PRINCE WILLIAM RECENTLY DEMONSTRATED THAT HE IS A TRULY FORMIDABLE SHOT. HE PARTICIPATED IN A LIVE AMMUNITION FIRING EXERCISE ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF SYDNEY THAT LEFT MORE EXPERIENCED SOLDIERS FULL OF ADMIRATION FOR HIS SKILLS. THE PRINCE SCORED A RATING DESCRIBED AS 'EXCELLENT' BY ONE OF THE SENIOR OFFICERS EVEN THOUGH, UNDER PRESSURE FROM THE WORLD'S MEDIA, HE WAS USING A RIFLE THAT HE HAD NEVER FIRED BEFORE. PRINCE WILLIAM, WHO WAS WEARING CIVILIAN CLOTHES AND USING PROTECTIVE EAR PLUGS, LAY ON THE GROUND TO FIRE REAL BULLETS AT A TARGET 100 METERS AWAY AT THE HOLSWORTHY ARMY BARRACKS. HE SCORED A RATING OF 104 WHICH REPRESENTED THE AVERAGE SPREAD IN MILLIMETERS BETWEEN ALL THE BULLETS FROM HIS FOUR FIVE-ROUND GROUPS. EACH OF THE ROUNDS WAS FIRED INTO A CIRCULAR, WHITE TARGET AS THE SOUND OF GUNFIRE ECHOED ALL AROUND THE FIRING RANGE, LT COL TRENT SCOTT, THE COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE PARAS FROM THE 3rd BATTALION OF THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN REGIMENT, WAS TOLD THE SCORE BY THE PRINCE. 'THAT'S GOOD, THAT'S EXCELLENT', HE REPLIED, CLEARLY HUGELY IMPRESSED. PRINCE WILLIAM WHO WAS ON HIS FOURTH DAY OF HIS FOREIGN TOUR REPRESENTING THE QUEEN, FIRED AN F-88 AUSTEYR PERSONAL RIFLE, USED BY THE REGIMENT'S SOLDIERS WHO SERVED IN AFGHANISTAN IN 2008. HE ALSO FIRED A F-89 MINIMI MACHINE-GUN. THERE WAS NO SCORE FOR THIS EXERCISE BUT HE HIT HIS TARGET WITH ALL THE 100 ROUNDS FIRED FROM THE 'BELT'. THE YOUNG PRINCE POSED FOR A GROUP PHOTOGRAPH WITH THE UNIFORMED SOLDIERS, WHO THEN PRESENTED HIM WITH A BROWN 'SLOUCH HAT' TO PROTECT HIM FROM THE SCORCHING SUN. HE FLEETINGLY PUT IT ON AND WAS ASKED IF IT FITTED. 'NOT QUITE, NO. BUT IT'S THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS!', HE REPLIED.
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