A Wingshooting Paradise

MY FATHER WAS born in 1925, on Sindlesham Farm near Wokingham, Berkshire. His father, a superb shotgunner, introduced him to wingshooting at an early age, and Dad would accompany him on syndicate shoots.

From my father’s manuscript:

“When I was old enough to handle a shotgun, father bought me a .410 double barrelled shotgun, he gave me one box of cartridges and told me that these were the only shells he would ever buy me and that I could shoot rabbits, pigeons and wildfowl and sell them for cash at Bracknell market each week, and so keep me in ammunition. Father was as good as his word, so I was very careful not to waste any ammunition, which probably improved my shooting in the long run.

I went to Bradfield College which was situated in the heart of game country, pheasants and partridges everywhere, also the river Pang, which was full of brown trout, flowed through the college grounds. During the winter months we poached the game whenever the gamekeeper’s back was turned; as we wore gowns and mortarboards the game was easily concealed. We also poached trout