condensed discuss document expanded export feedback print share remove reset document_white enquire_white export_white report_white

Cenotaph record

Brian Charles Barley

-
Lay a poppy

Identity

About

Contribute ›
  • Title
  • Forenames
    Brian Charles AWMM
  • Surname
    Barley AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
    • Barley Barley AWMM
    • B. C. Barley AWMM
  • Service number
    Vietnam 30759 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

Contribute ›
  • Birth
    21 March 1943 AWMM Palmerston North, Manawatu-Wanganui AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
  • Relationship status

Service

Wars and conflicts

Contribute ›

Military decorations

Contribute ›
  • Medals and Awards
    • Military Cross (MC) AWMM
      NZ Gazette Number 13 dated 6 March 1969: Lieutenant Brian Charles Barley graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon, on 15th December, 1965. After a posting in New Zealand he joined the 1st Battalion, The Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment in Malaysia from whence he was posted to active duty in South Vietnam, on 15th December,1967. Since his arrival in South Vietnam, Lieutenant Barley has, by his determination, aggressive outlook and complete disregard for his own safety, inspired his platoon to perform in a most exemplary manner. On 12th March 1968 when returning to an ambush position from the company base with two members of his platoon, he observed four enemy preparing to fire a claymore mine near the perimeter of the company base. Considering only the safety of the people in the base, Lieutenant Barley and his two riflemen attacked the enemy group, killing one and wounding two. The mine exploded harmlessly in the air. As well as successful contacts and ambushes, Lieutenant Barley on three occasions mounted immediate assaults on occupied enemy camps which were all captured without loss to his platoon. On 2nd August 1968 Lieutenant Barley was wounded in the head by enemy rocket shrapnel but insisted on remaining with his platoon till the contact had ceased. Lieutenant Barley’s constant aggressive spirit in the face of the enemy has had a remarkable influence on his men. His concern for others and his disregard for his own safety reflect credit upon himself, his unit and the New Zealand Army. AWMM
    • New Zealand Operational Service Medal AWMM
    • Vietnam Medal AWMM
    • New Zealand General Service Medal 1992 (Warlike) (Vietnam clasp) AWMM

Training and Enlistment

Contribute ›
  • Military training
    15 December 1965 AWMM
    Royal Military College, Duntroon AWMM
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Prisoner of war

Contribute ›
  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

Contribute ›
  • Medical notes

Last known rank

Contribute ›
  • Last rank

Biographical information

Biographical information

Contribute ›
  • Died in Burnham Camp while serving - collapsed in rugby game and died of myocardial infarction. Wounded in action, 2 August 1968 – shrapnel wounds to head. Read citation for MC. Posted to South Vietnam from Malaysia on 15 December 1967

    Photo of Lt B.C. Barley in The Officers, 1st Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (Terendak Camp, Malaya 1966-67). Source: The First Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment Journal (1983)

    Photo of Lt B.C. Barley in The Officers, 1st Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (Terendak Camp, Malaysia 1967). Source: The First Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment Journal (1983) AWMM
Read more

Death

About death

Contribute ›
  • Death
    15 July 1972 AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
    Hastings Cemetery, Hastings AWMM
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

Contribute ›
  • Memorial name

Roll of Honour

Remember Brian Charles Barley by laying a poppy.

Leave a note

Leave a tribute or memory of Brian Charles Barley

Leave a note

Contribute ›

Sources

Sources

Contribute ›
  • External links
  • References
    • Subritsky, M. (Ed). (1995). The Vietnam scrapbook: The second ANZAC adventure. Papakura, N.Z.: Three Feathers Publishing Co. AWMM
    • Hall, C. (2014). No front line : inside stories of New Zealand's Vietnam War. Auckland, New Zealand : Penguin Books. AWMM
    • This record was created from data kindly provided by the New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. AWMM
    • Fry, P., & New Zealand. Army. Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment. Battalion, 1st. (1983). The First Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment : Journal / [P.J. Fry, editor] (25th anniversary commemorative ed.). Singapore: The Regiment. AWMM

The development of the Online Cenotaph is an ongoing process; updates, new images and records are added weekly. In some cases, records have yet to be confirmed by Museum staff, and there could be mistakes or omissions in the information provided.

Creative Commons LicenseOnline Cenotaph Data by Auckland War Memorial Museum is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.