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Walker , Gary William John (jinx) (G W J)

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Photo of Walker Photo of Walker Photo of Walker Photo of Walker
Identity
Person No.
33786
Old ROH no.
1628
Service No.
72321920PR
Last Name
Walker 41
First Name
Gary William John (jinx)
Initials
G W J
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
1957 (±1 yr) 434
Age at Death
20
Death Record
Date of Death
28 October 1977 147
Cause code
KIA 14,811
Killed in action
Cause of Death
Killed in action 14,686
Killed in action, during the attack on Eheke, when a bullet traveled through a pocket Bible
Military Service
Branch
Army
Rank
Lance Corporal
Regiment
1 Reconnaissance Commando 15
Later renamed 1 Reconnaissance Regiment (1996)
Unit
Unknown
Defence Force
SADF 3,874
South African Defence Force
Location
Country
South Africa 23,879
Locality
KwaZulu-Natal 1,589
Cemetery
MUNTINZINI CEMETERY 1
Grave Reference
Alternative Commemoration until grave found 1
Memorial
1977 SAA (Kruger–Maquinda, Walker–Wilters) to 1978 SAA (Amorim–Cassamano, Hunter–Mandunga)
Names on 1977-1978 SAA Kruger-Mandunga
Memorial
SADF Wall of Remembrance
Location
On a koppie at the Voortrekker Monument, overlooking Pretoria
Address
Voortrekker Monument, Eeufees Road, Groenkloof, Pretoria, 0181, South Africa
Coordinates
-25.77639, 28.17583 · OpenStreetMap
Panel
1977-1978 SAA Kruger-Mandunga
On the panel
1977 Army. Right column. 1st name from the top (Walker G.W.J.)
Unit History
Role at time of death
Special Forces (Reconnaissance)
Status
Permanent Force (Regular), some sub-units Citizen Force
The first South African Special Forces unit, established at Oudtshoorn, Cape Province, 1 October 1972. Special Forces operate as their own branch within the SANDF (not part of the Army/Navy). Some Reconnaissance Commandos had Citizen Force (reserve) components alongside the standing Permanent Force structure -- needs further research to determine which applies to a specific record/era.
Awards
Pro Patria Medal
Pro Patria Medal
South Africa
Pro Patria Medal warrant, Government Gazette No. 5171 (25 Jun 1976), Rule 5, as amended by GG No. 5575 (3 Jun 1977); discontinued by GG No. 25213 (25 Jul 2003, Schedule corrected by GG No. 26778, 17 Sep 2004) for service on/after 27 Apr 2003. Gazette extracts: https://rohsa.co.za/award.php?id=24
Notes

Son of Richard Walker and Mrs. Kay Walker, of Pietersburg. His mother is still alive and is now Kay Frank. (Nov. 10, 2013 note received - Childhood sweetheart and friend of Lulu Paxton)

Research notes

SADF Wall of Remembrance (Voortrekker Monument): named on photograph "1977 SAA (Kruger–Maquinda, Walker–Wilters) to 1978 SAA (Amorim–Cassamano, Hunter–Mandunga)". 1977 Army. Right column. 1st name from the top (Walker G.W.J.).
SASFA In Memoriam (operators): confirmed Special Forces operator. SASFA: Walker Garry KIA 1977. https://www.recce.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/4.1.-Memoriam.pdf 26 Aug 2026: Unit was leftover "South West Africa Police Counter-Insurgency Wing: Ops-K Division (KOEVOET)"; Regiment was "1 Reconnaissance Regiment". SAWGP Regiment 1 Reconnaissance Commando with no separate unit.
Jack Greeff, "A Greater Share of Honour: The Memoirs of a 'Recce' Officer" (3rd edition, September 2023, ISBN 978-1-920702-37-3), chapter 4 "Operation Kropduif", pages 90-96. Greeff was in the assaulting force at Eheke on 28 October 1977 and walked the ground immediately afterwards, so this is EYEWITNESS testimony rather than a compiled account. Of this man he writes: "Gary Walker was dead on his knees, the MAG machine gun barrel stuck in the ground preventing his lifeless body from falling forward. He received several shots while knelt down and one shot went through his pocket Bible that he carried in his chest pocket." The pocket Bible is already on this record; Greeff adds that he was the MAG gunner and was found still kneeling, held upright by his own gun.
25 Sep 2026, Unit2 service-branch sweep: the stored Secondary Unit "Air Force" was CLEARED. It was not a sub-unit, it was a service-branch word, and it CONTRADICTED this record's own Branch, "Army". Across the roll 787 records carried such a contradiction; judged against Corps and Regiment -- independent of both columns -- the evidence backed Branch 744 times and Unit2 not once. Branch is therefore kept and the contradicting word removed. Nothing is guessed: this man's branch of service is already recorded, and his sub-unit, if any, is simply not known.

Citations
Unknown
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