Maurice Blood

Blood enjoyed relative success at the 1908 London Olympics. He won the free rifle (1000 yards) bronze medal and finished fourth in both the running target single and double shot events, missing out on a bronze in the former by just one point.

Blood made his début at Bisley on the revolver ranges in 1897 and won the Revolver Hold Badge three successive years, 1900-02. He then moved to the longer rifle ranges, and enjoyed even more success, winning the Match Rifle Championship for the Hopton Cup in 1911, 1919, and 1930. In 1931 he set a British Isles record, and what was also believed to be a world record at the time, of hitting 35 consecutive bulls from 1,100 yards.

Blood represented Ireland in many top team competitions, including the McKinnon Match five times in 1908-10 and 1913-14. He also made 26 consecutive appearances for Ireland in the annual international Elcho Shield match between 1904-29, and was captain for three years from 1931.

Blood retired from competitive shooting at the end of the 1934 Bisley Meeting having won nearly 100 match rifle prizes at Bisley, including four in succession in 1911. An outstanding mathematician, Blood was originally a schoolmaster before becoming a stockbroker, and he represented the Stock Exchange Rifle Club in competitive shooting matches.