Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral History RAF West Kirby

NO NO NO NO!!! 25 YARD range.

You know something Chris, it was always a 25 metre range when I was in and that was 72-78. I don't know why because I was taught feet and inches, pounds and ounces etc.

Don't forget at the time I was firing 7.62mm and 9mm rounds not .303 or whatever. Get very complicated this doesn't it?

My kids look at me soft if I say something like "you need two foot of three be two planed". Might be the planed bit that baffles them though?

Ah, sorry; I hadn't realised you were so young.
In my day it was .303. I shot for Bomber Command at Bisley from 1957-60, at ranges from 100 yards to 1200 yards. Admittedly the Sten did use 9mm.
With regard to wood, I remember a notice at my local merchants
"All timber now sold in metric feet", although for a long time, hardwood was dimensioned in Imperial, but sold in metric length.

Cheers, Chris.

were is this gate ?

Exactly the same place as the other photo's. There is a memorial there now. Hard to believe there was so much on that site. The old married quarters are still there at the other end of pump lane but owned privately now. Note that the roads are all named after RAF bases.

I think my dad stayed there with my great-nan for some reason when he was a kid. I'll ask him why and what his memories are of the place.

Some quick snaps of the same place today and the memorial

very interesting read. Thanks for the info everyone

The officers quarters where on the corner between Ennisdale drive, Frankby Rd and Blackhorse hill. I seem to have a very vague memory that after all the buildings were demolished the range was still there and there was the remains of a cockpit, Spitty or Hurricane probably for training, walked all over them fields as a kid.

"In my day it was .303. I shot for Bomber Command at Bisley from 1957-60, at ranges from 100 yards to 1200 yards. Admittedly the Sten did use 9mm."
Yes Chris, you are right, you probably used the MK4 (maybe not the SMLE) or the Bren!(Doubt if you used the Lewis.)
The Sten couldnt hit a barn door at 10 paces tho, and was only any good at close quarter scatter!!! Too inaccurate fire from a mass produced weapon!!
I collect military firearms and have all 3!

I used the Bren but not the Bren if you know what I mean. It was later given all kinds of mods especially the barrel and became the LMG. Good accurate weapon.

Bit too young for the sten but had an SMG which could hit a barn door but what kind of stopping power I don't know and thankfully never had to find out.

Ooooh the SMG.
Accurate enough for headshots at 50 yards* but it struggled to penetrate 1/2 inch plywood at ranges above that.


*I could only do it 8 out of 10 times

I got thirty out of thirty in a competition once but they said it was only 29. I insisted the round must have gone through the big hole I had made in the target as I was unlikely to have missed one. Never gave me it the barstewards.

In basic training I once asked if it was true that a 9mm round from an SMG wouldn't penetrate a wet blanket? I was asked if I would like to hold the blanket to see if it was true, I declined

That sucks but sounds oh-so typical.
I heard the wet blanket rumour myself and we tested it.
It's true a 9mm round will not penetrate a wet blanket.



If you throw it by hand

OK, since we're on the subject, I started shooting when at school; .22 calibre, SMLE with Morris tubing & .303" on Altcar ranges, between Liverpool & Southport. When in the RAF, shot BSA Martini action, .22" & SMLE .303 both SRA (service rifle class A), which was totally unmodified service rifle, & SRB (class B, slings & Parker Hale 5c.aperture sights). Also the Bren (.303)& Sten (9mm) which were both highly inaccurate but fun. As a civvy, until Dunblane, I shot mostly hanguns. I had a S&W model 28 in .357 magnum, a S&W model 29 with a 10 5/8" barrel in .44 magnum (Dirty Harry's weapon, but his was the 8 1/2" barrel), a Ruger in .45 Long Colt calibre & a Browning 9mm. Until recently I've been shooting bench rest rifle; 6mm PPC calibre, in which discipline you needed to be shooting groups of 1/10" at 100 yards to be any good. For all these, I loaded my own ammunition, since the load needs to be tuned to the individual weapon. I'm not shooting at present, but I have a slot on my firearms certificate for a 7.62mm or .308" (same calibre) rifle, so maybe I'll start again.
I wasn't aware that a 9mm round wouldn't penetrate a wet blanket, but I wouldn't like to risk it.

Cheers, Chris.