Second Annual Chief of the SA Army Combat
Rifle Shooting Competition, 2 – 7 March
2009
Article by Major Thérèse Bester, South
African Army Corporate Communication
Photographs by Major Thérèse Bester, South
African Army Corporate Communication and
Major J.C. Kruger, School of Armour and
Mr Lebogang Tlhaole, South African Soldier Photo
Journalist
The second Annual South African Army Combat
Rifle Shooting Competition was presented over
the period 2 to 7 March 2009 at the General De
Wet Classification Range in Bloemfontein.
The purpose of the competition is to improve
the musketry skills of all soldiers in the SA
Army. Chief Army Force Preparation coordinated
the event. The host for the competition was the
South African Army Armour Formation, 1 South
African Tank Regiment.
Altogether 31 Regular units and 27 Reserve
units as well as two foreign countries, Botswana
and Lesotho, participated in the competition.
The participating teams consisted of 8 shottists
each (as well as a team captain and a team
manager).
The participating foreign countries were
given an opportunity to undergo Fixed
Installation Rifle System Training (FIRST) at
the School of Armour on 2 March 2009.
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A participant from the
Botswana Defence Force busy with
Fixed Installation Rifle System
Training (FIRST) |
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A participant from the
Lesotho Defence Force busy with
Fixed Installation Rifle System
Training (FIRST) |
On the morning of 3 March 2009, the South
African Army Musketry Seminar was presented to
approximately 250 members at the “Big Willie”
Auditorium, School of Armour. On the same day,
the Regular units were given the opportunity to
practise Table 2 at the General De Wet
Classification Range.
The Regular units’ competition was presented
over the period 4 - 5 March 2009 at the General
De Wet Classification Range in which 31 Regular
units, consisting of 263 participants including
16 ladies, participated.
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Participants declaring
weapons safe after shooting |
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Participants in prone
position |
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Participants from 4 Field
Engineer Regiment in kneeling
position |
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From left to right:
Lieutenant George Nthatisi from
1 South African Tank Regiment,
Shooting Butt Officer, Warrant
Officer Class 1 André Botha from
SA Army College, a participant
in the shooting butt |
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Figure 12a target used during
the competition |
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Range Officer Senior Warrant
Officer, Frans Lategan, Regiment
President Steyn |
Brig Gen J.D. Malan, Director Army Doctrine
and Policy was appointed as the main functionary
on behalf of the Chief of the South African Army
during the prize-giving ceremony. He
congratulated all the participants and expressed
his thanks and appreciation to all the personnel
responsible for the success of the competition.
Mr Mark Andrade from BAE Land Systems handed
over the floating trophies during the ceremony.
The prize-giving ceremony was held on the
evening of 5 March 2009. The results were as
follows:
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From left to right: Warrant
Officer Class 1 Paulus Peschel,
School of Armour (overall winner
of the open category); Mr Mark
Andrade, BAE Land Systems;
Brigadier General J.D. Malan,
Director Army Doctrine and
Policy |
In the open category,
ten gold medals were awarded to the best ten
overall SA Army shottists:
1 Warrant Officer Class 1
P. Peschel School of Armour
2 Major H. Terblanche 1
Special Service Battalion
3 Captain W. Gerryts Infantry
School
4 Staff Sergeant J.J. Strydom
School of Armour
5 Corporal D.P.J. de Bus
School of Armour
6 Staff Sergeant R.C. Els
School of Armour
7 Warrant Officer Class 1 G.J.
van Vollenstee Army Support Base KwaZulu- Natal
8 Sergeant A.H. Beukes 8 South
African Infantry Battalion
9 Major W. de Jong School of
Armour
10 Lieutenant Colonel R. Botha School of
Tactical Intelligence
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Overall winning team, School
