"The Bell Medal" - Know Anything About It?

[Alanrus 0]

I too found a Bell Medal in a box of old family objects. It looks as though it has been struck from different dies from the two examples above.  I’m guessing it’s late 30s as it comes with other SMRC medals dated 1936-1940, including the Anglo-American Pershing Trophy Match Fund Competition Medal. I think they were won by my grandfather Robert Russell, who lived in Kirkcaldy, Scotland. 

[Emma 0]

My Grandad won The Bell Medal some time in the 30s.  My Mum has just loaned me a collection of his medals which I plan to research as she doesn't know much about them other than he shot at Bisley.  They are all dated between 1930 and 1938.  His name was James Selmes possibly of Kent, East Sussex or Hampshire.

[S. Muphy 0]

My grandfather won the Bell Trophy shooting for the English team in the international match at Bisley in 1901. He had the highest possible score, 30 dead centre bulls..his name was  ( major) Philip Spencer Robinson.

[Brian Woodall 0]

On 6/15/2020 at 5:14 PM, Alanrus said:

I too found a Bell Medal in a box of old family objects. It looks as though it has been struck from different dies from the two examples above.  I’m guessing it’s late 30s as it comes with other SMRC medals dated 1936-1940, including the Anglo-American Pershing Trophy Match Fund Competition Medal. I think they were won by my grandfather Robert Russell, who lived in Kirkcaldy, Scotland. 

I'm happy to be able to confirm that R Russell of Kirkcaldy Rifle Club is known to have been the winner of the Bell Medal in 1935. It is recorded in the August 1935 edition of The Rifleman, the journal of the SMRC.  The Pershing Trophy medal is probably bronze and was an award in a fund-raising competition to help send a British team to the USA in 1940.  One was given to every entrant who scored at least 185 ex 200 in the preliminary stage and 3,796 competitors won them.  The 1940 trip never took place, but instead the Americans contacted the SMRC in early 1939 to say they would come to the UK for a match - a good tactic which resulted in them winning for the first time.  Since the war the match has always been held in the USA (about once every eight years) and the USA has not lost a match since.  If you care to send me a scan of the other SMRC medals you have, I'll be happy to let you know more about them.  Scans to bwoodall.nsra@gmail.com.

[Brian Woodall 0]

On 7/16/2020 at 7:49 PM, Emma said:

My Grandad won The Bell Medal some time in the 30s.  My Mum has just loaned me a collection of his medals which I plan to research as she doesn't know much about them other than he shot at Bisley.  They are all dated between 1930 and 1938.  His name was James Selmes possibly of Kent, East Sussex or Hampshire.

Unfortunately James Selmes is not amongst the names of recorded winners of the Bell Medal. There were about 55,000 medals issued between 1909 and 1939, but we only know the names of about 16,000 winners, i.e. about 30%. If I can aid your research about the other medals, please drop me a scan of them - to bwoodall.nsra@gmail.com.