Peter Joseph Handcock (17 February 1868 – 27 February 1902) was an Australian-born veterinary lieutenant and convicted war criminal who served in the Bushveldt Carbineers during the Boer War in South Africa. After a court martial, Handcock (along with Harry "Breaker" Morant) was convicted and executed for the murders of nine Boer POWs and three other civilians. His execution, "which had been carried out without the knowledge and consent of the Australian government",Wallace (1983). was and remains a controversial issue in Australia.

Life

Peter Joseph Handcock was born at Peel, near

Bathurst, New South Wales Bathurst () is a city in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia. Bathurst is about 200 kilometres (120 mi) west-northwest of Sydney and is the seat of the Bathurst Region, Bathurst Regional Council. Founded in 1815, Bathurst is ...

, to William Handcock (1830–1874), and Bridget Handcock, née Martin (1830–1881) on 17 February 1868 Australian Boer War Memorial. He was apprenticed to a blacksmith at age 12, and later worked as a blacksmith with the Railways Department. He married his 17-year-old cousin Bridget Alice Mary Martin on 15 July 1888, and they had two sons and a daughter.

Military service

He served in South Africa with the 1st New South Wales Mounted Rifles, and was promoted to farrier-sergeant. When the NSWMR returned home he obtained a commission in the Bushveldt Carbineers as veterinary and transport officer. Breaker-morant-grave

In early August 1901, Handcock executed an unarmed, wounded Boer prisoner, Floris Visser. Two weeks later, he fatally shot a South African missionary, Reverend Daniel Heese, possibly out of the fear that he would report his crimes. Handcock also organized and participated in the executions of 8 surrendering Boers. "We are justified in shooting everything in sight," Handcock said to a fellow trooper. On 7 September 1901, Hancock and Morant heard that three Boers were approaching their camp. They met the three with two other soldiers. The Boers were Roelf van Staden and his two sons, 16-year-old Roelf Jr. and 12-year-old Chris, who was very sick from a fever. Morant quietly told his men that when the Stadens reached a clearing, to wait until he said “lay down your arms,” then shoot the three after they calmed down. When Handcock and the two other soldiers pointed their rifles at the Stadens ready to fire, the family looked at them confused and scared. They calmed down after Morant gave his command, and were then suddenly shot as he had planned.

Execution

Handcock and Morant were

court-martial A court-martial (plural ''courts-martial'' or ''courts martial'', as "martial" is a postpositive adjective) is a military court or a trial conducted in such a court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the arme ...

led, convicted, and executed in Pretoria by a firing squad drawn from the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders on 27 February 1902 on

murder Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification (jurisprudence), justification or valid excuse (legal), excuse committed with the necessary Intention (criminal law), intention as defined by the law in a specific jurisd ...

charges for shooting nine Boer POWs. Handcock was also found guilty of manslaughter for his role in the illegal execution of Visser. While the defendants were found guilty of killing these POWs and civilians, they were acquitted of murdering Daniel Heese. However, in 1929, it was revealed by

George Witton George Ramsdale Witton (28 June 1874 – 14 August 1942) was a lieutenant in the Bushveldt Carbineers in the Boer War in South Africa. He was sentenced to death for murder after the shooting of nine Boer prisoners. He was subsequently repriev ...

in a letter to James Francis Thomas that Handcock had confessed to Witton of murdering Heese shortly after he was acquitted.

Petitions for review of convictions and sentences

In 2010, petitions were submitted for the review of the convictions of Handcock and his colleagues.The transcript of the committee's hearing is a
Public hearings and roundtable discussions
Parliament of Australia - House of Representatives

Footnotes

References

Probate Jurisdiction, ''The Sydney Morning Herald'', (Thursday, 23 June 1904), p.8.
* ''The Bushveldt Carbineers and the Pietersburg Light Horse'' by William (Bill) Woolmore (2002, Slouch Hat Publications Australia) * Unkles, James, ''Ready, Aim, Fire : Major James Francis Thomas, the Fourth Victim in the Execution of Lieutenant Harry "Breaker" Morant'', Sid Harta Publishers, (Glen Waverley), 2018.
''The Australian Boer War Memorial'': Lieutenant Peter Handcock.

Wallace, R.L., "Handcock, Peter Joseph (1868–1902)", pp.185-185 in B. Nairn, G. Serle, and C. Cunneen (eds), ''Australian Dictionary of Biography: Volume 9: 1891-1939, Gil-Las'', Melbourne University Press, (Carlton), 1983.

External links

For an Australian War Memorial: Peter Handcock

Lieutenant Peter Handcock
{{DEFAULTSORT:Handcock, Peter 1868 births 1902 deaths 20th-century executions by the United Kingdom Australian Army soldiers Australian military personnel killed in the Second Boer War Australian murderers of children Australian people convicted of manslaughter Australian people convicted of war crimes Australian people executed abroad British colonial army officers Crimes against prisoners of war Deaths by firearm in South Africa Executed Australian mass murderers Executed military personnel People convicted of murder by the British military People executed by the British military by firing squad People executed for war crimes Military personnel from New South Wales War criminals of the Second Boer War