NRA Journal - Summer 2003 - National Rifle Association

THE BRITISH COMMONWEALTH RIFLE CLUBby Tony de LaunayDotted around the Bisley Common are a variety ofbuildings of differing vintage and occupation. Some areinstantly recognisable – such as the historic Fulton’shollow square. Others have a more conventionalstructure, yet still possessing the traditional charm ofverandah and wriggly tin. One such, tucked away atthe access points from Maple Acre to Century Range, isthe British Commonwealth Rifle Club.With sweet chestnut trees towering over it, the Club wasoriginally the India Rifle Club, which immediatelyexplains the Star of India emblem. India first sent aformal team to compete at Wimbledon in 1874, and onthe move to Bisley their teams were billeted in the tentedlines. This led to the idea of creating a pavilion at Bisleyas a permanent clubhouse. The first stage of lounge andveranda was completed for the Bisley Meeting of July1935 thanks to a final donation of £100 from the CalcuttaTurf Club. Further evidence can be found inside themain room where, dominating the wall to the left of thefire place, is a board recording the names of all thosewho contributed to the founding and building of theClub. It reads like a history of that continent from dayslong, long ago, where Maharajahs and Lords mingle withGentlemen and troopers.In 1947, with the cementing of India’s independence, itwas renamed the British Asia Rifle Club and shortlythereafter took its current name. In the passageway tothe secretary’s office are the plans of the originalclubhouse, ambitious in the extreme, a palace to rivalthe Taj Mahal. You suddenly realise that the main roomin which you have been standing is no more than oneroom in a building of many splendoured halls andquarters fit for visiting people of considerableimportance.58Alas the dreams of the designers did not materialise andare unlikely ever so to do. With the development of theCommonwealth and the integral and expandingindependence of its member states, the purpose of thebuilding had to change. Let David Richards, the currentClub Captain explain.“For many years we have acted as a home from homefor shooters from any overseas country, offering use ofour facilities when they come to the Bisley Meeting inthe summer. As recent examples the MillenniumMeeting saw a number of Texans using the Club andduring the Commonwealth Games it became the basefor Kenyan fullbore and smallbore shooters. We cannotoffer living accommodation but the gunroom is wellequipped for preparation and cleaning out, our coffeepercolator is always on the go and there are dailynewspapers on the table”.The Club is unique on the Common in that it exists solelyfor this purpose. The NRA has recognised this over theyears, working with it to ensure that overseas teams aremade aware of the calm haven available in the turmoilof the shooting events. David Richards again, “We existbecause of the hard work of a number of UK volunteerswho are prepared to respond to the hospitality they havereceived on overseas tours by paying us £15 per yearmembership fee and rolling up their sleeves to help tokeep the place in good order. It is the members’ way ofoffering a permanent base for reciprocal hospitality”. (Toqualify for membership you have to have been a memberof an official NRA or GB overseas team, including theGB Cadets.)The Club holds its own open Championshipsimmediately prior to the Bisley Meeting, scheduled soas to give early arrivals among overseas teams anopportunity to blow out the travel cobwebs. It is alsoan opportunity for them to adjust to the RG ammunitionto be used at the Bisley Meeting. The Club fields teamsin an opening international match so that visitors canrehearse their team drills. Visitors can then go off to seethe sights or participate at meetings elsewhere in the UKbefore the Bisley Meeting proper.As well as offering shelter to those visitors the Club alsolooks after their inner welfare. The Club is rightly famedfor its afternoon teas served to passers-by during theBisley Meeting. Over the years wives and girlfriends,sons and daughters and a bevy of friends have servedtraditional teas to shooters and their guests. Cucumbersandwiches, fruit cake, scones and cream withstrawberry jam and pot upon pot of tea have helped toraise money for club funds and to maintain thehospitality ethic. Booking a table for Queen’s PrizeSaturday afternoon is mandatory if you are to stand anychance of a seat; the tables spill out into the gardens.Go and give it a visit, look at the boards and plans, andabove all have a good tea. Then you can boast “Beenthere, seen it all and eaten the tea”.