Hi everyone,
A Canadian historian researching the Napoleonic/War of 1812 veterans who took up land grants at the Perth Military Settlement wrote to me asking whether British Army officers were supplied with pistols by government or if they were required to to provide their own at personal expense. I believe they were bought privately but don't really know of any evidence for this. Is anyone aware of primary or secondary sources I might be able to share with him on the procurement and design of officers' pistols during the Napoleonic period?
Eamonn, British officers could provide their own service pistol of service type until relatively recently (1996?). It was certainly on TA call up documentation in 1995!
Many flintlock pistols for auction from this period are listed as "private purchase." If you recall Churchill carried a broomhandle Mauser, which wasn't gov't issue.
@tomholmberg I carried my own 9mm Browning HP in exercise and used it for shooting practice, but never on operations. Sadly, civilian ownership was banned before the opportunity arose.
Apparently Churchill didn't register his personal sidearms when that law was passed in the 1920s.