Since my last post, I have been in touch with the Military museum in SA and they have been most helpful, below is the history of the old carbine, hope its of interest,
On 4 Jul 2017, at 11:22 pm, Military Museum <
[email protected]> wrote:
Dear Mr Borask,
Thank you for your email query of 2 July.
The following paragraph is taken from Small Arms of the Anglo Boer War 1899-1902 by Ron Bester. "On 2 June 1896 an agreement was signed between the ZAR government and agents of Fried Krupp Grusonwerk for the delivery of 25 000 Mausers. The German firm of Fried Krupp Grusonwerk were agents for Ludwig Loewe and had an office in Johannesburg. Representing Krupp in the Z. A. R. ( Zuid -Afrikaansche Republiek ) also commonly known as Transvaal Republic , were Chr. Andreae and G Hentling. According to this agreement of 2 June 1896 they had to deliver 25000 Mauser rifles of prime quality. The consignment was made up of 20 000 long rifles and 5 000 carbines, all without bayonets but with rifle slings at a price of 3 Pounds each, delivered at Pretoria railway station. Ten million cartridges were also ordered. These had to be loaded with smokeless powder and delivered at Pretoria railway station at 6 pounds 10 shillings per thousand. "
Ten thousand long rifles and two million cartridges had to be shipped immediately from Hamburg and the remaining arms and ammunition within two months. Apart from the 10 000 long rifles and two million rounds (that had to be shipped immediately), the rest had to be inspected by a competent person in Berlin and certified to be of good quality. The arms were to be sent on a ship of the German East Africa Line to Delagoa Bay ( Lourenco Marques / Maputo) in Portuguese East Africa . (now Mozambique).
Payment for the rifles was one third on signing of the contract and two thirds after examination and acceptance of each batch within two weeks of delivery in Pretoria. Commandant General Piet Joubert signed the contract on behalf of the Z.A.R. and the representatives of Krupp, namely Andreae and Hentling signed on behalf of their firm. A certain Fritz Stiemans and Louis F. de Souza acted as witnesses.
Your carbine with serial no 2657 was shipped on board the REICHSTAG which left Hamburg bound for Delagoa Bay on Sunday 20 September 1896. The carbine was made by LUDWIG LOEWE of BERLIN and the should be inscribed "Mod. Mauser 1896, Ludw. Loewe & Co. Berlin. The carbines were serial numbered 1-5000. The second batch of 3500 carbines were shipped on the REICHTAG. The carbine was duly delivered to Pretoria railway station , stored in the Z.A.R. Armoury inspected and approved. It stayed in the Z.A. R. Armoury until at least 17 May 1897. The Z.A R. sold the Mausers for 5 Pounds 2 shilling each. The demand for Mausers was increasing all the time. The authorities allowed the Transvaal burghers (citizens) to trade their existing rifles, Guedes, Martini-Henrys and Wesley Richard Martini-Henrys, should they wish for Mausers, provided that they paid 1 pound 10 shillings. Old rifles could also be exchanged for Mauser ammunition. The trade agreement was made know to all Landdrosts ( magistrates) mine commissioners, commandants of Commandos and his officers ( Field-Cornets and assistant Field -Cornets ), in commonwealth terms lieutenants and second lieutenants.
Your carbine was purchased by Abraham Jacobus Jacobs ( AJ JACOBS) . I do not know when the carbine was purchased but in May 1897 AJ Jacobs was 21 years of age. He lived on the farm KLIPPORT in the Middleburg district in ( 130-140 km east of Pretoria). He was a member of the Middleburg Commando. This commando did service in the following areas: Sandspruit, Talana, Colenso, Ladysmith, Pieter's Hill, Wynne's Hill, Helpmekaar, Lang's Neck, Donkerhoek, Bronhorstspruit and Bergendal. He was captured at ZAAIHOEK in the eastern Transvaal (rough co-ordinates - 27 degrees 16 ' South and 30 degrees 4' 30 " East) on 6 May 1901. At the time he was 25 years of age. He was sent to the British Prisoner of War Camp in Bermuda (West Indies) .
The carbine found its way to a (friend ? ) Willem Douw Gert Van Wyk ( WD VAN WYK ) . He was a three years younger than AJ Jacobs ). Willem Douw Van Wyk lived on the farm KLIPFONTEIN in the MIDDELBURG district and was also a member of the MIDDLEBURG COMMANDO. At the start of the Anglo Boer War in October 1899, he would have been 18 years of age, old enough to serve with the Middleburg Commando in the above mentioned areas of operations. Added to this he is what was considered a BITTEREINDE. ( a fighter to the bitter end ). He would have served in addition to the above at: Renosterkop, Wilmansrust and Blaauwbank. He was captured at ROOIHOOGTE (red heights) on Wednesday 22 February 1902, registered as a POW on Tuesday 4 March 1902 and sent to a POW camp in India. Rooihoogte is a geological name for apportion of the Eastern Transvaal, escarpment. Rooihoogte could also be a farm name and quite common. I believe the Rooihoogte in question to be in the Carolina area of the Eastern Transvaal grid reference: 27 degrees 16' 03" South and 30 degrees 24 '56 " East.
We hope this assists you.
Kind Regard
Richard Henry .
PS: A south African now living in Australia - Mr David George had written a book entitled CARVINGS ON THE VELD . It deals with rifles of the Boer War and the carving on the butt or stock of these rifles. He would be most pleased to have images of your carbine and the history I have supplied. He can be contacted at:
[email protected] He lives in Cabarita Beach, Bogangar, New South Wales, 2488.
Have purchased Davids books I look forward to receiving them and reading them.
