The King's Medal for Champion Shots of the Air Forces was instituted in 1953, as an Air Force version of the Queen's Medal for Champion Shots in the Military Forces. One medal each can be awarded to the champion shot of annual small arms marksmanship competitions held by the Air Forces of the United Kingdom and those member countries of the British Commonwealth whose Governments desire to take part in the grant of the award.The Queen's/King's Medal for Champion Shots - The Queen's Medal for Champion Shots of the Air Forces (Accessed 7 August 2015)
The Air Forces of countries that took part at some stage include the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, the Royal Canadian Air Force, the Royal New Zealand Air Force and the Royal Rhodesian Air Force. Today, only the United Kingdom and New Zealand still award the medal.The Queen's/King's Medal for Champion Shots - Home Page (Accessed 7 August 2015)
Origin The Medal for the Best Shot in the British Army, Infantry, was instituted by Queen Victoria in 1869 and was awarded from 1870 to 1882 to the best shot of the annual Army shooting competition. In 1923 the medal was re-introduced by King George V and designated the King's Medal for Champion Shots in the Military Forces. It could now be awarded to the champions of Army marksmanship competitions, held under battle conditions, at annual central meetings in the United Kingdom, the British Dominions, Colonies and India.The Queen's/King's Medal for Champion Shots - A Concise History of the Queen's/King's Medal (Accessed 7 August 2015)
All contenders for the King's/Queen's Medal for Champion Shots in the Military Forces have to be serving members of the Regular Army, Army Emergency Reserve, Territorial Army, or Local Militia and Volunteer Forces in the countries concerned. Members of independent Naval and Air Forces, while not excluded from the competition, could therefore not be awarded the medal even though they won the championship. This happened to an Air Force shot twice, in Canada in 1938 and in Rhodesia in 1962.The Queen's/King's Medal for Champion Shots - Revised Rules (Accessed 8 August 2015)The Queen's/King's Medal for Champion Shots - Flight Lieutenant Thomas William Gregory CD (Accessed 8 August 2015)The Queen's/King's Medal for Champion Shots - Southern Rhodesia (Accessed 8 August 2015)
Institution
The Queen's Medal for Champion Shots of the Air Forces was instituted by Queen Elizabeth II on 12 June 1953. Only one medal, or a clasp only, is granted annually in each of the Air Forces of the United Kingdom and those member countries of the British Commonwealth whose governments desire to take part in the grant of the award. Apart from the United Kingdom, the Dominions of Australia, Canada and New Zealand and the Colony of Rhodesia all took part at some stage, but only the United Kingdom and New Zealand still award the medal.Royal Air Force - RAF Small Arms - Royal Warrant - The Queen's Medal for Champion Shots of the Air Forces (Accessed 12 August 2015)New Zealand Defence Force - The Queen's Medal for Champion Shots of the New Zealand Air Forces Royal Warrant (Accessed 12 August 2015)New Zealand Defence Force - The Queen's Medal for Champion Shots of the Air Forces Regulations 1954 (Accessed 12 August 2015)
Every medal is awarded with a clasp, inscribed with the year of award and attached to the medal's suspension bar. Holders of the medal who qualify for a subsequent award, are awarded a clasp only, to be worn on the ribbon of the original medal and attached to the original or previous clasp. When medals are not worn, the award of second or further clasps are denoted on the ribbon bar by a silver rosette to denote the award of each additional clasp.
Award criteria The medal is awarded to the champion shot of the annual championship meeting of each respective Air Force, held under service rifle championship conditions. All medal contenders have to be actual serving members of the Regular Air Forces of the respective countries.
Order of wear In the order of wear prescribed by the British Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, the King's Medal for Champion Shots of the Air Forces takes precedence after the King's Medal for Champion Shots in the Military Forces and before the Cadet Forces Medal.
Participating countries The tables below list the known recipients of the medal in the respective participating countries.
