Jesse Wallingford
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| Born |
25 January 1872 Woolwich, London, England |
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| Died | 6 June 1944 (aged 72) Auckland, New Zealand |
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| Sport | |||||||||||||
| Sport | Sports shooting | ||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Jesse Alfred Wallingford (25 January 1872 – 6 June 1944) was a British sport shooter, who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics.
In the 1908 Olympics he won a bronze medal in the team pistol event. He was also fifth in the individual pistol event, sixth in team free rifle event and tenth in 300 m free rifle event. The same year he set a mad minute record, scoring 36 hits in one minute on a 48 inch target at 300 yards. He was a sniper when the Great War broke out and taught numerous soldiers how to shoot.
At the 1899 International Shooting Sport Federation World Championships in Loosdoinen, Belgium, he won the Gold Medal in 300 metres free rifle prone 40 shots, men.
Prior to 1915 as Assistant Adjutant, Auckland Infantry Battalion, he supervised the work of training the Expeditionary Force in rifle practice at Penrose, Auckland, and left for Europe with the main body of the force. He was brought to NZ by the Government in 1911 direct from the School of Musketry, Hythe, England, to act as instructor to the New Zealand territorial forces. He was six times the rifle champion of the British Empire, twice revolver champion and five times was second in the revolver championship. He was twice the winner of the Prince of Wales’ £100 prize, one of the biggest shooting trophies in the world. [Auckland Weekly News 10.06.1915, p. 21]
He won a Military Cross for his actions at Gallipoli in 1915. Officially his citation of 3 July 1915, p6541 states: "On 25th and 26th April, 1915, during operations near Gaba Tepe, for exceptionally good service with the New Zealand Brigade machine-gun and sharpshooters, and for conspicuous coolness and resource on several critical occasions."
The action for which he received the award were recorded in The Auckland Regiment by OE Burn in 1922:
On the afternoon of the 27th, Wallingford greatly distinguished himself. The position above Walker's was obscure, doubtful and dangerous. Arriving on the scene, he found that the casualties had been very heavy, that the Turks had obtained complete superiority of fire and were apparently massing, ready to storm over the disheartened few who were still holding on. No one was in charge. In perilous times the boldest measures are always the best. Wallingford saw that to attack, to get on the offensive, was the only thing that could save the situation. He told the men around that he was going forward. It seemed certain death, but he made the venture, not knowing whether any would follow. Twenty yards for-ward, thirty yards—and the Turkish fire was very hot for-ward still, and then down in a little patch of partially dead ground. Here, between the lines was a machine-gun. It was jammed and out of order; belt and spare parts were lying around in confusion. The crew had been killed, with the exception of Preston, who, wounded as he was, stayed by his gun, although he could not put it to rights. For the master gunner it was but a moment's work, and the gun was rattling away, "Rat-tat-tat, rat-tat-tat," and the Turks who were a moment ago insolently showing themselves were shot down. For hours Wallingford and Preston held on, despite every effort of the Turks to dislodge them. The deadly rifle of the great marksman, and the still more deadly bursts of machine-gun fire made short work of any venturesome Turks who dared to show themselves. Their fire slackened. Then the worn-out men behind took fresh courage, and came round the machine-gun. The position was once more secure. It was characteristic of Captain Wallingford that his next business was to get the wounded clear. With the exception of Dr. Craig, no man was ever keener on salvaging the poor broken sufferers on the battlefield than this fighting soldier, of whom it is literally true to say that, like Saul of old, "he had slain his thousands." In those early critical days the fiery enthusiasm, the tireless energy, the stark valour of this man were invaluable. It was he "who gave us the courage."
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