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NEVILLE DENNY – An old soldier lays down his rifle

Aug 17, 2008 Sports

Three decades of diligent and dedicated service to the Guyana National Rifle Association (GNRA), first as shooter and later as Vice President, culminated at the Police Officer’s Mess, Eve Leary, with a grand send off ceremony for Neville Denny, who retired from his executive position on the Association, December last.

Denny’s colleagues reminisced on their association with him and outpourings of love and affection permeated the air in his honour. They also used the occasion to acknowledge his 75th birth anniversary, a milestone attained on August 5 last.

Master of Ceremonies, Assistant Commissioner, Paul Slowe, himself a member of GNRA, said that Denny was everything to the GNRA. “He was shooter extraordinaire, mentor and member of the Amateur Athletic Association (AAA),” Slowe said. “As a matter of fact he was a member of everything,” Slowe concluded amidst much laughter.

The Assistant Commissioner admitted that he was Denny’s protégée. “Neville inspired me to take up rifle shooting. “He literally took me to the ranges and paid my range fees,” Slowe reminisced.

Vice President of the GNRA, Richard Fields was also loud in praise of Denny’s astuteness with the rifle. He acknowledged Denny’s long association with the GNRA and urged him to consider ‘lending his inspirational presence on the ranges. Fields said that he is confident that despite his decision to retire from the sport, Denny will still find the time to render assistance to young riflemen by way of advice coupled with his presence at the ranges.

In rifle shooting the highest possible points that can be attained by a shooter is seventy five.
This is accomplished after the marksman would have scored a perfect seventy five points from his fifteen shots.

This feat is referred to as a 15 round possible. Fullbore captain, Mahendra Persaud applauded Denny’s milestone of seventy five years and jocularly proclaimed that he (Denny) was the first to achieve a 15 round possible in life.

He also spoke of the respect and love he had inculcated for Denny over the years of their association.
Denny, who was later presented with a plaque, acknowledged the many outpourings of love saying that he was honoured to have served in such a distinguished Association.

He admitted that he has a slight sight deficiency and holding the plaque aloft he jocularly remarked, “I will read it and cherish it when I don my magnifying glass.”

Denny, who grew up in Linden, admitted that he had always been fascinated by guns.
The former rifleman said it was difficult to realize his full potential while residing in the Mining Town.
He decided to travel to Georgetown to study electronics at the Government Technical Institute.

He said that he joined the Guyana Police Force in 1956. He soon became attracted to guns.
Denny said that while in the Force he loved to venture on the ranges to see the marksmen in action. He remembers that a constable by the name of Rassan inspired him to join the Police rifle team.  However, it was a superintendent named Frederick Canon who honed his skill in that department. “I soon joined the police rifle shooting team,” he reminisced.

An important accomplishment that juts out in his memory was when he was able to shoot alongside the likes of the late Cecil Dass and Maurice Young in the British Guiana Rifle Association. He said that he prefers to shoot the Fullbore rifle which uses the 762.51 ammunition.

He said that in his days riflemen shot with modified military rifles. The situation has since changed with custom built rifles now the preferred choice.

Denny, however, pointed out that the rifles must conform to the standards of the National Rifle Association of Great Britain. This entity frowns on practices that guarantee unfair advantages to competitors.

The plaque presented to Denny was presented, “in appreciation of your many years of effective leadership; dedicated and faithful service.”

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