RAF boss draws his pistols
4 Jan 08
Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy, has been practising his pistol shooting at Bisley for the Air Officers and Station Commanders Pistol Match. He hopes to demonstrate to younger members of the Armed Forces a central part of military life - being able to defend themselves. Report by Ian Carr.
Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy takes aim on a target 15 metres away
[Picture: Harland Quarrington]
Having emptied a full clip into the target from 15 metres, Sir Glenn Torpy rendered safe his 9mm Browning pistol and slipped it back into his holster. He stepped up to the target to see how good his practice session had been and to get a few pointers from the safety officer advising him:
"It's not been a bad effort," the range officer whispers to me. "Actually, he's something of a natural. If he put in a bit more practice I reckon he could be one of the lads on our team."
Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy, President of the RAF Small Arms Association, is preparing to face a band of senior hot shots in the Air Officers and Station Commanders Pistol Match.
This is Sir Glenn's third year competing for the winner's trophy, something he achieved the first time he took part, but which he modestly passes off as "a fluke". Last year he came third. Something about his approach to the practice session makes you sense that he wants to improve on that this year.
Looking at the 20 other competitors, it appears the determination to win may also be burning very strongly in some of them. And why not? How often does someone still climbing the greasy pole of RAF command have a chance to challenge the man at the very top in a friendly contest on equal terms:
"It's a good gathering," says Sir Glenn. "Not quite as many as last year because of commitments."
Apparently no one in uniform is immune to the time sapping influence of two major operations.
"It gives us a chance to practise a central part of military life: being able to defend ourselves. I'm really keen to encourage that." Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy, Chief of the Air Staff
This is a rare day away from the job for Sir Glenn, although it does not quite qualify as a day off:
"It's going to be great fun", he says. "But at the same time it gives us a chance to practise a central part of military life: being able to defend ourselves. I'm really keen to encourage that. I want to instil in all youngsters in the Service that if they find themselves in Iraq or Afghanistan they need to be able to look after themselves and their mates. If they see their senior officers taking time to do something like this, then they know they can too."
So how did he do, blazing away at the cardboard commando charging towards him? Not bad at all. Just as he did last year, CAS grouped his bullets nicely around the heart of the target, achieving third place with 107 points out of a possible maximum of 150.
He's clearly chuffed, but the shooting is not over yet. In the next event, each team of three will blast away at clay tiles on a rack ten metres away, shooting against the clock.
This time the rest of the competitors may be taking more notice of the career pecking order. Then again it might be sheer skill. Whatever, CAS and his team achieve a comfortable second place. Does he mind failing to achieve first position? No, not really. Well, maybe just a bit:
"Its pretty noticeable that competitiveness is getting more fierce," he says. "There's evidence of more practice going on around the bases."
You get the feeling that he is planning a few more practice sessions himself.