By 1908, the Cretan Assembly having ineffectively declared ‘enosis‘, union, with Greece – in spite of Greece not wanting to be united with Crete at that time – and the Theriso Rebellion being over, there was relatively little to do for the British troops on the island. Clearly the answer was to keep them occupied with sporting activities, and if these could be combined with a bit of ‘friendly’ competition with the other European troops on the island, so much the better.
Since football and rounders competitions probably had the potential of becoming too violent, the obvious answer was to give them ammunition for their rifles and let them shoot it out.
Spectators at the International Rifle Tournament, Crete 1908
Though the detail is difficult to make out, from the uniforms, the British contingent are on the left of the picture, the French and Italian in the middle, Russian on the right, with a group of Cretan gendarmes on the extreme right. Since this was May 1908, the British troops would have been members of 3/Kings Royal Rifles.
Competitors. International Rifle Tournament, Crete 1908.
No British competitors appear to be shown in this postcard, but at least one British officer seems to be taking some notice of the activity.
International Rifle Tournament, Crete 1908.
Apparently taken later in the day than the photograph above, at least judging by the state of the sand, a British competitor is shown second from the left in the line of participants.
Officers’ shooting competition.
Lest it be forgotten, Officers are human also and they too needed some relaxation – albeit not with nasty heavy rifles, but with handguns! The photo, undated and uncaptioned, would also appear to show the 1908 competition.
In Britain, the event was reported on as follows:
“An international rifle meeting was held at Crete on the 29th and 30th ult. In the first match, open to private soldiers, the British team was first, the Russian second, and the Cretan third. In the non-commissioned officers’ competition, the Cretans won the first prize, the Greeks the second, and the British the third. A competition consisting of firing at bottles by teams of six soldiers of each nation having contingents in Crete, after a march at the double of 150yds., was won by the Russians, the French team being second. The result of the officers’ rifle competition at a target was : —Russia, 1 ; Italy, 2 ; Greece, 3 ; Russia, 4 ; Great Britain, 5. Officers’ revolver competition : Lieut. G. M. Atkinson, 3rd Batn. King’s Royal Rifles (Great Britain), 1; Lieut. Piccio (Italy), 2; Capt. Bonelli (Italy), 3 ; and Major Pallu (France), 4.” Army and Navy Gazette, Saturday 13 June 1908.
Of particular interest in this account is the inclusion of ‘Cretan’ and ‘Greek’ competitors. The ‘Cretan’ competitors are, presumably either Cretan Militia or Gendarmes; the mention of ‘Greek’ soldiers/officers is unexplained.
While the location of the competition is not stated, Canea was the most likely venue since the town was nominally occupied by troops from all four occupying countries at this time; Britain, France, Italy and Russia. Furthermore, a War Office map of the town drawn up in 1905 shows a firing range on the sea shore in the area about 3Km west of the town.
British military map Canea 1905/1910.WO33 2720 Military report 1905 Addendum 1910.
(The duel dating on the captions of the postcards was because both Crete and Russia were still using the Julian calendar at this time, the rest of Europe being on the Gregorian.)
The British in Crete, 1896 to 1913. 