern, with either slouch hat or cap, according to fancy, but many of the clubs are without any sort of uniform at present.
Some of the regiments who wore uniforms looked particularly smart the Metropolitan, Callan Park and Gladesville staffs, and David Jones and Co. clubs in particular. Other corps wore white guernseys, and, where there were no odd ones, the effect was striking. Some companies presented a variegated aspect, with units variously in regimentals, in sweaters, or in civilian attire. A squad from the Rugby Union wore Football honour caps, and this struck the fancy of the spectators very much.
It being a citizen effort to aid the military in the present national crisis, the public did not look for the paraphernalia usually associated with a march-past, and made every allowance for the inevitable lack of sartorial homogeneity, recognising, no doubt, that now all the youth of England are on fire and silken dalliance in the wardrobe lies.
In the parade 58 rifle clubs were represented. It was eloquent of the success of the new movement that of this number all but 13 were now clubs, while one platoon from the Sydney Cricket Ground was representative of many of the old clubs.
Colonel Wallack was attended by Captain Dally-Watkins, A.D.C., Colonel Stanley, Quartermaster-General, Lieut-Col. Simpson, Major Sailor, G.S.O., and Captain Stewart. Major Buchanan was in command, with Lieut. Dakin (secretary of the N.R.A.) as brigade-major, the (following being in command of the Devon battalions: Major Chaseling, Captain Mackellar, Captain A. Holmes, Major Curtis, Major Fuller, Major Sheehan, and Major Parsonage.
The following Clubs took part in the Review and March Past;
| Annandale RC Ashfield RC Associated Warehousemen RC Athletic Sports RC Auburn RC Balmain RC Burwood RC Callan Park RC Central Cumberland RC Chatswood RC Colonial Sugar Co. RC Concord RC David Jones Ltd RC Drummoyne RC Dulwich Hill RC Eastern Suburbs RC Eastwood RC Edgecliff RC Enfield RC Farmer and Co. RC Five Dock RC Gladesville RC Govt. Printing Office RC Haberfield RC Harbour Trust RC Hunters Hill RC Hurstville RC Insurance Offices RC Killara Golf Club RC Kuringai RC Lands Department RC Lane Cove RC Leichhardt RC Leichhardt RC | Manly RC Maroubra RC Marrickville RC Metropolitan RC Met. Railway RC Mosman Neutral Bay RC Newtown RC North Sydney RC Palace Emporium RC Parramatta RC Pennant Hills RC Petersham RC Press RC Professional Musicians RC Public Works RC Randwick Lit. Institute RC Randwick RC Rockdale RC Roseville RC Rugby Union RC South Sydney RC Strathfield Homebush RC Sydney Retailers RC University RC Water and Sewerage RC Waverly RC Western Suburbs RC Woollahra RC Wunderlich RC Yaralla RC Yorkshire Society RC |
Main Reference:
Organisers Report – Rifleman’s Patriotic Carnival
by JJ Wallace, GL Ardill, JB Thompson & Lieut. H Dakin
[1] https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/45354909?searchTerm=Rifle%2C%20Carnival%2C%20randwick
[2] https://otagotaphophile.blogspot.com/2024/06/major-general-ernest-townshend-wallack.html
[3] https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/117553817?searchTerm=Rifle%2C%20Carnival
[4] https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/15587010?searchTerm=Rifle%2C%20Carnival%2C%20randwick
[5] https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/15595692?searchTerm=Rifle%2C%20Carnival%2C%20randwick#
[6] https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/239041544?searchTerm=rifle%2C%20randwick
