Mauser self-loading 7.63 mm pistol M1896, used by Sergeant A A Leather, 3rd Regiment, Imperial Yeomanry

Sergeant Leather was unsuccessfully recommended for the Victoria Cross after rescuing Trooper Ballardries during a Boer ambush. The Mauser, with its shoulder stock, long barrel and high-velocity cartridge, had superior range and better penetration than most other standard pistols of the day. It was not officially adopted by the British Army but during the Boer War (1899-1902) many officers and NCOs, especially in units like the Imperial Yeomanry, had their own privately purchased models.