Delvillewood Memorial Competition July 2022

[camouflage762]

Delvillewood July 2022

It was a bitterly cold morning on the Highveld when 6 intrepid seekers of Sports shooting adventure lined on the bone dry veld at sunrise.

It had snowed in Harrismith the day before and the Maluti’s were blanketed in snow. Those still snug in there bed in Gauteng would not have noticed this, and, perhaps would have the thoughts of “Madmen” if they were even aware what these 6 individuals (And two Staff members) were up to.

It was the annual Sports adventure shooting (Sas not SAS!) competition: The Delville Wood Memorial 2022.

Simply put, Sas uses the competition to recall the The Battle of Delville Wood and to give members the opportunity to show true grit, mixing shooting prowess with physical exertion. “Hold at all costs…….”

Basic Level 1 gear included:
Rifle+ 150 rounds of ammo
Basic First aid gear + a TQ.
2 Litres of water.
Handgun + 100 rounds of ammo.

Plus anything else that the competitor wanted to carry. (More about this later)
Total weight of kit is in the region of 10-15Kg including the rifle.

All gear has to be carried by the competitor for the ENTIRE duration of the competition. The rough rule is that if you carry it, you can use it, but, you cannot dump it without penalty.

To set the tone, for the day, Staff (The staff i.e. the organisers) had sent out a brief laying out the days events.


After the opening prayer, Medical and Safety briefing, competitors were briefed to follow a route for a hike, winner would be the first to cross the line. Turns out the hike was 3Km plus more or less.

1. Advance to Buchanan Street HQ - 3KM
Off we set: The sun rising bright orange just over our left shoulders. The Highveld air was really cold, and soon my nose was frozen and the lips chilled. The odours of the farm, cow dung and general manure smells mingled with the freezing cold air.
Most of us are office jockeys, making a living seated on a chair, staring at a screen. The raw smells and sensations of this early morning hike really re-juvenated ones soul.
Hiking with the gear we had on a morning like this really gave one a sense of freedom and humility realising that in 1916 some very Brave young South Africans marched to a wood in France. “Hold at all costs”


I had a good chuckle when ahead of me I saw one of the competitors dripping with water: Literally water was pouring out of the muzzle of his bolt action rifle (Carried muzzle down on his back). This was caused by the pressure of the bolt action on the water bladder causing it to catastrophically leak.

Now his barrel and the attached silencer were dripping not to mention soaking his back. I can only imagine how cold his wet back must felt. I really hoped that he did not experience a catastrophic event on the range when shooting.
The first part of the hike was on a gentle incline downwards, and quite rejuvenating, the return had become an uncomfortable incline upwards! And man oh man did one have to suck cold Highveld air to maintain a decent pace!

In fact first to cross the line did so running away from 2^nd and 3^rd place. Well done Adsup, Q and Kilroy!

[IlmG]

I was one of the intrepid 6 who took part in the Sport Adventure Shooting - Annual Battle of Delville Wood Memorial Competition.
https://sportsadventureshooting.co.za/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Delville_Wood.

2.jpg
Started the day at 06:00 on the range.

[IlmG]

After the safety brief and prayer we started the day. it was a cool 2degC (35degF).



Headed off on the 3.2km (2mile) hike.





500 meters to go.

[DaavG]

Very cool!

[camouflage762]

Stage 2

Clear Snipers on/in the Church Tower @ 300m.

Hike over (3km); we all were instructed to be ready at a thorn bush about 50m from a raised berm.

On the GO beep the participant was to run through the veld and scrub to the firing position. On arrival chamber a round and engage Snipers (350x350x12 Mild steel plates) @ a range of 300m.

Without trying to belabour the point; the wind was blowing. Strongly.

As my eyesight is not the best, I had to chosen to carry a pair of 8x25 binoculars in order to, well, see better. When I looked at the Sniper in the Church tower (The steel plates @ 300m) I noticed that the Range flags were stiff to the wind in an easterly direction, but lower down the grass was not as windswept. It really was windswept at flag pole height, lower down not so much.

Frustratingly and embarrassingly I just could not get my hits on plates: Later I was told by a spotter in the berm that I had a good grouping but just below the target. But that is life, hits on targets count more than intentions.