United Kingdom In the United Kingdom, the first Royal Air Force championship to compete for the medal took place in 1953 and was won by Senior Technician J.E.P.P. Witts of RAF Stafford. The championship took place annually since then, except in 1991 when no competition was held as a result of the Gulf War. The record for the most wins of the Air Force medal is held by Chief Technician J.T. Prictor, who won the championship for the fourteenth time in 2009.The Queen's/King's Medal for Champion Shots - Royal Air Force (Accessed 12 August 2015)The Queen's/King's Medal for Champion Shots - Chief Technician John Terence Prictor (RAF) (Accessed 13 August 2015) YearRankInitialsSurnameSquadron or Formation1953SAC (T)J.E.P.P.WittsRAF Stafford1954SgtC.H.GreenleeRAF Ballykelly1955Cpl TechB.R.CreaseyRAF Wahn1956Sqn LdrC.C.Willott OBERAF West Malling1957Flt LtM.GillRAF Little Rissington1958Wg CdrP.E.H.Thomas AFCRAF Hornchurch1959Wg CdrP.E.H.Thomas AFC (2)RAF Hornchurch1960Sqn LdrD.H.YoungRAF Hemswell1961WOF.FlanaghanRAF Chigwell1962Chf TechB.R.Creasey (2)RAF West Raynham1963SAC (T)D.J.LimbyRAF Geilenkirchen1964Flt LtR.S.HassellRAF Lindholme1965CplR.N.van GelderenRAF Gaydon1966CplR.N.van Gelderen (2)RAF Gaydon1967Chf TechH.J.Dillon-LeeRAF Wattisham1968SgtR.N.van Gelderen (3)RAF Gaydon1969SgtR.N.van Gelderen (4)RAF Gaydon1970SgtR.N.van Gelderen (5)RAF Gaydon1971SgtR.N.van Gelderen (6)RAF Gaydon1972SgtR.N.van Gelderen (7)RAF Gaydon1973Flt LtG.Cox1974Chf TechD.D.WattRAF Honington1975SgtP.A.MossRAF Sealand1976SgtP.A.Moss (2)RAF Sealand1977SgtP.A.Moss (3)RAF Sealand1978SgtP.A.Moss (4)RAF Sealand1979Chf TechA.A.Thompson1980MAEI.WilkinsonRAF Lyneham1981CplP.W.RaymondRAF Abingdon1982CplJ.A.Wyles1983Flt LtD.P.Calvert1984CplJ.T.PrictorRAF Honington1985CplP.W.Raymond (2)RAF Abingdon1986CplJ.T.Prictor (2)RAF Honington1987CplI.L.VosperRAF Cottesmore1988CplJ.T.Prictor (3)RAF Bruggen1989SACI.D.E.BrownRAF Catterick1990SgtJ.T.Prictor (4)No. 9 Squadron RAF, RAF Bruggen1992FSM.W.Silver BEMNo. 19 Squadron RAF, RAF Aldergrove1993SgtP.BarryRAF Valley1994SgtD.B.VickRAF Honington1995SgtJ.T.Prictor (5)No. 9 Squadron RAF, RAF Bruggen1996Flt LtL.F.SmithNo. 72 Squadron RAF, RAF Aldergrove1997SgtJ.T.Prictor (6)No. 9 Squadron RAF, RAF Bruggen1998Flt LtL.F.Smith (2)Engineering Wing, RAF Coningsby1999SgtJ.T.Prictor (7)RAF Kinloss2000Chf TechJ.T.Prictor (8)MOD London, RAF Uxbridge2001Chf TechJ.T.Prictor (9)MOD London, RAF Uxbridge2002Chf TechJ.T.Prictor (10)RAF Cottesmore2003Chf TechJ.T.Prictor (11)RAF Cottesmore2004Flt LtC.AllenRAF Wittering2005Sqn LdrL.F.Smith (3)5001 Squadron, RAF Stafford2006Chf TechJ.T.Prictor (12)5131 (BD) Squadron, RAF Wittering2007Chf TechJ.T.Prictor (13)5131 (BD) Squadron, RAF Wittering2008Flt LtD.B.Vick (2)RAF Honington2009Chf TechJ.T.Prictor (14)5131 (BD) Squadron, RAF Wittering2010Sqn LdrL.F.Smith (4)HQ Air Command, RAF Halton2011Sqn LdrD.B.Vick (3)RAF Regiment, RAF Honington2012SgtP.Hunter2013CplR.JamiesonRAF Regiment2014CplR.Jamieson (2)RAF Regiment2015CplR.Jamieson (3)RAF Regiment2016SgtA.LilleyRAF Waddington2017CplM.KeightleyRAF Northolt2018SgtA.Lilley (2)RAF Waddington2019FSP.A.D.GuardRAF Odiham2022CplN.WebbRAF Stafford2023CplK.MitchellRAF Northolt2024CplN.Webb (2)RAF Lossiemouth2025WOA.Lilley (3)RAF Waddington2026CplN.Webb (3)RAF Lossiemouth
