CMDT. RÖSSOUW’S BROOMHANDLE The Boers had the world’s best pistols
Veteran of many battles
THE Mauser C96 (Construktion 96) pistol, also commonly called the “Broomhandle pistol” after the shape of its grip, was designed in 1894 by the three Feederle brothers working at the Mauser factory and was patented in 1895 in the name of the famous Paul Mauser. It was Mauser’s first commercial attempt at an automatic pistol and was recoil operated. Production began around April of 1897 using the 7.63mm Mauser cartridge, and continued for 43 years. With a total of more than 950 000 produced, it was the world’s first commercially successful high-power semi-automatic locked-breech pistol and although they were large and heavy, and expensive to make with multiple intricate machining operations, these pistols were of very high quality and reliability. The C96 was the best pistol available at the time of the Anglo-boer War of 1899 to 1902 when most countries were still arming their soldiers with revolvers.
Boer affinity to the Mauser brand is well known and is exemplified by General Ben Viljoen’s famous statement, “If we are driven to war we must not rely for deliverance on foreign powers, but on God and the Mauser.” Both the Transvaal Republic (ZAR) and the Orange Free State (OVS) ordered substantial quantities of Mauser rifles (the Transvaal also ordering some carbines) before the war. According to Small Arms of the Angloboer War by Ron Bester, the only official order for Mauser C96 pistols was for 100 pistols and 10 000 rounds of ammunition placed in February 1898 by the Transvaal Republic, delivery of which reached Pretoria in June 1898 – most likely the Mauser factory’s first ever military order for the C96. These 100 pistols were probably in the 2000-4000 serial number range and of the cone-hammer type. The serial number 2964 of the pistol featured here fits into this range, so it was probably among those initial 100 pistols.
Some of these 100 pistols were issued to Boer officers by the Central Magazine in Pretoria and the rest could be purchased privately by Transvaal burgers. It is on record that Generals Manie Maritz, Wynand Malan and Louis Botha, as well as President M.T. Steyn (of the OVS) all used C96 pistols during the Boer War. There are also photos of Generals Jan Smuts and Jaap van Deventer carrying C96 pistols. General C.R. de Wet of the OVS requested a C96 in January 1900 and it was issued to him the next day by the Central Magazine in Pretoria. Many British officers also purchased C96
pistols privately in England from companies such as Westley Richards, before leaving for service in South Africa, and some of these pistols were subsequently captured by Boers. War correspondent Winston Churchill also used C96 pistols during the Boer War. Many additional C96 pistols were privately purchased by Boer officers and burgers.
The C96 featured here has “Comdt. P. Rössouw” carved into its wooden stock, though the correct spelling was actually “Pierre Jacques Rousseau”. It was most likely one of the initial 100 pistols ordered by the ZAR and bought by Rousseau from the Central Magazine. His name on the stock was probably miss-spelled by the person who did the stock carvings. According to Carvings from the Veldt, Part 3 by Dave George, the style of wood carving seen on this stock indicates that it was done by the same craftsman who carved rifles for several other Boer officers, including General Louis Botha. So it is reasonable to assume that Rousseau likewise had it carved.
Carved on the right hand side of the stock is “Dundee 20/10/99”, referring to the Battle of Dundee, also known as the Battle of Talana Hill. It began on the night of 19 October 1899 when General Lukas Meyer (who had earned his military experience fighting the Zulus) and 2 500 men crept up the side of Talana Hill, dragging four guns up the slopes by hand, and started to shell the 6 000 British troops in Dundee early next morning, to which the British artillery promptly retaliated with their 18 guns. British General Penn Symons’s forces attempted to encircle the Boers and eventually reached the top of the hill, but by then the Boer forces had departed. Described as a “brilliant charge” in the British press, and recorded as a “tactical victory” in some post-war books, the figures tell a different story. Total Boer casualties amounted to 152 men, against the 556 British casualties, including their General. In addition, the British promptly retreated from Dundee leaving their dead unburied plus 240 men, the entire camp, and enormous quantities of ammunition and provisions in the hands of the Boers. There are many comprehensive and sometimes contradictory accounts of this battle, recommended is Michael Davitt’s Boer Fight for Freedom which is quoted here. For a very comprehensive and accurate account, read Breytenbach’s Geskiedenis van die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog 18991902.
Also carved on the stock are the words “Beyers Vryw Ruitery ZAR” which refers to the Volunteer Riders of General Christiaan Beyers. Christiaan Frederik Beyers was born in Stellenbosch in 1869 and later moved to Boksburg to practise as an attorney. By 1895/96 he’d joined the commandos to fight the Uitlanders in the Jameson Raid.
When the Boer War broke out, Beyers joined the Boksburg Commando, rising to the rank of Assistant-commandant-general. Being 30 years old at the outbreak, he was one of the youngest Boer officers, but proved a very courageous leader who often openly criticized other Boer generals for a lack of initiative and bravery. Rousseau had a long association with Beyers during the war, fighting side-by-side from their earliest battles in Natal until the end as “Bittereinders”. Like other officers who served under Beyers, Rousseau had great respect for Beyers, evidenced by his having Beyer’s name carved on his own pistol. After the surrender, Beyers and Rousseau had the painful task of instructing remaining Boer forces to lay down their arms.
