Eight Air Cadets from 211 Newbury Squadron travelled to Otmoor range on Sunday to take part in the Thames Valley Wings “Hank Austin Memorial” shooting competition.

The cadets shot the L81 Cadet Target Rifle over a distance of 300yds, and all scored very highly. The final team of four, consisting of Cadet Naomi Ward, Fl Sgt Richard Hobbs, Sgt Oliver Holman and Sgt James Dunwell were placed first in the competition and were awarded the Hank Austin Shield, named after the Warrant Officer of Bracknell Squadron who unfortunately died during a diving accident in Easter 2004.

Cadet Naomi Ward achieved the highest score of the day.

The Squadron’s Commanding Officer, Flight Lieutenant Simon Cragg said “This is a wonderful achievement by all the cadets involved – a clear demonstration that all the hard work and training really pays off”.

The target shooting competition was the Squadrons first of 2007, and comes on the back of a successful 2006, during which the cadets qualified for the prestigious Inter Services Cadet Rifle Meeting held at NRA Bisley, the home of British Target Shooting. They are hoping to follow up this success in 2007.