Barberton Plinth Unveiling Ceremony

Saturday 17th September 2022

National President of the Gunners’ Association, Maj Gen R.C. Andersen SSA SD SM MMM JCD unveiled a plaque on the Gunner’s Plinth located in the Garden of Remembrance in Barberton.

Saturday 17th September 2022

National President of the Gunners’ Association, Maj Gen R.C. Andersen SSA SD SM MMM JCD unveiled a plaque on the Gunner’s Plinth located in the Garden of Remembrance in Barberton.


After receiving the news that the plinth had been desecrated, along with other plinths in the garden, the East Rand branch of the Association was tasked to restore the Plinth. The Chairman of the Branch, Gunner Kevin Fenton, together with Gunner Mark Scholtz, immediately jumped into action and with the assistance from National undertook the onerous task to rebuilding and restoring the plinth to its former glory.

A special word of thanks must also be extended to the MOTH Lone Tree Shellhole, who provided must needed assistance during the period of restoration and with the unveiling ceremony.

HISTORY The garden of remembrance in Barberton

The garden of remembrance in Barberton is on the site of the old Military Training camp that was used during WW2 before the regiments were sent North. Many of the Regiments have their Unit Badges made up as plaques, some of these are still the original plaques as built at the time.

The regimental plinths in the Garden of Remembrance in Barberton were built by the units of the 5th South African Infantry Brigade starting in 1942.

The 5th Brigade trained in Barberton in 1942 before they were deployed first to Abyssinia and thereafter to the Western Desert.

The Brigade included the SA Irish, 2nd Regiment Botha and 3rd Transvaal Scottish and was commanded by Brig Gen Armstrong.

Those who trained in Barberton could not have foreseen what lay before them in Libya as part of the 1st South African Division which was advancing as part of XXX Corp to relieve Tobruk.

The 5th Brigade was deployed in a box formation just South Sidi Rezegh when they were surprised by the forces of Erwin Rommel. Rommel attacked the SA Forces from the East (SA Irish) and the South (echelon vehicles. 110 tanks of 8 Panzer Regiment annihilated the 5th Brigade. The SA gunners comprising 3rd Field Regiment (THA) and 7th Field Regiment played an important role and inflicted many casualties on the German tanks, firing over open sights. Their performance was described as “magnificent”.

Some of the remnants of 5th Brigade were subsequently taken prisoner at Tobruk.

The Garden of Remembrance is a fitting tribute to the brave men of the 5th Brigade.

The Garden of Remembrance also has a Boer war Memorial. Today the Garden is a Heritage site and is included in the tourist area of Barberton.

The original camp oven
Original Camp Oven
Plinths of the units from in 5th Brigade
MOTHs Pro Patria memorial