A complaint/observation from most of the competitors is that they could not spot their impacts on the berm/backstop. On recoil all of us with standard birdcage muzzle brakes kicked up enough dust to obscure observation of our impact @ 300 especially as all of us had dialed our magnification to max. On recoil you just could not spot where your shot landed/plume of dust.

Adsupp had a muzzle brake and it directed gas to the left and right, and I think this lessened the dust for him and he was able to get shots on target lickity spit. However Lone Ranger from Sas Mpu was on target even quicker with his water soaked bolt action (Remington) and beat Adsupp by the sliver of the proverbial round shaped anatomical reproductive appendage, hair.

As it turned out: At the 300m range two of the top 3 placements were bolt action 7.62x51mm rifles and the 3^rd was a Colt 5.56mm (Apologies to the collectors outer there for any errors) Kilroys effort to carry two rifles (A SLR 5.56 AR and a Bolt Action Howa in 308 with a silencer) paid off and he won this stage by a narrow margin.

Adsupp nailed his colours to the mast giving notice that he was hungry to get the trophy winning the hike and placing second.

There is a debate within Sas whether carrying an extra rifle is worth the squeeze for longer range? (ie @ 300m)

I think in heavy wind a 150/170gr 308 calibre bullet will be better than a 55 or 62gr 5.56.

Lone Ranger: As wet as he was placed 3^rd

[IlmG]

Stage 2 - Sprint 50meters to the line. Engage and get 2 hits each on the 2x "snipers in the church tower" 30cmx25cm (12"x10") steel target at 325meters, total of 4 hits require, timed.

[Grobbie]

Looks like a lot of fun


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[carleng]

Where does this take place? I am keen to join at some stage.

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[camouflage762]

Stage 3
Advance to Cover and clear machine Gunners @ 200m

The wind was blowing away any sound of bullet impact on the steel, and the STAFF could not make positive calls on each shot.

So an individual was nominated to move into a secure location, secure from any ricochet’s near the steel plate and call any hits as we could not clearly hear any hit, the wind carrying the “ding” away.

Honestly, I have experienced every range of weather at Funky Town; Strong high winds, hard rain, hail, intense cold, frost and high humid summer heat. To be honest the wind is the most irritating and ruins most rifle shots from 300m. I also do not foresee myself moving to the Cape at this point, but, Ja…

On the RO signal, the competitor had to run from the 300m mark to the 200m line and then engage the Kaiser’s machine gun position 200m distant from behind a barricade.

The barricade was the usual low cost Mark 1 pallet found on most shooting ranges nowadays. Arriving at the barricade the shooter knelt on either one or two knees and issued his best Imperial language towards the machine gunners.

The weird thing was……

We all thought that being a 100m closer we would get better/quicker hits than we did a 300m. Up until that point we were still blaming the gusting wind for our poor performance in stage 1.

Somehow @ 200m it did not go much better: The pallet/barricade rocked to and fro, and after sprinting (Well trying to) through veld/scrub, one arrived at the barricade, windblown and then taking a rifle rest on unstable barricade most of us shot not much better than we did at 300m.

One of the participants had a most interesting demonstration of how NOT to reload a bolt action once out of ammo. Once he ran out of ammo he did not have easily accessible ammo to reload with (Not a criticism, but an observation) For those who have a 5 round (Or less) Bolt Action
Rifle: Make sure your reloading system AND your skill in reloading of such a platform.

Realise this: At this point Kilroy and Lone ranger were lugging TWO rifles with ammo during each phase of the completion. Running over/through broken ground with such a weight and imbalance required a bit more effort than the other competitors. Respect Manne.

After they had shot I held Lone rangers Rifle and with my gloved hands. I held barrel and silencer tight simply to warm my hand in the cold. The barrel was really hot, but I managed to keep warm, a sort of consolation prize…

[IlmG]

Stage 3 - Run from 300 meter line to low wall at 200 meter line. From over the barricade, engage and get 2 hits each on the 2 machine gun nests 30cmx25cm (12"x10") steel target at 200meters, partly obscured by cover (4x targets, 8 hits required), timed.







Me going to reset one of the steel "Machine gunners" I knocked over and remain in the butts to call shots.