A History of Detection of Explosive Devices 1. (700-1950)
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Land Forces Academy Review Vol. XXV, No 3(99), 2020 A HISTORY OF DETECTION OF EXPLOSIVE DEVICES 1. (700-1950) Tibor HORVÁTH National University of Public Service, Budapest, Hungary [email protected] József Zsolt SZATAI National University of Public Service, Budapest, Hungary [email protected] ABSTRACT This study presents the history of explosive devices and that of their detection. With the invention of explosive devices and their subsequent use, the methods of warfare changed significantly. New procedures emerged that were already unthinkable to implement without the use of such tools. In parallel with the emergence of explosive devices with increasing destructive power, the need to deactivate them also came to the fore. Opposing parties made increasing efforts to detect, deactivate, and destroy explosive devices. After the completion of military operations, the detection of explosive devices did not lose its importance, and developed into an essential mission, since the areas had to be cleared of devices left over from the military actions and posing a murderous danger. KEYWORDS: explosive device, mine, minefield, detection, deactivation 1. Introduction “compounds” have been used in countless The history of mankind is a history of cases for and against humanity. Accidental wars. This statement is especially true of the explosions during their discovery or th 20 century, where not a single year passed production have clearly demonstrated the without an armed conflict (Kiadó, 2001). “magical power” of these materials. Throughout human history, combat tools and Although they were only utilised as procedures have been continually developed. fireworks at religious ceremonies for a long The ancient legend of Prometheus, who stole time, it was also realized that such materials fire from the gods to pass it on to humans, is could be used for “something else” (Szabó very well known. In this myth, our distant Tóth, 2012). The pre-planned and ancestors could have foreseen that the key to human growth lies in the control of fire. After systemic use of the properties of explosive all, he who is able to dominate fire, gains materials resulted in the creation of advantage over others. The same was thought explosive devices. Explosive devices can be of explosives as well. used both in defensive and offensive It has been a very long time since the operations. Such type of their military invention of explosives, and these application changed the nature of warfare. DOI: 10.2478/raft-2020-0023 © 2017. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 License. 189 Parallel with their application, the need for After its discovery, the gunpowder defence against explosive devices emerged, spread quite slowly in the world, because which could result in increased the Chinese, having recognised the survivability of friendly troops. The history importance of “black dust,” kept it as a of the detection of explosive devices dates secret weapon. Into Europe, the black back to about the same era as the history of powder was brought by English monk the military use of explosive devices. Robert Bacon, who presented its operation and strategic importance to the Pope in 2. From the Medieval Period to the 1240. In 1242, in his book “Liber de End of the Modern Period Nullitate Magiae”, Bacon provides an exact For centuries, humankind has been “smoke powder” recipe for fireworks. using explosive materials both for military According to this, black powder can be and industrial purposes. The use of produced by mixing 40% potassium nitrate, explosives for military purposes resulted in 30% carbon and 30% sulphur. the creation of explosive devices. Black powder appeared in the Middle According to current wording, an explosive East at about the same time when it device can be any object or device that appeared in Europe. It is not known contains an explosive or pyrotechnic whether it was “borrowed” from China or substance (Mű/41, 2014). The earliest man- developed independently, but according to made explosive material was black or certain records, Muslims used the mix as smoky gunpowder, which is commonly early as the 13th century. The incendiary referred to as gunpowder, as it was used for arrows coated with the flammable materials a very long time mainly to fire projectiles they had previously used had not been from firearms. The history of black powder effective enough because they went out begins in China around 700 A.D., when it easily during flight. It was established that was discovered that the mix of nitric, black powder mixed with salt compounds sulphur, and charcoal in the right was significantly more stable and did not go proportions might result in a material that out in flight, so that previous deficiencies can make spectacular fireworks (Lukács, could be easily eliminated. It was also 2012). However, it was not used for found that when a mixture of such a military purposes for another nearly 300 composition was filled into a tube with one years. Documents suggest that in China, of its end left open, the gases formed during during the Song Dynasty in 970, Feng ignition left the open part and the device Y-Sheng and Yue Y-Feng used incendiary itself did not have to be thrown because it arrows, the tips of which were dipped in activated itself, got launched and airborne. gunpowder, (Андреев, 1956) but black In flight, it was driven by the thrust powder was also used to operate other produced by the ejecting gases rearward. weapons. Subsequently, gunpowder was As a result of this process, the rocket was regularly used in China for military invented. Such rudimentary missiles were purposes too. In 1232, in Kai-Fung-Fu, the used in the wars against the Mongols and capital of the Jong Dynasty, the city’s the Crusaders (Ghazal Ismail, 2011). defenders used “Ho-Pao” devices in order Although the use of black powder in an to break the siege by the Mongols. From the explosive device proved to be beneficial to descriptions of the effects of the device, it the troops using it, its use in this field was can be concluded that it might have been not widespread. Presumably, this may be the first explosive device in the world. related to the conditions required for the 190 storage of gunpowder, which became wet thus preventing planting a mine. This type and unusable if it was not stored in of demining procedure was used for force sufficiently dry conditions. The dry protection right until World War I. Later, conditions, necessary for storage, could not simultaneously with the development of always be created by the belligerents on the mines, new and more sophisticated battlefield, since their camps were often detection and clearance procedures were relocated. Therefore, the creation of those developed. Attempts were made to flood conditions was limited for providing the tunnels with water, thereby neutralizing gunpowder necessary for the use of firearms. the explosive device containing mainly In the 15th century, in addition to its gunpowder, but the applied techniques also use in firearms, black powder was included destruction with explosive charge introduced for use in tunnels and shaft adjacent to the main charge. passages dug into the ground, with the aim Some records from the mid-16th of destroying enemy fortifications. To this century also mention the use of black end, tunnels were dug as close as possible powder for criminal purposes. One such to the walls of fortifications. They were case was the assassination at Kirk O. Field filled with black powder or other incendiary in 1567, which ended with the death of mixtures that were blown up in order to Lord Darnley. As these cases were unique destroy the walls of the fortifications and to and the acts specifically targeted one create a gap in it for access by the attacking particular person, the use of explosive infantry. Such a method was used by the devices for such purposes cannot be army of Russian Tsar Ivan IV, also known considered widespread. Nor did the as “Ivan the Terrible” during the siege of contemporary authorities identify this type Kazan in 1552. of crime as a common source of danger, Parallel with such type of use of therefore no attempt was made for explosive materials, the need to detect them investigation. The first use of black powder emerged for the defenders. There are many as an industrial explosive in the world took stories about how demining activities place in Selmecbánya, present day Banská actually began. In the Medieval Times, Štiavnica, in 1627, where it was used by given the contemporary procedures master miner Gáspár Weindl to crack the according to which mines were explosives mine wall. hidden in tunnels, tunnels were also dug as In the 16th century, new types of a possible way to defend against attackers’ combat firearms appeared on the battlefield, mines. With digging the probing tunnels, while the typical use of black powder in the intention was to find the tunnel made by explosive devices was limited to mines the enemy and the explosives hidden in it hidden below ground level. The first before it was put into action. This was an controlled-effect shrapnel mine on the extremely tedious task that failed to meet battlefield was used by Francois de Fleury, the expectations in many cases. An an engineer of George Washington, on the improved version of the method was to dig banks of the Delaware River in New Jersey “counter-tunnels” in which explosives and in October 1777. The mine consisted of incendiary materials were placed. Those, explosive material dug into the ground, and when initiated in good time, collapsed the stones placed onto or next to the charge, to tunnel excavated by the attacking enemy, act as shrapnel.