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Riflemen from the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles have proved their skills during the British Army’s annual Army Operational Shooting Competition at the historic Bisley ranges. Shooting teams from across the British Army took part in the competition.
The annual shoot at the Bisley ranges in Surrey is the British Army’s the biggest shooting competition and has been running since 1869. The competition was held concurrently with the 149th Imperial Meeting, a season of shoots which seen both civilians and military marksmen compete in various competitions.
Corporal Bishal Rai presented the Queen’s Medal by Lieutenant General N.A.W Pope (MOD)
The Gurkha Rifles are part of the British Army’s Gurkha Brigade, made up of soldier’s recruited from the mountains of Nepal, they have a fearsome reputation and have been part of the British Army for over 200 years. Corporal Bishal Rai won the prestigious Queen’s Medal, awarded to the ‘best shot in the service’, while three more Gurkhas were in the top ten rankings. The competition includes firing at ranges of up to 500m from various positions with the soldier’s service rifle.
From the photos taken during the event, it appears that Corporal Rai and the team from 2 Royal Gurkha Rifles was using the newly issued SA80A3, with its upgraded forend, new upper receiver, and flat dark earth finish.
The Brigade of Gurkhas achieved great success at Army Operational Shooting competition 2018 at Bisley today. Congratulations to Corporal Bishal Rai on winning the Queen’s medal (Army) 2018. #bisley #ARMY#Gurkhas pic.twitter.com/5cvw64smZY
— Gurkha Brigade (@Gurkha_Brigade) June 21, 2018
When asked by the British Army’s ‘Soldier’ magazine what it took to win the prestigious competition Corporal Rai said “It’s all about getting the basics right. And it is important to have confidence in yourself and your weapon; that comes with experience.” Rai continued “I have only been able to implement the principles of marksmanship after years of practice. Training and knowing the match conditions are also vital.”
The 2nd Battalion had long set their sights on winning the Army Operational Shooting Competition, and selection for the battalion shooting team was tough. Captain Vijay Limbu, the officer in charge of the battalion’s shooting said: “we had to ensure we picked the right people not just based on past records but their current form and performance.”
As tradition dictates Corporal Rai, as the winner of the Queen’s Medal was carried back to the range’s clubhouse in a procession on a chair. 72 of the top 100 ranked shooters were reportedly from the Gurkha Brigade. These men were presented their awards by Lieutenant General N.A.W Pope CBE Deputy Chief of the General Staff (DCGS).
