Friendly National Matches

Lensbury and Britannic House R.C.
In the immediate post-war years Lensbury Club were the the main rivals to the City of Birmingham for National Honours. Starting at Cardiff in 1947 they provided the "TOTTY-POT" Trophy which became lost after several matches usually staged during the Bisley meeting and later at the Worplesdon Rifle Club.  This was eventually superseded by the annual Marsden and King Trophies Shoot held at Worplesdon.

Marsden and King Trophies Shoot
First shot in 1944 the Worplesdon Rifle Club have promoted this annual event for invited leading National League Teams.  It takes place at the end of the summer season and includes most of the well known teams from the South of England.  There were no competitions from 1947 to 1954 but from 1955 to 1959 the City of Birmingham won the event and on many occasions the club's team of five have won the Marsden Team Trophy and individuals the King Trophy.  At one time these trophies were presented by John Cooke.
Today the City of Birmingham still sends a team to compete in this match but the team size has been reduced to four.  
Below is a photograph of the City of Birmingham team in October 2010.

Friendly International Matches

Birmingham Alabama U.S.A. Rifle Club.
While being a member of the 1953 British Pershing Trophy Team at Camp Perry, U.S.A. our Club Captain, W.B. Godwin, became friendly with Irvine C. Porter, President of the National Rifle Association of America and of the Birmingham Alabama Rifle Club at the time.  Through the good offices of our Vice President, Mr. Alfred G. Scott (formerly of B.S.A. Guns Ltd.,) arranged for the presentation of a trophy for competition between the clubs. Mr. R. Gaydon, Director of B.S.A. Guns Ltd., presented this trophy at the time the City of Birmingham fired its match on the Witton ranges in the summer of 1954. 

Mike Morse Trophy
When U.S.A. shooter M.J. Morse attended the N.S.R.A.  Meeting of 1964 on behalf of the N.R.A. of America to witness the British Dewar Team Shoot he made friends with Bob Bruce, our Club Chairman, who was the British Team Captain. In 1965 Mike Morse presented a trophy for Annual Competition between his club, Palmetto of Florida, and the City of Birmingham. This was a postal 50 metre English Match for teams of ten or more from each club with the best ten scores to count.  The City of Birmingham shot its cards at the annual Club Field Day, usually held in the spring before league shooting had commenced for the season.  The match continued for 14 years with the City of Birmingham winning on each occasion.  When our opponents could no longer raise a full team (probably caused by Mike's unexpected death) they ceased to correspond with us.  Notwithstanding the City of Birmingham contiued to complete and record our scores for several more years.
At the 1981 Club A.G.M. it was decided to seek fresh overseas competition and the opportunity arose at Bisley in 1985 when Mrs. Edie Reynolds, Secretary of the U.S.A. Black Hawk Club agreed to compete with us in a similar annual friendly event.

Black Hawk Rifle Club U.S.A.
Since 1986 the City of Birmingham Rifle Club has shot a postal match, initially with ten shooters or more over the 60 shot English Match at 50 metres.  Our opponents are mostly U.S.A. International Shooters many of whom we meet at the Bisley Championship Meeting and, apart from 1989 and 1993  have beaten the City of Birmingham.  The match continues to this day but the size of team depends on the number of members available at each of the clubs.  

"Belbir" G.S. De Guezen Rifle Club of Gent, Belgium
This match was set up as a result of a meeting at Bisley in 1975.  The City of Birmingham first visited Gent at Easter 1976 but it soon was established that De Geuzen visited Birmingham at Easter on even years and Birmingham visited Gent at Easter on odd years.  The shooting was usually 50 metres Rifle prone, 50 metres Rifle 3-position, 10 metres Air Rifle and 10 Metres Air Pistol.  Visits to places of interest were organised for the non-shooters and the whole party came together for luncheon and dinner when commemorative prizes were handed out.  The visiting shooters and friends would be accommodated by the host families.  The shooting aspect of the exchange ceased in the early 2000's but some of the frienships continue to this day with trips to Gent in alternate years at Easter.  The photo below shows the visitors and hosts in the car park of the Lunch Garden restaurant in Gent on Easter Monday in 1999 prior to the departure of the City of Birmingham members.  

Other International Matches

Lord Dewar Team Match
This match for English speaking teams of 20 shooters has taken place annually since 1909. It is a postal team shoot with specially appointed witnesses. Participating teams now enter from Great Britain, U.S.A., Canada, Australia and New Zealand. In 1949 and 1950 the Great Britain Team shot on the Witton Ranges when the City of Birmingham Rifle Club provided officials, range officers and target changers. Club members have since captained the team on 14 occasions.
Bob Bruce, then Club Chairman, was winning Captain on four successive occasions between 1963 and 1966. In 1960 no fewer than 8 of the team of 20 were from the City of Birmingham Rifle Club.
Great British Captain in 1973, 74 and 75 was Bill Godwin who led the Club to many successes. Arthur Skinner was Captain for two years 1982 and 83, followed by Ted Watson for three years 1984, 85 and 86. Major (Ret'd.) Peter Martin M.B.E. was Captain in 1987.
27 City of Birmingham Rifle Club members have shot in The Dewar since the club was founded in 1937.
Margaret Smith shot in The Dewar in 1970 and was in the Club's "A" Team.

BRITISH  DEWAR  ASSEMBLY  1949
AT  I.C.I.  KYNOCH  RANGES  WITTON  4th. September

Back row: J.D. Smith, S.L. Burgin, F.G. Newey, Alf.C. Hale, J.E. Farnden, J.D. Nicoll, W.J. Hall, W.G. Elmes, R. Parrish, R. Gray, K.W. Charsley, A.D. Skinner, R.H. Markes

Third row: J. Hall (Coach), S. Broughton, W. Buchanan, H.S. Yeoman, C.J. Hyde, W.B. Godwin, R. Bruce, H.J. Donovon, G. Brion, E.H. Buckingham, A. Leighton, P.G. Richardson (Coach),  G. Jewell, T.H. Holt, A.J. Nocoll

Second row: A.J. Palmer (N.S.R.A. Secretary),  G.E.E. Griffin, R.G. Webb, G.A.J. Jones, A.A. Smith, W.V. Knight (Vice Captain), A. Traies (Captain), Sir Lionel Fletcher (Chairman N.S.R.A.), T.J. Knight, W. Bliss,  F.J. Brooks, D.G.F. Steward    
L.J. Lawley,  A. Coxon

Front row: G. Maxwell, J. Sinclair, H.C. Jordin, P.G. Whatley, A.B. Miller, R. Lister, F.J. Barrell,  V. Bigwood