June 1909, Robert Bragg to his mother, Gwendoline

Robert attended Oundle school from xxx to xxx, his parents chose the school for its scientific reputation but also enjoyed the more active pursuits. The school had a firing range and Robert was also in the cadets, which was quite hard work but also had a social side with a residential summer camp.

Dryden House

Oundle

Northamptonshire

30/6/09

Dear Mother

I got your letter this afternoon what wretches those burglars are, I suppose you will have to get someone to sleep in the house. I got quite good places this week 1st in form 1st in maths & 2nd in French. I am quite alright now and I am sure I will be able to go to camp.

I went up to the ranges the other day and did quite well. At 100 yds I did the worst because the rifle was new and we use the full sized cartridges about 2 1/2” long so the gun kicked more than I have been used to . At 100 yds they have what is called group firing that is you fire all 5 shots without their being marked. The idea is to see if your aim is consistant so you are marked according to the smallness of the circle into which your shots go but it doesn’t matter where they are on the target. I got 4 shots quite close together but one a long way away so I only scored 10/25 points. At 200yds we fired in the ordinary was and I got 18/20 points in 5 shots, quite good for on a ft bull. At 300yds I scored 17/20 at a 2 ft bull. The size of the bull sounds large but it does not look it as 300 yds.

Then we went to 500yds where I got 15/20 at same target. This was really quite good shooting as there was a good breeze blowing sideways. My total score was 60/85 I had to get 50/85 to pass the test Juggie was quite bucked.

Rob.

Photos courtesy of the Royal Institution. RI MS WLB 37a/2/21

Notes and General Information

This letter from Robert to his mother was kept by his brother Lawrence, it was donated to the Royal Institution collections by the Bragg family along with the majority of Lawrence’s papers after his death in 1971.