The Rifle Range and the Road to the Somme

The Ministry of Defence’s Rifle Range on the outskirts of Ponteland is a site of significant historical importance. It has been said that the road to the Somme often began on a quiet firing point at home, and this is a living example of the preparations for war that the men who fought and died in the First World War and subsequent conflicts, were put through.

The years immediately before the outbreak of the First World War saw Britain being put on a war footing with the nation gearing up for a conflict which was on the horizon. The previous war, the Boer War which ended in 1902 had exposed how badly British soldiers were as marksmen. In the lead-up to the First World War, hundreds of rifle ranges were established to train soldiers and territorial soldiers how to use firearms. The British Army was convinced that well-trained riflemen could defeat larger forces and that fire-disciple and accuracy mattered more than sheer numbers.

A new rifle range at Ponteland was first discussed in 1910 when “a very full report” was prepared regarding the suitability of this site at Berwick Hill on the outskirts of Ponteland. There were already sixteen ranges in Northumberland but these were generally small. The new one in Ponteland was to be much larger allowing firing to take place at 200, 500 and 600 yards. At the beginning of 1912, the Newcastle architects of Graham and Hill, who were experience in military architecture, were engaged to carry out the work.

Work began on the 1,500-acre site in January 1913. Its 64 targets erected at various distances made it one of the largest, best equipped and most important ranges in the country.

In June 1913, the site was formally inspected by Colonel J. H. Cowan who was known as one of England’s greatest rifle shots.

The butts were built on “thoroughly up-to-date principles” and were provided with sawdust receptacles at their base so that the bullets would fall from their targets and the lead recovered to be reused. There was a range-warden’s house constructed along with officer’s and men’s shelters and the camp was supplied with a telephone connection, which was just starting to be introduced.

The range was informally opened on 17 June 1913 with the first shots being fired by Lieut-Colonel F. S. Crawford, chairman of the Ranges Committee.

The range has been in continual use for over 100 years now, seeing service also during the Second World War. In addition to its military use, it has also been used by the police for weapon training and by civilian gun clubs. Today the site demonstrates a rare continuity of use from Edwardian Britain to the present day and forms part of Ponteland’s transformation from a rural village to a strategically connected community .