of Armour |
Team Category
1 School of Armour
2 1 Special Services Battalion
3 School of Tactical
Intelligence
Rank Category
Rifleman – Corporal
1 Corporal D.P.J. de Bus
School of Armour
2 Lance Corporal M.L.M.
Matlhabegoane 1 Parachute Battalion
3 Corporal R.J. du Plooy 1
Special Service Battalion
Sergeant – Warrant
Officer Class 2
1 Staff Sergeant J.J. Strydom
School of Armour
2 Staff Sergeant R.C. Els
School of Armour
3 Sergeant A.H. Beukes 8 South
African Infantry Battalion
Warrant Officer Class 1
1 Warrant Officer Class 1 P.
Peschel School of Armour
2 Warrant Officer Class 1 G.J.
van Vollenstee Army Support Base KwaZulu Natal
3 Master Warrant Officer T.L.
Visser 5 South African Infantry Battalion
Candidate Officer –
Captain
1 Captain W. Gerryts Infantry
School
2 Captain C. Ihlengeldt 1
Special Service Battalion
3 Captain F.A. Viljoen
Infantry School
Major – Lieutenant Colonel
1 Major H. Terblanche 1
Special Service Battalion
2 Major W. de Jong School of
Armour
3 Lieutenant Colonel R. Botha
School of Tactical Intelligence
Colonel – General
1 Colonel L.J. Buys South African Army Combat
Training Centre
Novice Category
1 Rifleman V.K. Khwerana 5
South African Infantry Battalion
2 Rifleman N.V. Mofokeng 5
South African InfantryBattalion
3 Rifleman M.M. Phatlane 5
South African Infantry Battalion
Open Category Foreign
Participants
1 Sergeant S. Mbayi Botswana
Defence Force
2 Private M.R. Lenyatsa
Lesotho Defence Force
3 Private K.R. Chobisa Lesotho
Defence Force
4 Private R.I. Lebojoa Lesotho
Defence Force
5 Private M.N. Mohale Lesotho
Defence Force
6 Lance Corporal O.T. Palaelo
Botswana Defence Force
7 Warrant Officer Class 2 H.U.
Nguvauva Botswana Defence Force
8 Warrant Officer Class 1 S.F.
Chikwaka Botswana Defence Force
9 Corporal L.M. Lekhoaba
Lesotho Defence Force
10 Private K.J. Makaloane Lesotho Defence
Force
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Winning team, Category
Foreign Participants, Lesotho
Defence Force with Reserve
Official, Colonel Ray van Zanten
and Main Functionary, Brigadier
General J.D. Malan |
Team
Category Foreign Participants
1 Lesotho Defence Force
2 Botswana Defence Force
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Major General Roy Andersen,
Chief Defence Reserves |
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Reserve participant in
sitting position |
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Reserve participants in
standing position |
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Reserve participants busy
shooting |
The Reserve units’ competition
was presented over the period 6 - 7 March 2009
at the General De Wet Classification Range.
Reserve units consisting of 290 participants
including 26 ladies, participated. Major General
Roy Andersen, Chief Defence Reserves, was the
main functionary during the prize-giving
ceremony. Doctor (Colonel) John Job, Chairperson
Reserve Force Council assisted with handing over
the Gold Cup Trophy. The prize-giving ceremony
was held on the afternoon of 7 March 2009.
Open
Category. Ten gold medals were awarded to the
ten best shottists:
1 Warrant Officer Class 2 A.F.
Smythe Natal Carbineers
2 Corporal J.H. Karsten
Regiment President Steyn
3 Lieutenant E. Irle
Witwatersrand Rifles
4 Lance Corporal R.W. Mentor
Regiment President Steyn
5 Lieutenant J. Loock
Witwatersrand Rifles
6 Gunner W.J. de Wet Vrystaat
Artillery Regiment
7 Corporal K. Vos South
African Irish Regiment
8 Rifleman R. Dalgleish
Witwatersrand Rifles
9 Rifleman S.J. Minnie Cape
Town Rifles
10 Lieutenant P.G. Bekker Regiment
President Steyn
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Winning Team White Horse
Trophy Regular vs Reserve Units,
Representative of School of
Armour, Warrant Officer Class 1
Paulus Peschel and Major General
Roy Andersen, Chief Defence
Reserves |
Team (White Horse) Regular vs Reserve Units
1 School of Armour
2 1 Special Service Battalion
3 Regiment President Steyn
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Team Winner Gold Cup,
Regiment President Steyn,
Warrant Officer Class 1 Paul
Kloppers, being congratulated by
Doctor (Colonel) John Job,
Chairperson Reserve Force
Council |
Team
(Gold Cup)
1 Regiment President Steyn
2 Vrystaat Artillery Regiment
3 Natal Carbineers
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Development Team Winners,
Vrystaat Artillery Regiment |
Development
1 Vrystaat Artillery Regiment
Development
2 Regiment De La Rey
Development
3 Cape Town Rifles Development
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Individual Category,
Rembrandt, Warrant Officer Class
2 Archie Smythe, Natal
Carbineers received the trophy
from Major General Roy Andersen,
Chief Defence Reserves |
Individual (Rembrandt)
1 Warrant Officer 2 A.F.
Smythe Natal Carbineers
2 Corporal J.H. Karsten
Regiment President Steyn
3 Lieutenant E. Irle
Witwatersrand Rifles
Rank Category
Major – Lieutenant
Colonel
1 Major L.A. Korff Regiment
President Steyn
2 Lieutenant Colonel H de W
Heine Regiment Noord-Transvaal
3 Lieutenant Colonel S.J.
Lombaard Regiment Piet Retief
Candidate Officer –
Captain
1 Lieutenant E. Irle
Witwatersrand Rifles
2 Lieutenant J. Loock
Witwatersrand Rifles
3 Lieutenant P.G Bekker
Regiment President Steyn
Warrant Officer Class 1
1 Warrant Officer Class 1
G.P.R. Dreyer Regiment De La Rey
2 Warrant Officer Class 1 P.M.
Dias Lobo Cape Town Rifles
3 Warrant Officer Class 1 S.C.
Nell First City Regiment
Sergeant – Warrant
Officer Class 2
1 Warrant Officer Class 2 A.F.
Smythe Natal Carbineers
2 Warrant Officer Class 2 J.T.
van Rooyen Regiment Noord-Transvaal
3 Sergeant T.C. Wink Vrystaat
Artillery Regiment
Rifleman – Corporal
1 Corporal J.H. Karsten
Regiment President Steyn
2 Lance Corporal R.W. Mentor
Regiment President Steyn
3 Gunner W.J. De Wet Vrystaat
Artillery Regiment
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Ladies Category Winner,
Gunner Anrie Wink, Vrystaat
Artillery Regiment, the trophy
was presented by Major General
Roy Andersen, Chief Defence
Reserves |
Ladies
1 Gunner A. Wink Vrystaat
Artillery Regiment
2 Rifleman E.J. Viljoen First
City Regiment
3 Gunner P.E. Kholoza Vrystaat
Artillery Regiment
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