Jim Gordon Posted 27 October , 2004 Share Posted 27 October , 2004 Can anyone tell me the criteria to be met by an infantryman before he became eligible to wear the "crossed rifles" ? Were they awarded at the discretion of his Battalion C.O. or after passing a course at, say, Divisional or Brigade level and did they automatically beome snipers ? My personal interest in this is that a relative won a silver medal for Skill at Arms at the Infantry Wing School of XXIII Corps in 1918 after being severely wounded in late 1917 and after serving at the Front since May 1915. He was already a L/Sgt. On a previous thread someone said he would have been entitled to the Marksman Insignia but on the various photos of him in 1918 and, indeed, on his old uniform this insignia is absent. Regards Jim Gordon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBettsMCDCM Posted 27 October , 2004 Share Posted 27 October , 2004 Skill @ Arms Shooting Badges were awarded,@ various Levels,Company,Battalion,Etc;following Competition,on an Annual basis,being retained until the recipient was Beaten in Competition,Shooting Instructors also wore the Crossed Rifles Badge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Morgan Posted 27 October , 2004 Share Posted 27 October , 2004 My grandfather use to have a tatoo on his forearm, which he said he got as a result of being the Battalion shot. I don't know if this was a common practice or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Sweeney Posted 27 October , 2004 Share Posted 27 October , 2004 Jim, Award of the Marksmanship badge was predicated on shooting/passing various qualifaction tables found in the Musketry Regulations. Any man who passed these qualificationtables was eligable for award (Crossed Rifles). There were also awards awarded at unit level for best shot etc.. I'm not at home right now but I will transpose the actual qualification requirements and post. Joe Sweeney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBettsMCDCM Posted 28 October , 2004 Share Posted 28 October , 2004 An example:~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Sweeney Posted 28 October , 2004 Share Posted 28 October , 2004 Very good example of the "Good Shooting Badge" awarded at the rate of one per Regiment or Battalion. Awarded to "Best Shot" of Serjeants and Lance Serjeants. This was issuable to best of shot in any Regiment or Battalion in which all Companies or squadrons have exercised at least 30 men each through Part III Table B. The attached photo below is of the actual "marksman badge" issued to a man in the 12th BN A&SH. Awarded to all men for perfomance in part III. Table B Appendix I of the Musketry Regulations. Classification (Infantry, Cavalry etc.--not including RA, ASC etc., which had different standards): Exersice 18. Grouping-- 2nd Class Elementary (Bulls Eye---100yrds--5rds---Lying Exersice 19. Snapshooting----Figure No.3 (Silhoutte)---200yrds---5rds---Lying taking cover as in 7. Bayonet fixed Exposure 4 seconds for each shot. Exersice 20. Slow---2nd Class Figure---400yrds--5rds--Lying taking cover as in 14. Exersice 21. Slow---2nd Class Figure---300yrds--5rds--Kneeling taking cover as in 16. Exersice 22. Rapid---2nd Class Figure---300yrds--15rds--Lying, Rifle to be loaded and 4 rds in the Magizine before target appears. Loading from pouch or bandolier by 5rds afterwards. One minute allowed. Exersice 23. Slow---1st Class Figure---500yrds--5rds---Lying. Exersice 24. rapid---1st Class Figure---500yrds--5rds---Lying. 30 seconds allowed Exersice 25. Slow---1st Class Figure---600yrds--5rds---Lying. taking cover as in 7. Any reference to a number refers back to a previous exercise. A soldier would have had to complete the entire Table B "parts I II and III" with enough points to classify as Marksman. Any soldier who classified as marksman was eligable to wear the crossed rifles. Jim, That skill at arms medal you refer to sounds very unofficial--may not be linked to the musketry exercises. Becoming a marksman did not automatically make one a sniper. Classification was a yearly exercise in Peace and very haphazard during the war. Joe Sweeney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie1906 Posted 28 October , 2004 Share Posted 28 October , 2004 I would be interested to know how Jock qualified for his snipers badge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Gordon Posted 29 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 29 October , 2004 Thanks to all for your interest and especially Harry and Joe. I have added an image of both sides of the medal. Harry You will see that there is no mention of musketry in the inscription. Joe Your detailed description of the progression of a potential "Marksman" through the various tests is just what I would have expected and I agree with you that they can't apply in this case. A bit of history: The relative was my father and he was wounded in late 1917 (probably at Cambrai). He served with the 1/7th. Gordons, 51st (HD) from Aug. 1914 up to that time. I have never been able to trace what happened to him in 1918 apart from receiving this medal which I agree with Joe would appear to be a "trophy" type medal rather than official issue. XXIII Corps was formed in South England in Jan. 1918 and never served overseas. I have been unable to obtain info regarding it's constituent Units I am left with the conclusion that he was not sent back to France but went to this training school instead. He couldn't have been training as an Instructor as, I understand' only officers could be. Regards Jim Gordon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Gordon Posted 29 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 29 October , 2004 Reverse side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birkettm Posted 29 October , 2004 Share Posted 29 October , 2004 I believe to qualify as a 'marksman' you had to score 97 out of 110 in your skills at arms tests. Being a marksman did not automatically make you a sniper.... Ta, Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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