Taking aim at the Simpson Trophy

ADF members from across South Australia competed in Australia’s oldest military shooting competition of its kind, the Simpson Trophy, at Cultana Training Area in late September.

CAPTION: Australian Army soldier Trooper Ronan Ney, 1st Armoured Regiment, competes at the Simpson Trophy at Cultana Training Area in South Australia. Story by Captain Adrienne Goode. Photo by Sergeant Peng Zhang.

Scoring was based on combat shooting standards and aligned to the war-fighting exercises held at Cultana across the month.

Competing in the event were Australian Army soldiers from 7th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, 1st Armoured Regiment, 10th/27th Battalion, Royal South Australia Regiment, 3rd Field Squadron, 144th Signal Squadron, 9th Combat Service Support Battalion, Headquarters 9th Brigade, 6th/13th Battery, and 3rd Health Battalion, as well as Navy sailors from HMAS Encounter.

Using the EF88 Austeyr rifle, members completed a series of combat shooting drills and aperture shoots.

CAPTION: A sailor from HMAS Encounter’s team fires at a target during the Simpson Trophy, Cultana Training Area, South Australia.

7th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment’s Support Company placed first in the team category and Lieutenant Zorawar Sandhu from 10th/27th Battalion, Royal South Australia Regiment took out the top shot.

Commander 9th Brigade Brigadier Graham Goodwin said the shooting event demonstrated great dedication to upholding excellence and tradition.

“It has been a big year for ADF members across South Australia,” Brigadier Goodwin said.

“I’m really proud of all members who participated in this year’s competition – standards were very high and the competition fiercely contested.

“Each and every one of them demonstrated a commitment to maintaining and executing a critical combat capability whilst respecting and upholding the spirit of this shoot which commenced in 1890.”

For Australian Army units, the competition was the icing on the cake following the conclusion of Exercise Rhino Run and Exercise Southern Tiger, which saw soldiers conduct complex live-fire manoeuvre ranges, combined arms training, and foundation war-fighting activities across the Cultana Training Area.

CAPTION: Australian Army soldiers from 3rd Health Battalion proudly represent their unit at the Simpson Trophy, Cultana Training Area, South Australia.

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