Through rain or shine, a selection of enthusiastic (though not always capable) shots managed to train vigorously on most Wednesday afternoons. It takes 5 people to make a Clay Pigeon Shooting Team, and seeing that there were only 5 of us, I knew I was in for a good chance of being picked. With the careful advice and tuition of both Lt Col Padgett and Sgt Midgley, our chosen group of bounty hunters were soon crafted into what became a highly professional fighting unit.

D-Day, 26 July 01. As the remainder of the Battalion packed their bags, turned their car keys, and left The Dale for Summer Leave, The Shooting Team embarked on a mission:- "To infiltrate 5 Division Clay Pigeon Shooting Championships, in order to bring back first prize, 'The Best Team'". Our route to the line of departure was hindered by the admin of Sgt 'Where's the minibus?' Midgley. Finally we arrived many miles behind enemy lines, in Wolverhampton.

H-Hr, 0930hrs. As the first clay flew for cover, CSgt Shelton opened the teams shooting with impressive accuracy. Sgt Midgley and Cpl Green's cool, calm and collective manner proved to produce consistently high scores. Naturally, the real backbone behind the team's success was from self-nominated coach and team captain, Lt Col Padgett. With encouraging remarks such as "Wait… Wait… Wait… Now shoot! No you're too late!" and "If you miss these, I'll shoot you myself", the team was destined for great results.

After a bloody battle, and several hundred clays having been reduced to dust, the 1 PWO Clay Shooting Team proved to be triumphant. Sgt Midgley ran away with two individual medals, the High Gun (top score) as well as Winner of B Class with 75 points. Cpl Green came 2nd in C Class with a score of 66 and CSgt Shelton was the Winner of the Novice category with 57. Finally, with the top three scores totalling 198, we stole the title of Best Team and Winner of the Major Units category from the 5 Div Clay Shooting Championships. As Lt Gen Denaro GOC 5 Div presented the medals to the team he muttered with a smile," But you're not in my Division". Our mission had been a success.