Identity
Person No.
33855
Old ROH no.
1657
Service No.
80253271BG
Last Name
First Name
Mark Twain
Initials
M T
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
Age at Death
24
Military Service
Death Record
Date of Death
Cause code
SHOT 537
Shot
Cause of Death
Died in Shooting Incident, accidentally shot dead by own forces after he had left their TB during the night to relieve himself and was mistaken for a SWAPO/PLAN insurgent on his return
Location
Country
Locality
Grave Reference
Notes
Son of Mr. and Mrs. E. R. Whiteley
Research notes
Col (rt) Graham du Toit Last Post 21 Jul 2024: 80253271BG Corporal Mark Twain Whiteley, 701 Battalion SWATF, accidentally shot dead by own forces after he had left their TB during the night to relieve himself and was mistaken for a SWAPO/PLAN insurgent on his return, age 24. ROH had a generic accidental-discharge template (same wording as Snell/Matthee) — filled Graham's friendly-fire account. | Also Last Post 21 Jul 2026: 80253271BG Corporal Mark Twain Whiteley, 701 Battalion SWATF, accidentally shot by own forces after leaving the TB at night, mistaken for SWAPO/PLAN, age 24.
Citations
LG Sup 20 March 1945 pg. 1502
External References
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Col (rt) Graham du Toit Last Post
Col (rt) Graham du Toit Last Post 21 Jul 2024: 80253271BG Corporal Mark Twain Whiteley, 701 Battalion SWATF, accidentally shot dead by own forces after he had left their TB during the night to relieve himself and was mistaken for a SWAPO/PLAN insurgent on his return, age 24. ROH had a generic accidental-discharge template (same wording as Snell/Matthee) — filled Graham's friendly-fire account.
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Col (rt) Graham du Toit Last Post
Col (rt) Graham du Toit Last Post 21 Jul 2026: 80253271BG Corporal Mark Twain Whiteley from 701 Battalion SWATF was accidentally shot dead by own forces. He left the TB at night to relieve himself and was mistaken for a SWAPO/PLAN insurgent on his return. He was 24.
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SADF.info Border Roll of Honour
SADF.info Border RoH
- South African War Graves Project
Stories
No stories have been added yet.
Dedications 1
I knew Mark Whiteley prior to his death. A better person would have been hard to find. He was friendly, courageous, and probably a true Christian by the way he led his life, an example to everyone who knew him. Society is poorer for his passing. A friend I would rather not.