Dum Dum Arsenal
Dum Dum Arsenal (or Dum-Dum Arsenal) was a British colonial arsenal located near the town of Dum Dum in modern West Bengal, India. The arsenal is famously known for being at the center of the cartridge grease controversy in the events leading up to the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The creation of the "Dum Dum Bullet", the world's first expanding bullet, also took place in the arsenal.
History
The arsenal was headquarters of the Bengal Infantry from 1783 to 1853. An explosion would occur at the arsenal on December 7th, 1908 that would result in the injury and death of about 50 local workmen.[1]
Indian Rebellion of 1857
In 1856 the arsenal had begun greasing cartridges with tallow and issued similarly prepared cartridges sent from Britain to Indian soldiers. These cartridges were only meant to be distributed to European soldiers but due to human error were also given to locals. Since the tallow could be composed of either cow or pig fat it would be considered sinful for followers of the Hindu, Islamic, and even Sikh faith to use them. An Indian worker at the arsenal who noticed this would one day approach a Brahmin caste soldier asking for a drink of water from his pack. The Brahmin would refuse citing his inferior caste to which the worker would taunt him about the introduction of the newer cartridges that would cause him to lose his caste upon using.[2] The Brahmin upon hearing such news rushed "horror-stricken" to his comrades to reveal this news, these rumors would eventually spread throughout the army and civilian population adding fuel to the fire that the British were attempting to convert India into a Christian nation.[3]
Dum Dum Bullet
The Dum Dum Bullet was invented by Captain Bertie Clay at the arsenal in the late 1890s.[4] The bullet was intended for the British .303 rifle, upon impact the bullet would expand due to the removed casing on the tip of the cartridge. The bullet would eventually be banned for use by the Hague Conference of 1899.[5]
References
- ↑ 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Dum-Dum. Wikisource. Retrieved on 2011-11-21.
- ↑ Robert Montgomery Martin (1879). Our Indian Empire and the Adjacent Countries of Afghanistan, Beloochistan, Persia, etc.. The London Printing and Publishing Company, 126.
- ↑ Charles Henry H. Wright, John Lovering Cooke (1873). Memoir of John Lovering Cooke, with a Sketch of the Indian Mutiny of 1857-58. Oxford University, 29.
- ↑ T. McCormack, Avril McDonald (2006). Yearbook of International Humanitarian Law, Volume 6; Volume 2003. Cambridge University Press, 48.
- ↑ Gregg Lee Carter (2002). Guns in American Society. ABC-CLIO, 184.