Courier Mail 19th August 1948
Jim Sweet, Gosford optometrist, led the King’s field after the first two stages at the Enoggera rifle range yesterday. Sweet has changed the lenses in the peep sights of 30 of his opponents’ rifles since he arrived here on Friday. Among his ‘patients’ are Hilton James, Roy Feltham, and Alec. McDonald, who are among the leaders.
Sweet has been N.S.W. Champion of Champions three times, and was fourth in the last King’s here in March. Leaders after two stages yesterday were: — J. Sweet 196, G.Grummitt, H. James 195. E.Gittoes 194, A. Altmann, J. Feltham, F. Mason 193, W. Dean, J.P. King 192, C. Williamson, C.E. Armstrong, F. Zillman, L.Dusting, W. Hogarth, T. E. Armstrong
Final to-day
The final stage will be shot to-day over 600, 800, and 900 yards ranges. James was one of the two marksmen who shot possibles— 50 out of 50— over the 700 yards round yesterday. The other was red-haired Bill Dean, from Tasmania. He is a son of Ted Dean, at present in England with the Australian Bisley team. Gill Grummitt, who shared second place with James, is a City of Brisbane clubman. Early in the afternoon it looked as if his 195 would lead the field. Eric Gittoes, the fourth man.is a Parramatta clubmate of James. He crashed from a leading position with a 44 out of 50 in the first, round of the second stage over 600 yards.
L. Morris ( Commercial) and L. J. Bingham (Mungindi, N.S.W.) divided first prize in the J. M. Smith rifle shooting match at Enoggera today. Each scored a possible with 10 shots at 500 yards, and instead of shooting off they decided to divide the prize money. Competitors from N-S.W. and Queensland shot for the A. L. Halliday Memorial — the aggregate over three matches, the J. C. Mackenzie, the J. M.Smith and the Black and White Cabs matches.Conditions were almost ideal with fair visibility and only a light breeze.
In the MacKenzie match A. Mason (Concord,N.S.W.) won with a possible 50. Second to him with 48 was M. Healy, of Port Macquarie, who was contesting his first big open shoot, off his “wrong” shoulder. Healy, a former right-shoulder shot, was badly injured in Sydney in 1945 and was told he would never shoot again. His spine was injured so that he could no longer shoot off his right shoulder. He practised long hours, both indoors and outdoors, off his left shoulder. His left eye also was badly hurt, but a fellow competitor, Jim Sweet, who is also an optometrist, promised to look after his left eye (his shooting eye now) during the competition. Healy’s 49 in the Mackenzie was followed by a 45 in the Smith match. Among the high scores for the Halliday aggregate was Allan Duncan (Brisbane), a son of the well-known King’s rifleman, W. G. Duncan. He had a 47 at 300 yards and a 49 at 500, 48. M. F. Wass (Randwick. N.S.W.) 48. J. Sweet (Gosford, N.S.W.) 48. L.H. Johnston (Lismore, N.S.W. ) 48. L. Lewis (Mungindi. N.S.W. ) 48. J. Muston (King.) 48, A. S. Perrin (Darling Downs) 48. E. H. Belson ( Natives ) 48. G. L. Walker (Central) 48. R. G. Ubank (Central) 48. C. Strand ( Biloela) 48, J R. Moore (St. George)48. A. C. Ball (Brisbane) 48. C. A. Campbell (Mudgee. N.S.W.) 48. Each £1. Twenty others with 47, each £1.
