Education
Handcock was born near Bathurst, New South Wales, and was apprenticed to a blacksmith at age 12.
blacksmith Veterinary Lieutenant
Handcock was born near Bathurst, New South Wales, and was apprenticed to a blacksmith at age 12.
After a court martial which remains controversial, Lieutenant Handcock was convicted and executed for war crimes. His punishment has been controversial in Australia.
He worked as a blacksmith with the Railways Department.
Married at 21, he had three children. 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. Handcock and Harry "Breaker" Morant were court martialed, convicted, and executed in Pretoria by firing squad from the Queen"s Own Cameron Highlanders on 27 February 1902 on murder charges for shooting nine Boer prisoners.
Although the defendants were found guilty of killing these enemy combatants, they were acquitted of murdering a German missionary, Rev.C.A.D. Heese.
In 2010, petitions were submitted for the review of the convictions of Handcock and his colleagues.
