(Martini Henry) یوبندی-لیندادار گورایٰ in Chitral by Hidayat ur Rahman

(Martini Henry) یوبندی-لیندادار گورایٰ

First Matini Henry with other weapons brought by W.S.A Lockhart’s Gilgit mission to Chitral in 1885. In Chitral we call it یوبندی-لیندادار گورایٰ . It was extensively used in Chital State Levies, Chitral Scouts and Chitral State Bodyguard etc and remained in the service till to 1950s. It has been used widely in hunting particularly up-land hunting in Chitral. Some native junior officers had trained Chitralis for the usage of Martinis (1887-1892). It has been distributed in the border regions of Chitral for guarding against Bashgalis. In 1912, there were 171 Martinis in the possession of Mehtar of Chitral. In Chitral there are shot-guns with this type of rifle.

History

The Martini–Henry is a breech-loading single-shot lever-actuated rifle that was used by the British Army. It first entered service in 1871, eventually replacing the Snider–Enfield (د نبلاپُر ) a muzzle-loader converted to the cartridge system. Martini–Henry variants were used throughout the British Empire for 30 years. It combined the dropping-block action first developed by Henry O. Peabody (in his Peabody rifle) and improved by the Swiss designer Friedrich von Martini, combined with the polygonal barrel rifling designed by Scotsman Alexander Henry.

Though the Snider was the first breechloader firing a metallic cartridge in regular British service, the Martini was designed from the outset as a breechloader and was both faster firing and had a longer range. The Martini–Henry was copied on a large scale by North-West Frontier Province gunsmiths. Their weapons were of a poorer quality than those made by Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield, but accurately copied down to the proof markings. The chief manufacturers were the Adam Khel Afridi, who lived around the Khyber Pass. The British called such weapons “Pass-made rifles.

Specifications

Mass 8 pounds 7 ounces (3.827 kg) (unloaded), 9 pounds, 4.75 ounces (with sword bayonet)

Length 49 inches (124.5 cm)

Barrel length 33.22 inches (84 cm)

Cartridge 303

Events

1. This weapon was used in the war of 1895 and 1919 war of Berkot. In the old days of matchlocks it would not have mattered, but in these days of Martini-Henrys and Sniders the whole character of hill warfare is altered (Thompson 1895).

2. Used by 14th Sikh was armed with Martini- Henry rifles, while the Kashmir Imperial Service Infantry had Snider rifles during the war of Chitral 1895.

3. During the coronation durbar of H.H Shuja ul Mulk one Martini Henry was given to famous Ismaili Pir Shahzada Lais of Arkari as “Khilat”.

4. The famous warrior of Chitral Daniyal Beg was killed by killers with this rifle.

5. Kalashs of Chitral has been also widely used in this weapon.

Variants in Chitral

1. Angreziانگریزی ) (short بڑاج (and long درونگ) )

2. Shaghali شغالی (locally made in Dara) دارِآوال

3. Kabuli (During the reign of Amir Abdur Rehman of Afghanistan, he established an arms factory in Kabul) کابلی

4. Kohati کوھاٹی

Posted by Chitral Printing Publishing Company in News Updates