Australia The first Royal Australian Air Force championship to compete for the medal took place in 1956 and the first medal to an Australian was won by Warrant Officer C.E.P. Hawes. The championship took place annually from then until 1987, except in 1963 when no competition was held. In 1988, the Champion Shots Medal was instituted in Australia and the Queen's Medal for Champion Shots of the Air Forces ceased to be awarded.The Queen's/King's Medal for Champion Shots - Royal Australian Air Force - The Queen's Medal (Accessed 12 August 2015)Australian Government - It's an Honour - Champion Shots Medal (Accessed 9 August 2015) YearRankInitialsSurnameSquadron or Formation1956WOC.E.P.Hawes1957CplP.R.BeareRAAF School of Technical Training, Wagga Wagga1958LACD.G.LambNo. 2 Aircraft Depot1959ACM.J.Baxter86 Wing1960CplR.B.CookBasic Flight Training Squadron1961CplR.B.Cook (2)Basic Flight Training Squadron, Pt. Cook1962LACM.J.Baxter (2)16 Army Light Aircraft Squadron1964SgtG.Wiles1965CplJ.W.Dewhurst1966CplR.J.Rielly1967SgtT.L.Mitchell1968SgtM.Billett1969CplJ.W.Dewhurst (2)1970FSS.R.Catts1971FST.L.Mitchell (2)1972FST.L.Mitchell (3)1973Flt LtC.J.Griffiths1974LACG.Thompson1975SgtP.Phillips1976SgtP.Phillips (2)1977CplG.Thompson (2)1978CplG.T.Pern1979CplG.Thompson (3)1980SgtJ.L.Hamilton492 Squadron1981SgtJ.L.Hamilton (2)492 Squadron1982CplG.T.Pern (2)1983WOP.Phillips (3)1984SgtB.G.HartmanMOVCORDC1985WOJ.L.Hamilton (3)1986FSN.F.Marxsen1987SgtB.G.Hartman (2)MOVCORDC
Canada The first Royal Canadian Air Force championship to compete for the medal took place in 1954 and the first medal to a Canadian was won by Flight Sergeant J.V.P. Martin CD. The championship took place annually from then until 1967, when the Canadian Army, the Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal Canadian Air Force were unified into the Canadian Armed Forces. As a result, the Queen's Medal for Champion Shots of the Air Forces ceased to be awarded and, from 1968, regular Canadian Air Force members competed with regular Army and Navy members for the Queen's Medal for Champion Shots in the Military Forces.The Queen's/King's Medal for Champion Shots - Royal Canadian Airforce (Accessed 13 August 2015)Canadian Medals for Champion Shots - Queen's Medal for the Champion Shot of the Royal Canadian Air Force - Document dated 18 September 2014, created by Surgeon Captain John Blatherwick, pp. 8-9 (Accessed 9 August 2015)King's/Queen's Medal For The Champion Shot of the Royal Canadian Air Force - Document created by Surgeon Captain John Blatherwick CM OBC CD MD FRCPC LLD, pp. 9-10 (Accessed 8 August 2015)National Defence and the Canadian Forces - Queen's Medalists Recipients - Queen’s Medal for The Champion Shot of the Royal Canadian Air Force (1954 - 1967) (Accessed 13 August 2015) YearRankInitialsSurnameSquadron or Formation1954FSJ.V.P.Martin CD1955Flt LtT.W.Gregory CD1956CplS.Goddard1957LACD.A.Green1958LACG.E.Sannachan1959FSR.H.Cunnington CD1960FSJ.W.Brown CD1961CplA.F.O'Brien1962CplA.F.O'Brien (2)1963Fg OffO.J.Ruckpaul CDRCAF Station Centralia1964LACC.R.E.Wesley1965CplH.R.Peters CD1966Flt LtO.J.Ruckpaul CD (2)CFB Cold Lake1967Flt LtM.D.Phoenix CD
New Zealand The first Royal New Zealand Air Force championship to compete for the medal took place in 1954 and the first medal to a New Zealander was won by Warrant Officer F.A. Haycock. The championship, which is restricted to members of the regular Air Force, took place annually from then, except in 1966, 1967, 1996 and from 1998 to 2003, when no competition was held. The medal is still current in New Zealand.New Zealand Defence Force - Other New Zealand Medals and Awards - The Queen's Medal for Champion Shots of the New Zealand Air Forces (Accessed 13 August 2015)The Queen's/King's Medal for Champion Shots - The Royal New Zealand Air Force (Accessed 13 August 2015)