Kut El Amara Friendship Shoot
Match Conditions
Introduction
Many competitions today use the name of a battle where glory was won or lost by our forefathers. Kut El Amara was chosen for this competition, it was a British-held mesopotamian city besieged and seized by Turkish forces in 1916. As per the vagaries of war, the British army later advanced and laid siege to Turkish-held Kut El Amara. The Turkish defenders fought a long rear-guard action, moving slowly north for the remainder of the Great War. This denied Britain the decisive victory which would allow the army to serve where it was badly needed in France. Both sides fought bravely, with honour and respect. There were no recorded atrocities such as those encountered on the Western Front or insubsequent wars. This competition strives to reflect the friendship that has endured since the Great War between two once-belligerent nations, and to underline the futility of war. Asan aside, our friend Mark Shaeffer‘s grandfather was at the battle of Kut and helped take Baghdad in 1918.
Authorised classes
SR (a) – Service Rifle Class A
A service rifle as issued by any government prior to 1952 and used without any unauthorised alterations or additions.
SR (b) – Service Rifle Class B
A service rifle (classic or veteran) as issued by any government prior to 1952 fitted with Target rear sight and issue foresight. For example an SMLE or No.4 fitted with the parker hale rear target sight.
Course of fire
Practice 1 – Mesopotamian Harassing Fire
Distance: 300 yards
Position: Prone
Rounds: 2 sighters, then 10 to count
Targets: Fig 11 on screen(or equivalent)
Scoring: Shots in 30 cm circle score 5, hits elsewhere on target score 4
HPS: 50
Procedure:
From prone, fire 2 sighting shots with bayonets fixed in 2 mins; spotting discs shown for 30 seconds.
Remain prone and make ready with10 rounds.
After the command ‘Watch and shoot’, the target will appear for 45 seconds, fire 10 rounds.
Practice 2 – Agony Snaps
Distance: 300 yards
Position: Prone
Rounds: 10 to count
Target: Fig 12 or equivalent
Scoring: Hits inside inner ring score 5, then 4 and 3
HPS: 50
Procedure:
In the prone position, make ready with 10 rounds. Wait for the command ‘Watch and shoot’.
Fig.12 target will make 10 exposures of 3 seconds each at varying intervals over a maximum of 5 minutes. Fire one shot at each exposure.
Practice 3 – Guessing the Double-Tap
Distance: 300 yards
Position: Sitting
Rounds: 10 to count
Targets: Hand-held Fig 11 or Fig 12
Scoring: Fig 11 hits in 30cm circle score 5, hits elsewhere score 4; Fig 12 hits in inner ring score 5, elsewhere 4
HPS: 50
Procedure:
In the sitting position, make ready with 10 rounds. After the command ‘Watch and shoot’, targets will randomly make 5 exposures of 6 seconds each, fire 2 rounds at each exposure. Target type and away times will be entirely at the discretion of the butts officer, however, the sequence must be the same for each team.
Practice 4 – The Kut Defence
Distance: 500 yards
Position: Prone
Rounds: 2 sighting shots and 10 to count
Target: Triple Fig 11 or equivalent
Scoring: 5 for hits inside 30cm ring on outer targets, 4 for hits elsewhere on outer targets, 0 for hits on centre target)
HPS: 50
Procedure:
Fire 2 sighters at any of the targets in 2 mins, spotting discs shown.
Stay prone and make ready with 10 rounds. Wait for command ‘Watch and shoot’.
Targets appear for 60 seconds, fire 5 rounds on the left target and 5 rounds on the right.
Practice 5 – The Desert Snap
Distance: 500 yards
Position: Prone
Rounds: 10 to count
Target: Triple Fig 11
Scoring: 5 for hits inside 30cm ring on outer targets, 4 for hits elsewhere on outer targets, 0 for hits on centre target)
HPS: 50
Procedure:
In the prone position, make ready with 10 rounds. After the command ‘Watch and shoot’, the targets will make 5 exposures of 8 seconds, with away times between 10 to 20 seconds.
At each exposure, fire 1 round at the left target and 1 round at the right target.