Chiltern Rifle Club Watlington

Looking after the members in your club should be a pleasure for anyone with the privilege of holding a position on the commitee. Whether it's a local sports, social or similar club you need to be friendly, willing and like helping people. If you lack politess and patientce you will certainly be unwelcome. If you're sensitive and prone to take offense then you are definitely not cut out to safeguard people.

Whether its at work or in a social environment they are easily upset. When they become upset they may either sulk or get angry.Most people will be easily offended if common curtesies arent observed. As a rule commitee members are usually well-mannered and experienced in dealing with people. It is too ofeten taken for granted. It is high time local authorities adopted a standard of behaviour to ensure club officials possess the basic requirements.

Not everyone is relaxed and easy in their own skin. With current awareness about social hang-ups and personality issues clubs must be confident that committee members can treat people with consideration. Should male, female and junior members chaparoning be necessary for example? What character references for committee members are required by the club? What rules do the club have in place to protect members who wish to complain about the behaviour of a committee member?

The Chiltern Rifle Club in Watlington Oxfordsire is mostly male in its membership. It's a traditional club which I was very happy to attend for a year under Angus

I won't spend time listing my experience but I took up smallbore rifle shooting at 13, captained the school team and shot my first 100 as a twenty year old at university. I missed top shot at Sandhurst by one point. The winner was a gentleman. Knowing I fancied my chances he apologised saying he was from a 'shooting farming family' born with a 177 pistol in his cot! I told him what a lucky fellow he was! Of the four infantry firearms rifles were always my go to but for unbeatable enjoyment I had five shots using an 84mm anti tank gun still on the menu today with a large variety of toppings!

let down only by its sensitive chairman

be polite and as a youngster played lots of sport. The only one I excelled at was rifle shooting. When I snapped an ACL in the army I put all my time into smallbore. I went to read law at uni and started to shoot hundreds. I bought an Anschutz Match 54 along with my shooting mat, jacket and other kit. My set-up was always identical. Always relaxed on my home range I couldn't go wrong. I  knew a bull without using the scope. It was a short spell but I didn't pick up a rifle for another forty five years. Unfortunately I was rubbish eyes and age had taken their toll.

The next time I shot was at The Chiltern Rifle club, in the town of my birth, Watlington, Oxfordshire. Angus Coe ran evening sessions on a Wednesday. A year or so later I changed to Fridays which were nowhere near as popular. I had various experiments going on trying to improve my marksmanship and I was holding people up. The Friday range warden was one Dan Marshal a stranger to me and unusual. The first thing he said to me was that he was the chairman and had been a member of the club for 20 years. He asked me nothing about myself which I thought poor mannered. An odd character and distinctly unfriendly I was surprised that Angus hadn't warned me. This man was his complete opposite. I was astonished that someone like that could be considered suitable for the committee let alone the position of chairman. Ten minutes later in front of some cronies I heard him running down the Monday evening members who took the sport seriously. It was obvious that he was a renegade. Sadly the club must have had difficulty filling the position and had had to lower their sights. Sports clubs are no different to other organisatuions. They're only as good as the people in charge. Anti-social Dan Marshal was a disgrace to himself and the club. At their annual dinner it became more than clear to me that there was a split in the membership. On one hand this uncouth chairman had a small following while the decent majority avoided him. Anyone with experience of men in groups (whatever the organisation) will have seen them trying to fit in and establish a position in the pecking order.

This pitiful individual then began mocking me - it seemed to be his way. I'd had lots of practice with nonsence like that over the years and gave as good as I got. I was surprised because in our sixties I thought we were past all that but it didn't particularly worry me. What I didn't realise however was that Dan Marshal couldnt laugh at himself. He was alright dishing it out but didnt like getting it back. At the next meeting I'd been on the firing point by myself and returned to Marshall and his pal Roger Minns in the club room. A propos of nothing Marshal began criticising my rifle safety. It was a pack of lies and when I realised he wasn't joking I took his insults seriously. I wasn't going to allow anyone to impugn my shooting integrity. I've been in a corner from time to time and I don't back down or look to others to fight for me. This oaf proceeded to lose  his temper, he grabbed my lapels and started shaking me. I knew better than to hit him. What would have happened if I'd retaliated and broken his jaw? I told him twice he was assaulting me. I realised later Roger Minns was in on the whole thing and eventually he pulled the idiot off. I got my things and left.

There was no physical injury but an indelable insult and inexcusable. He tried justify because RM but bullies hide behind power. I've been shooting my entire life and could write a book with what I know. To have someone like him attack is against all standards of decency.

I reported the attack to Angus Coe who agreed it was serious. He said it would need an investigation which would take time and be drawn out. I didnt need an investigation I knew exactly what took place and the matter was too serious to leave. I reported the offence to Thames Valley Police from which point the representative(s) of Chiltern Rifle Club Committee lied and lied again. The representative(s) stooped so low as to claim that it was me who assaulted Marshal and they voted to ban me from the club. At that stage there was no sense in arguing. I was up against a judge and jury so I let them have their way. Committees can lie through their back teeth when they have the individual member at their mercy. In a case like this however involving reputation and honesty the individual should be entitled to have their case heard by all of the club members.

Decent people detest bullies. I'm surprised how they always seem able to persuade people weak enough to join them. Committees too can be easily influenced. All it requires is a couple of so-called 'persuasive' officers who can influence them enough so they fall in line. This story of mine about the Chiltern Rifle Club in Watlington is a classic example. If the ordinary hundred or so members are not permitted to  vote against a corrupt committee then just two or three people get their way. That's dictatorship. The ordinary members at Chiltern Rifle Club should not be stuck with a crooked committee. Those who voted for Marshal should leave the club. When it was held I know from the committee that their vote was divided. I also know that the ordinary members wanted me to stay and that Marshal should leave

If the highest standards aren't observed in a club what hope is there for youngsters. The many good members at Chiltern Rifle Club should not have to put up with an obnoxious chairman or a dishonest committee. Now is the time for the membership to turn out the bad apples. What about Thames Valley Police and the NSRA? They knew who were lying but did nothing about it. What standards are observed by those in  authority? That's easy they make them up themselves. The NSRA asks for whistlebowers only then to ignore them. In my case without apology the police let a pair of blatent criminals off the hook but instead accused me the victim! Does 'respect' come into this? This should never have happened to decent respectable people and I include myself with the ordinary club members. Like a neglected dirty barrel Chiltern Rifle Club needs a comprehensive pulling through.