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Volunteer Infantry >> Volunteer Infantry (1859-1908) >> Albert E Church �1861~1937
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Message started by Strangely_Brown on 10/23/05 at 11:25pm

Title: Albert E Church �1861~1937
Post by Strangely_Brown on 10/23/05 at 11:25pm

I was asked a couple of years ago to copy an old photograph (I manage a photographic shop) and to my surprise it was a picture of a volunteer showing some clear details of his uniform; having had a chance to talk to the owner of the photo I discovered it was the grand daughter of the said volunteer.
She then explained that she was leaving her grand father's Snider to her own nephew who lives in Australia and wanted a photo of her grand father to accompany the rifle on it's journey.
I begged her to let me see the rifle before it was shipped by our local gun dealer to Australia and the dear women complied to my wishes, bless her!
From memory the Snider was a very typical volunteer pattern 3 band conforming to a Mk II, iron barrel with the typical dings that occur when children are allowed to play with things, yes she confessed to me that she had indeed played with it after her grand fathers death.
I also asked her permissiom if I could take a copy for myself for the purpose of future research to which she enthusiasticlly agreed.

It would seem that Albert was a Colour Sergeant in the Queens Westminster Volunteers and won a bronze medal in the Daily Telegraph Cup Rifle Competition between teams of regulars and volunteers in 1905. Further to that he also won 6 silver spoons although there are no records of dates or competitions for this.

http://www.fototime.com/{1EFBC831-4EE0-4DF7-829F-1CB0C35BD365}/picture.JPG

Title: Re: Albert E Church �1861~1937
Post by dbm on 10/24/05 at 7:10am

The Queen's Westminster had ties with the NY Seventh Regiment (National Guard) and in 1905 held their first rifle shooting competition in England for the Vincent Shield. It was last competed for in 1957. (Soldiers of the Queen 121; journal of the Victorian Military Society).

David