Identity
Person No.
29360
Old ROH no.
51
Service No.
80385123BG
Last Name
First Name
Richard
Initials
R
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
Age at Death
19
Death Record
Date of Death
Cause code
SHOT 545
Shot
Cause of Death
Died in Shooting Incident, at Etale. The platoon set up an ambush position to stop insurgency from the north. Shortly before nightfall, the Platoon received orders from HQ advising that they could also possibly expect insurgents approaching from the south and heading back into Angola. During the night there was heavy rainfall and in order to relieve himself, Barrington left the ambush position and moved in a southerly direction. On his return to his position, still in pouring rain, a fellow soldier on guard duty accidently mistook him for an insurgent and shot him dead
Military Service
Location
Country
Locality
Grave Reference
Unit History
Notes
Son of Mr. C. Barrington, of Port Elizabeth.
Research notes
14 Sep 2026: Pro Patria Medal added -- database-wide sweep for SADF Border War operational-area deaths within the medal's gazetted window (25 Jun 1976 - 27 Apr 2003), per the warrant's died-before-qualifying-period provision. See PersonAward.Citation for the gazette references.
14 Sep 2026: Pro Patria Medal added earlier today REVERTED -- John obtained the actual Government Gazette (GG 5171/5575); the "died before completing the qualifying period" provision relied on does not exist in the primary text (it was a secondary-source claim). Actual Rule 5 requires (a) combat/enemy-caused incident, (b) a Ministerially-acknowledged operation (clasp), or (c) 55+ continuous/90+ non-continuous days in an operational area -- none of which this record's cause of death clearly demonstrates.
Citations
Unknown
External References
-
SADF.info Border Roll of Honour
open source ↗
SADF.info Border RoH
- South African War Graves Project open source ↗
-
The War in Angola
open source ↗
War In Angola Roll of Honour Member Dedication page for Barrington R. (SN 80385123BG) notes "[a different source states that he died in a Shooting Incident, at Etale. Shot by another member after a difference of opinion over money.]" — a conflicting secondary account. ROH's existing friendly-fire narrative (mistaken for an insurgent while relieving himself in the rain) matches the site's primary account; not overwritten, alternate account noted for reference.
Stories 2
Barrington was a rifleman from 6SAI, Foxtrot Company, Platoon 4 and was a pleasant well mannered and popular chap. As company signal officer I was in transit and detached to this platoon on that fateful rainy night. The platoon was in position for an ambush set up to stop insurgency from the north. Shortly before nightfall I received orders from HQ advising that we should expect insurgents from the south, I questioned the commanding officer and got my worst tongue lashing ever in the process, stupid engelsman etc. I conveyed this information to the platoon commander. During the night there was heavy rainfall, in order to relieve himself Barrington walked out of the ambush position in a sotherly direction, on his return to his position and in the pouring rain a comrade mistakingly shot him. Platoon 4 comprised the youngest group of men who were exposed to the most amount of contacts during our 18 months on the border, as a result of this they were quick on the trigger. This incident had a severe impact on morale not to mention the poor chap who pulled the trigger, he unfortunately had to accompany Barrington in a helicopter whilst travelling with Barrington alongside him. The spirit of Foxtrot Company and the bonds between the men of the company strenghthened, we were brothers. Cpl Borros 32charlie
BORROS DIT IS ANNA EK WAS MAG GUNNER SAAM MET PRINSIE JOOSTE EN SEYER WAS SAAM MET ONS EK EN SEYER HET KLEIMORS OPGESTEL ON WAS SAAM MET LT LIGHT RICHARD EN SY MAAITJIE JY WEET WIE DIT WAS ON HET SOO VER NOG SOONTOE GELOOP VAN ONKONKOLO AF ONS HET OP DIE KAPLYN SEEKER N DRIE WEEKE INGEGRAAF EK EN RICHARD HET GEREELD IN PAS TYD GEKUIER HY WAS N COOL OU ONS HET NET TRUG GEKOM VAN PAS ONS HET OP DIE VLEE NOG ONS LAASTE OPLEIDING GEKRY CLIVE JONKER EN BERRINGTON HET VIR OP GEBOKS IN PE EK ONTHOU GOED ONS HET DEUR DAAI WATER PANNE GELOOP .ONS HET DEUR DIE WATER GELOOP TOE STOP ONS VIR BREAK AGTER DIE PAN EK EN RICHARD HET GE CHAT TOE SE HY VIR MY ANNA EK GAAN NIE WEER HUISTOE NIE JY WEET MOS PARTYKEER HET ONS MOS MAAR SOO GEWONDER EK ONTHOU NOG GOED EK VIR HOM GESE HET NEE MAN MOENIE SOO SE NIE HY HET SY BOOTS UITGEDROOG EN VIR MY SOO GEKYK EN GESE DIT IS WAAR ANNA WAS LT BREYTENBACH ONS LT EK WAS WAKKER TOE ONS DIE DRIE SKOOT HOOR ONS HET OP DIE RADIO VIR JOU GEHOOR TOE JY SE BERRINGTON IS GESKIET WAS JOOSTE BY JOU EK ONTHOU DAAI VERSKRIKLEKE VREES WAT OOR MY GEKOM HET N EEN VAN MAGTELOOS TE VOEL AL HET JY DIE BESTE WAPENTUIG TOT JOU BESKIKING NIEMAND HET DAAI NAG GESLAAP DIE CHOPPER KON EERS DIE VOLGENDE OGGEND VIR HULLE KOM HAAL EK ONTHOU NOG SERS SEYER SE GESIG DAAI OGGEND EEN VAN RAADELOOSGEHEID BEER HET MOS OP DAAI SELFDE KLEIMORE SY BEEN VERLOOR OP DIE KAPLYN DAWIS HET MOS DAAI GRENAAT OPGETEL EEN VAN DAAI SWARTIS WAS DIT DIE EERSTE KEER WAT ONS IN ANGOLS IN WAS NIE DIT WAS NIE N LEKKER OPS NIE MAAR DIT IS NOU MAAR SOOS DIT IS ONS MOES MAAR DIE WERK DOEN .DIT WAS NIE MAKLIK NIE .GROETE MEDE SOLDAAT ANNA CA BREYTENBACH
Dedications 1
CABREYTENBACH cabreytenbach@gmail.com 2014-08-19 09:58:37