Glyn Berry

Who was Glyn Berry?

Glyn Berry was a Canadian diplomat killed in a car bomb attack in Afghanistan. He was the first Canadian diplomat to be killed while on duty in Afghanistan. Two other civilians were killed in the incident and ten people were wounded, including three Canadian soldiers, MCpl. Paul Franklin, Pte. William Edward Salikin and Cpl. Jeffrey Bailey.

Born in Wales, Berry joined Canada's Foreign Affairs Department in 1977 and had served in Oslo, Washington, Havana, London, Islamabad and at the United Nations in New York City. He was sent to Rwanda as part of an inquiry on Canada's role in the country and filed a report in 2004. Mr. Berry held a BA in political science from the University of Wales Swansea, an MA in political science from McMaster University, and a PhD in political science from Dalhousie University.

He had volunteered for duty in Afghanistan and was appointed as Political Director for the Department of Foreign Affairs to the Provincial Reconstruction Team.

Berry's body was flown by a Canadian Forces C-130 Hercules transport and was buried in his birthplace of Wales.

Dalhousie University set up the Glyn R. Berry Memorial Scholarship. It is awarded annually, starting in 2008, to a PhD student in political science who "will specialize in an aspect of Canadian foreign policy, defence and security policy, development assistance policy or another area of study addressing Canada's role in international affairs".