Walter D.M. Bell
Encyclopedia
Walter Dalrymple Maitland Bell (1880–1954), known as Karamojo Bell, was a Scottish adventurer, a big game hunter in East Africa, soldier, decorated pilot, sailor, writer and painter.
Bell was an advocate of the importance of shooting accuracy, at a time when maximum firepower was the most common technique. He improved his shooting skills by careful dissection and study of the anatomy of the skulls of the elephants he shot. He even perfected the clean shooting of elephants from the extremely difficult position of being diagonally behind the target, and this shot became known as the Bell Shot.
Although chiefly known for his exploits in Africa, he also travelled to North America and New Zealand, sailed windjammer
s, and saw service in southern Europe during World War I.
in 1880. Walter was the second-youngest of 10 children. His mother died when he was 2 years old and his father died when he was 6. He was brought up by his elder brothers, but ran away from several schools, and once hit his school captain over the head with a cricket bat. At the age of 13 he went to sea. In 1897 at the age of 17 he hunted lions for the Uganda Railway
using a single-shot .303.
during the Boer War
. Bell was captured when his horse was shot from under him but escaped and managed to get back to British lines.
Over sixteen years spent in Africa, he hunted in Uganda
, the Sudan
, Ethiopia
, Central Africa and West Africa.
He became known as “Karamojo
” Bell (Sometimes spelt Karamoja) because of his safaris through this remote wilderness area in North Eastern Uganda.
Bell shot over 1,500 elephants during his career. He was noted for using high speed, smaller calibre bullets rather than the slow speed, larger calibre bullets that were popular with other big game hunters. The bulk of his kills were made with Rigby
manufactured copies of Mauser
rifles in 7x57mm calibre. 300 were killed with Mannlicher-Schoenauer 6.5x54mm
carbines, and 200 with a .303 British
.
He insisted on using military Full Metal Jacket
bullets weighing from approx 150 to 200 grains, rather than the 400+ grain bullets popular at the time Bell refused to use soft point bullets under any circumstances.
, and became a pilot in Tanganyika
(present day Tanzania). It is reputed that he only flew alone so that he could take pot-shots at enemy aircraft with his rifle without other crew getting in the way.
Bell was decorated with the Military Cross twice for service in Greece and France and finished the war with the rank of Captain.
he collected.
Bell retired to Scotland and began writing several books about his exploits.
During World War II, he was involved in Operation Dynamo
, sailing his yacht in to Dunkirk to rescue British and French troops.
Walter Bell spent his later years writing and painting, using some of his paintings as illustrations in his books.
Bell died 30th June 1954.
Bell was an advocate of the importance of shooting accuracy, at a time when maximum firepower was the most common technique. He improved his shooting skills by careful dissection and study of the anatomy of the skulls of the elephants he shot. He even perfected the clean shooting of elephants from the extremely difficult position of being diagonally behind the target, and this shot became known as the Bell Shot.
Although chiefly known for his exploits in Africa, he also travelled to North America and New Zealand, sailed windjammer
Windjammer
A windjammer is the ultimate type of large sailing ship with an iron or for the most part steel hull, built to carry cargo in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century...
s, and saw service in southern Europe during World War I.
Early life
He was born into a wealthy family of Scottish and Manx ancestry, on the family estate near Clifton Hall, EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
in 1880. Walter was the second-youngest of 10 children. His mother died when he was 2 years old and his father died when he was 6. He was brought up by his elder brothers, but ran away from several schools, and once hit his school captain over the head with a cricket bat. At the age of 13 he went to sea. In 1897 at the age of 17 he hunted lions for the Uganda Railway
Uganda Railway
The Uganda Railway is a railway system and former railway company linking the interiors of Uganda and Kenya with the Indian Ocean at Mombasa in Kenya.-Origins:...
using a single-shot .303.
Yukon gold and the Boer War
Shooting lions didn't pay well, so Bell spent a short time panning for gold in the Yukon gold rush, where he earned a living by shooting game to supply Dawson City with meat. He joined the Canadian Mounted RiflesCanadian Mounted Rifles
Canadian Mounted Rifles was part of the designation of several mounted infantry units in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.* The Canadian Mounted Rifle Corps, formed in 1885, now part of The Royal Canadian Dragoons...
during the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
. Bell was captured when his horse was shot from under him but escaped and managed to get back to British lines.
