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ity would have been frowned upon by the SASC Instructors at the Small Arms Wing, but it taught me a lot about unconventional warfare.
Classroom instruction was based on the Brown- ing Hi-Power standard 9mm service pistol, but we also studied JB-Sās favourites ā the Walther P38, The P08 Luger, Walther PP and PPK, Web- ley .455 and .38 Revolvers, Colt 1911 Auto- matic, Smith & Wesson .45 and .38 Revolvers and the Enfield .38 Revolver. My favourite was probably the short barrelled P08 Luger for its sheer pointability quality.
Having done the course and won my Instructor Grading I served on for four more terms teaching on the Course, and represented the Academy at the South East District Small Arms Competi- tion at Ash Ranges (not doing very well!). To my
Famous Friday
Vaughan Kent-Payne
Every Friday, The Sandhurst Trust Facebook page features a former Cadet who has gone on to make a mark in life outside the Army.
Here are four of them:
VASHON WHEELER ā 1916 RIFLE BRIGADE
Vashon Wheeler was born in 1898. At the age of 16, whilst still at Eton, he absconded from CCF camp and tried to enlist, having lied about his age. However, the next year, he entered Sand- hurst and was commissioned into the Rifle Bri-
total amazement I was made Captain of Pistols and awarded my Academy Half Colours. After I left the Army, and the TA, I continued to shoot pistols as a civilian until they were banned, and then I took up shooting black powder revolv- ers and pistol calibre carbines. I taught all my sons to shoot and one followed me into the TA and served several tours as an interpreter, pistol armed of course!
In my civilian career I was delighted to assist JB-S with the financial side of some of his major expeditions, and I still have a pair of jungle boots that I received from his stores in the basement of the Old War Office Building where his office was in Room 5B.
Great times!
John Blashford-Snell
gade in September 1916. Serving on the West- ern Front, he was wounded three times including the loss of two fingers. Following the Armistice, he transferred to the Royal Fusiliers and was sent to Russia in support of anti-Bolshevik forces. During one hectic week of fighting in September 1919 he was awarded the MC and bar.
Wheeler left the Army in 1920 and spent the next ten years working in India, Rhodesia, New Zea- land and Australia (where the former Eton boxing
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