Bergh (W F)

Gary was born in Zambia to Kay and Richard (deceased) Walker. He had 2 sisters (Barbara + Susan) and a brother Kelvin. All whom today live in Durban, Natal. He went to a Catholic Boys School in Pietersburg, N Tvl. From a young boy he loved the great outdoors and adventure. His hobbies were camping, fishing, wildlife, horse riding and aeroplanes. His horse as a high school student was called Spitfire after the famous aeroplane used in the 2nd world war. Spitfire was fiesty just like Gary and the few times I rode it I ended up in a bush. Gary loved being a recce, he was tough and he was brave. I never forget him taking me ice skating in Durban, tripping me on the ice for fun and then making me walk back to the nurses home (he did help a bit) and the next day an Xray determined my leg was broken. So for the 6 weeks on crutches he escaped to play soldiers up on the border. We had dinner the night before he left never to return again. My nursing final exam was the next day but we sat and talked and cried in the carpark at Addington Hospital till some unearthly hour in the morning, the day he left for the border for the last time. He knew he was not coming back. It's been almost 34 years and his memory remains fresh in my head like yesterday. I miss him intensly, he will always be my number one.

Gary's recce friends and I will honour him on the 35th year of his death at the place of Onamulano where he perished, held erect on his knees still holding his RPG with a fatal bullet through a bible in your pocket. I will miss him forever. xx Lulu Paxton

I shared a Southern Cross gift package with Gary when he was at the sickbay in Ondangwa during about August 77 with a kidney complaint. He told me how he would have liked to gain some other skills in case peace came about and he would be out of a job. That was the only time I met him. A few months later I came back from a patrol and found that he had been killed. It still sticks in my memory....

Operasie Kropduif (die aanval op Eheke) op 28 Oktober 1977, sou die donkerste dag in die geskiedenis van die Suid Afrikaanse Spesiale Magte se bestaan wees. Nadat die Suid Afrikaners aan Angola onttrek het in 1976, sou Swapo die geleentheid gebruik om operasionele basisse bykans teen die SWA grens te vestig. Hierdie basisse is vanaf twee groter streeks hoofkwartiere ondersteun. Cassinga sou die sentrale deel van Swapo se aanvalle op die SWA grens ondersteun, en Eheke die oostelike deel van Owamboland en die Kavango. Daar is besluit om Eheke eerste aan te val. Drie kompanies van die nuwe 32 Batteljon sou te voet oor die grens, en Eheke vanaf die suide aanval. Op dieselfde tyd sou 'n groep van die Verkennings Kommando's, noord van Eheke afgeooi word, en met eerstelig die basis uit die noorde aanval. Alles het van die begin verkeerd gegaan. Die Spesiale Magte is sowat 15 kilometer te ver noord uit die vliegtuie gelaat. Om dinge verder te kompliseer was die terrein plat en sonder bakens. Eers teen dagbreek was die verkenners in 'n situasie om sinvol te kon navigeer. Toe Drie Twee nog ook halfpad na die teiken, teen 'n verwoede Swapo mag vasloop is daar met reg gevra of die operasie nie afgelas moes word nie. Ook veterane soos Sers Maj FC van Zyl vra vrae. Die bevelvoerende offisier Brig Gleeson, in Rundu het teen die beter wete van die grond bevelvoerders besluit dat die operasie moes voortgaan. Toe gebeur 'n volgende tragedie. Eheke het uit 'n groter kompleks bestaan as wat die foto interpretasie kenners raak gesien het. Behalwe vir die basis in die suide was daar ook 'n basis in die noord ooste. Hierdie kompleks is totaal misgekyk. Teen drie uur die middag loop die verkenners in 'n trop beeste vas. Die veld was bebos maar onder is die hout en dekking verwyder. Die bees wagtertjie wys na die loopgrawe voor hulle. Die Operateurs vorm 'n linie met die ondersteunings groepe na agter. Aan die linkerkantste buite flank is Michiel 'Vingers' Kruger met 'n RPG, dan aan sy binnekant, Gert Eksteen met 'n LMG, dan FC van Zyl, Wentzel Marx met 'n LMG, Gary Walker met 'n RPG, Grant Clark, nog een, dan Antonie Badenhorst en dan Luit Chris Strydom. Aan hulle regterkant is nog groepe besig om vorentoe te beweeg. Dan bars alle hel los. Die seksie aan die linker flank het vasgeloop in die deel waar die basis se loopgrawe 90 grade wegswaai van die lyn van die aanval. In plaas daarvan

Not a day has gone by in the last 34 and more years when I have not thought of you. I will always miss you. One moves on but one never forgets the best.