On the stock’s left side is an elaborate carving of the ZAR coat-of-arms with “Eendracht Maakt Macht” beneath, also the banner “Blyf Sterk in het Geloof” (Stay Strong in your Faith). The Boers were devoutly religious, particularly General Beyers, who prayed before almost every battle and always encouraged his men to keep their faith.
The battles fought by Rousseau read almost like a history of the Boer War. As a burger, he fought with the Boksburg Commando at Dundee, Modderspruit, Ladysmith, Estcourt, Colenso and at Spionkop (as a volunteer under General Louis Botha). After joining the Germiston Kommando, he saw action at Kliprivier, Rietfontein, Tierpoort, Pienaarspoort, Donkerpoort, Machadodorp, Middelburg, Peaks Peak and Hells Hoogte. As adjudant to General Beyers and with the Heidelberg Commando he fought at Pienaars rivier, Warmbad, Nooitgedacht, Swart Koppies, Kaalfontein, Zuurfontein and Babsfontein. Promoted to Commandant with the Northern Transvaal Commando,
he was involved in action at Witklip, Greylingstad, Springs, Heidelberg, “The Great Drive”, Poer se Plate, Die Moot, Donkerpoort, Sandriviers poort,
Tarantaal straat, Oskloof, Heuningnes Krans, Naboomspruit, Bad-se-loop, Fort Pruisen, Malepspoort and Wolk Bergen. His military service record shows his total duty period to be from 28 September 1899 to 10 June 1902. (The official duration of the Boer War was from 11 Oct 1899 to 31 May 1902.)
Rousseau settled in the Rustenburg area after the war but remained active as commanding officer of the Rustenburg Commando. He served through the Rebellion in both the Transvaal and the Orange Free State, stationed at Roberts Heights. During the Rebellion he and his old friend and comrade, General Beyers, came to a sad parting of the ways. Beyers disapproved of the planned invasion of German South West Africa by the Union on behalf of Britain, and in protest, resigned as Commandant-general of the Union Defence Force. He joined the Boer Rebels which were soon overwhelmed by the Union forces under General Botha and Beyers was chased around the country as a fugitive. Aged 45, Beyers drowned on 8 December 1914 whilst trying to cross the Vaal River to escape his pursuers. His body was recovered two days later, and soon after his death the Rebellion ended. What a sad and ironic end for an undisputedly brave man who’d survived all the bullets and bombs the British could throw at him. Beyers was buried on a farm in the Makwassie area after General Smuts refused the request for a burial in Pretoria.
Rousseau with his trusty C96, fought with the Rustenburg Commando in German SWA from October 1914 to August 1915, attaining the rank of Major. For his services in German SWA he was awarded the DSO (Distinguished Service Order) with two clasps and received an honourable mention in dispatches, his DSO
Mauser C96 pistol number 2964 outlived both men whose names are carved on its stock
award being published in the London Gazette on 22 August 1918. After the Great War, Rousseau continued to serve for a while with the Rustenburg Commando, but he must have taken a liking to SWA as he later moved there, settling in the Outjo area.
Living in SWA, Rousseau only became aware when visiting the Union during 1935, that he could still apply for the ABO (Anglo Boere Oorlog) “Oorlogsmedalje” which he had somehow never received after the Boer War. He applied on the “Vorm B”, describing in detail all his engagements during the Boer War and was finally awarded the ABO medal in June 1936. Then, in 1938, Colonel F.S. van Manen, who served with Rousseau under General Beyers, alerted him to the fact that he was also entitled to the DTD (Dekoratie voor Trouwe Dienst) medal, and Rousseau duly applied on the “Vorm A”.
Approved on 26 June 1939, his DTD medal was posted to his SWA address by the Adjutant-general of the Department of Defence, with a covering letter requesting him to acknowledge receipt. In another twist of irony, and unbeknown to the South African authorities, Rousseau had passed away on 11 April 1939. His wife received the medal in the post early in July and the last document in Rousseau’s military file is a handwritten letter of acknowledgement in beautiful feminine cursive writing, dated 7 July 1939 and addressed to the Adjutant-general in which she notifies him of the death of Pierre Jacques Rousseau, expressing her appreciation for the medal and concluding with these words: “Mag hy (Rousseau) in die Hiernamaals net soveel medaljes ontvang as wat hy hier op aarde as soldaat verdien het”. After his death, Rousseau’s pistol remained in the possession of his family and relatives for several generations, eventually making its way back to South Africa.
Mauser C96 pistol number 2964 outlived both men whose names are carved on its stock and, apart from a small repair to the stock, the 123-year-old pistol is in very good overall condition. All the parts are original with matching numbers and all the features of an early C96 are present: cone-shaped hammer, 5.5-inch barrel, 1-10 pinned rear sight, long extractor, early trigger, and the 23-groove walnut grips.
Though strictly against conventional military instructions, there is something to be said for a soldier carving his name on his service firearm. The ZAR actually encouraged their burgers to inscribe their personal details on their firearms. Had Rousseau not done so, it would be just another Mauser C96 cone-hammer with an early serial number (of which many exist).