Article
Harry Neville 1927 - 2024
1991 European UT Championships, Chatelaillon, France Veteran Team Gold
Harry Neville – 13th March 1927 – 10th August 2024
It is with fondness and great memories, I report Harry Neville’s passing at the age of 97.
Harry was born in Southampton on 13th March 1927 and moved to Kent at the age of two.
After the war, Harry did his National Service in 1947. He joined the RAF as a trainee engineer and worked on plane engines – Rolls Royce Merlin and Griffin engines on the Spitfires. In 1948, Harry was based in Cyprus. He was there until at least 1950 and loved it. While there, he won his badge as a Marksman and was on the winning Middle East Air Forces Postal Shoot team two years running. This may have been the catalyst for his later fascination with clay shooting!
While taking up more active sports, such as Cricket and motorbike racing when he was younger, Harry took up Darts and Clay Pigeon Shooting in later life. He was well known throughout both communities. As a veteran shooter, Harry travelled all over the country and abroad. He influenced many lives and actively encouraged both young and old to participate in clay shooting. He was keen to promote good discipline and safe conduct, a stickler for good time keeping. We travelled far and wide with Harry; he would always give us a weather report to ensure we would be prepared for the impact of the weather on the targets!
We valued his support at Kent Gun Club; ensuring competitors were ready for their squad of ABT or UT, enabling us to run six squads through on a single layout. Later, when Kent Gun Club closed, Harry began supporting the Dartford Gun Club. His regular attendance and willingness to help with any task, was much appreciated.
Harry’s successes included:
- Between 1987 and 2004 he won 30 medals in the Kent, British, European and World Championships
- He was top Kent Veteran four years running from 1990 to 1994 and then again in 2004
- He won 7 medals in the British Grand Prix, 4 of them Gold
- He travelled to France, Belgium, Portugal and Italy to take part in both the European and World Championships and won 9 medals
- His best year by far was 1990 when he won Individual Silver and team Gold in the European Championships in Portugal and Team Gold in the World Championship in Italy.
Most of his medals were in Universal Trench but he also picked up a number of medals in Automatic Ball Trap. Harry was not only a dedicated competitor, but also a qualified referee supporting such events as the Nordic Games held at Bisley in 1992. Also, the World UT Championship held at East Yorkshire Gun Club in 1993.
He participated in Clay Pigeon Shooting for many years; he was well liked and respected by all who met him.
Jo Lakey and Philip Clarke