Peter Handcock

{{Infobox criminal

| name = Peter Handcock

| birth_name = Peter Joseph Handcock

| image = Peter Joseph Handcock (Studio photograph, c.1900).jpeg

| caption = Peter Joseph Handcock (1900)

| birth_date = 17 February 1868

| death_date = {{death date and age|1902|2|27|1868|2|17|df=yes}}

| birth_place = near Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia

| death_place = Pretoria, South African Republic

| module = {{Infobox military person|embed=yes

| allegiance = British Empire

| rank = Lieutenant

| unit = 1st New South Wales Mounted Rifles
Bushveldt Carbineers

| family =

| nickname =

| enteredservice =

| commands =

| serviceyears = 1899 – 1902

| battles = Second Boer War

}}

| children = 3

| spouse = Bridget Alice Mary Martin (1888–1902; his death)

| conviction = Murder (11 counts)
Manslaughter

| conviction_status = Executed

| criminal_penalty = Death

| death_cause = Execution by firing squad

| victims = 13+

| targets = POWs and civilians

| country = South African Republic

| beginyear = August

| endyear = 7 September 1901

| apprehended = 23 October 1901

}}

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.The murders are often prochronistically denoted "war crimes"; a concept that did not exist at the time.

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, 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.

File:Breaker-morant-grave.jpg standing over the joint grave of Morant and Handcock (1902)]]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.needs verifiable citation for speculation, not from an opinion piece

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.{{Cite web |last=FitzSimons |first=Peter |date=2021-04-25 |title=Disgraced Peter Handcock deserves no war memorial honour |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/disgraced-peter-handcock-deserves-no-war-memorial-honour-20210422-p57lnh.html |access-date=2022-06-14 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}

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.

{{external media

|image1=[http://www.eggsa.org/library/main.php?g2_itemId=2067990 Photo of the grave of Morant and Handcock.]
Source:Genealogical Society of South Africa

}}

Execution

Handcock and Morant were court-martialled, convicted, and executed in Pretoria by a firing squad drawn from the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders on 27 February 1902 on murder 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 in a letter to James Francis Thomas that Handcock had confessed to Witton of murdering Heese shortly after he was acquitted.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lieutpjhandcock.com/2014/04/wittons-letter-to-thomas-21-october-1929.html|title=Witton's Letter to Thomas 21 October 1929|last=Williams|first=Richard|access-date=2020-04-21}}

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 at [http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/petitions/roundtables.htm Public hearings and roundtable discussions] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100505201906/http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/petitions/roundtables.htm |date=2010-05-05 }} Parliament of Australia - House of Representatives

Footnotes

References

[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/14632226 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) {{ISBN|0-9579752-0-1}}
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. {{ISBN|978-1-9252-3050-5}}
[https://www.bwm.org.au/soldiers/Peter_Handcock.php The Australian Boer War Memorial: Lieutenant Peter Handcock.]
[http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/handcock-peter-joseph-6549 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

[https://web.archive.org/web/20141025002612/http://www.bwm.org.au/site/Peter_Handcock.asp For an Australian War Memorial: Peter Handcock]
[http://www.lieutpjhandcock.com Lieutenant Peter Handcock]

Category:1868 births

Category:1902 deaths

Category:20th-century executions by the United Kingdom

Category:Australian Army soldiers

Category:Australian military personnel killed in the Second Boer War

Category:Australian murderers of children

Category:Australian people convicted of manslaughter

Category:Australian people convicted of war crimes

Category:Australian people executed abroad

Category:British colonial army officers

Category:Crimes against prisoners of war

Category:Deaths by firearm in South Africa