Big game hunter
After the war ended in 1902, Bell remained in Africa and became a professional elephant hunter.Over sixteen years spent in Africa, he hunted in Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
, the Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
, Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
, Central Africa and West Africa.
He became known as “Karamojo
Karamoja
Karamoja sub-region, commonly known as Karamoja, is a region in Northern Uganda.-Location:The subregion, is located in northeastern Uganda and comprises the following seven districts:* Abim District* Amudat District* Kaabong District...
” Bell (Sometimes spelt Karamoja) because of his safaris through this remote wilderness area in North Eastern Uganda.
Bell shot over 1,500 elephants during his career. He was noted for using high speed, smaller calibre bullets rather than the slow speed, larger calibre bullets that were popular with other big game hunters. The bulk of his kills were made with Rigby
John Rigby & Company
John Rigby & Company, gun and rifle makers, is a firm specialising in the building of high-quality sporting rifles and shotguns.-History:The company was founded in Dublin, Ireland in 1775, and is known to have traded as W. & J. Rigby during the period 1820 - 1865 during the flintlock and percussion...
manufactured copies of Mauser
Mauser
Mauser was a German arms manufacturer of a line of bolt-action rifles and pistols from the 1870s to 1995. Mauser designs were built for the German armed forces...
rifles in 7x57mm calibre. 300 were killed with Mannlicher-Schoenauer 6.5x54mm
6.5x54mm Mannlicher-Schönauer
The 6.5x54 Mannlicher-Schönauer also known as 6.5x54 Mannlicher-Schönauer Greek is a 6.5 mm rifle cartridge used in the Mannlicher-Schönauer rifle...
carbines, and 200 with a .303 British
.303 British
.303 British, or 7.7x56mmR, is a .311 inch calibre rifle and machine gun cartridge first developed in Britain as a blackpowder round put into service in December 1888 for the Lee-Metford rifle, later adapted to use smokeless powders...
.
He insisted on using military Full Metal Jacket
Full metal jacket bullet
A full metal jacket is a bullet consisting of a soft core encased in a shell of harder metal, such as gilding metal, cupronickel or less commonly a steel alloy. This shell can extend around all of the bullet, or often just the front and sides with the rear left as exposed lead...
bullets weighing from approx 150 to 200 grains, rather than the 400+ grain bullets popular at the time Bell refused to use soft point bullets under any circumstances.
World War I
He re-enlisted in World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and became a pilot in Tanganyika
Tanganyika
Tanganyika , later formally the Republic of Tanganyika, was a sovereign state in East Africa from 1961 to 1964. It was situated between the Indian Ocean and the African Great Lakes of Lake Victoria, Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika...
(present day Tanzania). It is reputed that he only flew alone so that he could take pot-shots at enemy aircraft with his rifle without other crew getting in the way.
Bell was decorated with the Military Cross twice for service in Greece and France and finished the war with the rank of Captain.
Later years
His safaries continued into the early 1920s, gaining a large fortune from the ivoryIvory
Ivory is a term for dentine, which constitutes the bulk of the teeth and tusks of animals, when used as a material for art or manufacturing. Ivory has been important since ancient times for making a range of items, from ivory carvings to false teeth, fans, dominoes, joint tubes, piano keys and...
he collected.
Bell retired to Scotland and began writing several books about his exploits.
During World War II, he was involved in Operation Dynamo
Operation Dynamo
The Dunkirk evacuation, commonly known as the Miracle of Dunkirk, code-named Operation Dynamo by the British, was the evacuation of Allied soldiers from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk, France, between 26 May and the early hours of 3 June 1940, because the British, French and Belgian troops were...
, sailing his yacht in to Dunkirk to rescue British and French troops.
Walter Bell spent his later years writing and painting, using some of his paintings as illustrations in his books.
Bell died 30th June 1954.
Biography
- The Wanderings of an Elephant Hunter (1923)
- Karamojo safari (1949)
- Bell of Africa (1960)
- White Hunters: The Golden Age of African Safaris. Brian Herne, 2001.