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Alexander Strachan
1 RECCE
THE NIGHT BELONGS TO US
Tafelberg
Dedicated to
Col. Jan Dirk Breytenbach DVR SD SM MMM
Author’s note
This book is about 1 Reconnaissance Commando (1 RC), the mother unit of the Special Forces in South Africa. 1 RC (commonly known as 1 Recce) existed as an independent operational unit from 1972 to 1981. Yet its formation and development started as far back as 1966.
In time other specialised units would develop from it, each with its own distinctive employment criteria. Collectively, the operational members of these units made up South Africa’s Recces – a name derived from the term ‘reconnaissance’.
1 RC would make its mark in a characteristic way that none of the other units could match. It had its own origins in an era when the idea of a Special Forces unit was inconceivable within the then South African military setup. The driving force behind the founding of this unique unit was the legendary Colonel Jan Breytenbach. He was supported in his endeavour by generals Fritz Loots and WP Louw.
‘The Recces’ is the umbrella term for what would later also include a citizen force unit, a seaborne unit and a pseudo/black unit. ‘Recce’ was for many decades a sensitive and ‘forbidden’ word, used only in small, select groups. Those who bandied it about openly were probably not part of the organisation.
But this should not create the impression of large numbers. Nothing could be further from the truth. At any given stage of 1 Recce’s existence, the number of operators never exceeded 67.
In the startup years, 1 RC did not adhere to strict military structures; it thrived on instinct rather than regulation. The men were inconspicuous and as far as appearance and dress were concerned, completely different from the rest of the South African Defence Force (SADF). They hailed from diverse backgrounds, and each had his own field of specialisation.
With their unorthodox mindset, this early founding group of the Recces was known as the Dirty Dozen (with reference to the 1967 movie The Dirty Dozen about a group of intrepid paratroopers in the Second World War). That was still before the unit had an official name. In their training and operations, they looked beyond the normal military structures: the man best equipped for the task at hand was the team leader, regardless of whether the group included higher ranks. Even if he was a junior member, he would have authority over the exercise.
While the group became more structured over time, it was still a difficult bunch of men to control because each was an individual and a leader in his own right. As a result of this individualism coupled with a strong esprit de corps, they did not get along well with members of other units. Hence they mostly preferred to keep themselves apart, thereby avoiding inevitable clashes.
Owing to this isolation, all kinds of myths and stories started circulating about the unit. Very little of this was true. What was true, however, was that 1 RC was – according to many experts – the sharpest, most versatile and deadliest specialist unit in the entire SADF; in the view of some, in the entire world.
During selection and subsequent exercises, the Recces were conditioned to withstand hunger, thirst, fear, pain, exhaustion and sleep deprivation. The men were superfit, preternaturally tough, highly trained and utterly dauntless. They took part in lengthy and gruelling operations. Their success was attributed to the intense planning, preparation and dedication that preceded every mission. The amount of time spent on the target was minuscule compared to the weeks or months that had been devoted to planning and rehearsals beforehand.
For instance, a seaborne operation into which months of planning and preparation had gone could be executed within the space of a single night. In the case of urban operations, after the intensive preparatory phase operators would often spend only a few minutes on the target before withdrawing.
The individuality of the unit also manifested itself clearly in its leadership structure. 1 RC could pride itself on three colourful commanders, respectively commandants Jan Breytenbach (Oudtshoorn phase), Jakes Swart (Durban phase) and André Bestbier (transition from commando to regiment status). Each put the stamp of his own character on the unit – in each case a new, innovative leader for a new era. The non-commissioned officer (NCO) command structure included legends such as warrant officers class 1 Trevor Floyd, Koos Moorcroft and Pep van Zyl. Under this strong leadership problems and transgressions in the unit were usually resolved by unconventional means.
There was the notorious ‘dirty’, for example. The offender had to carry a full AK-47 ammo box of 30 kg from Fort Doppies, the Recce base in the Caprivi Strip (today the Zambezi Region), to the Botswana border (or vice versa) – a 25-km slog through loose, sandy soil. On top of the leaden weight of the ammo box, the unwieldy shape with its sharp corners added to the agony. The punishment always took place at night, in conditions that varied from extremely hot with mosquito swarms to biting cold and sometimes soaking rain.
Then there was also the possibility that the culprit could encounter lions, buffalo, elephants and even mambas during his solitary hike. It was not uncommon for a lone walker to be pursued by a lion. There were cases where the fellow was found in a tree the following morning, with lions eyeing him from below. Thus issues were settled without formal charges or paperwork, and the daily programme could proceed normally without further repercussions.
In the early days the men were wild and rough, and they were prone to spur-of-the-moment target shooting in their living quarters on the Bluff in Durban. After operations, stress was unloaded in various ways. The Durban nightlife was a popular escape valve. The command structure regularly had to put out fires the next morning after the Recces had been on a night out in the beach and harbour area.
1 Recce was privileged to have extensive employment possibilities. Besides being qualified parachutists, all the operators were trained in explosives, bushcraft, weapons handling, signals, rock climbing, escape-and-evasion, survival, camouflage and emergency medical treatment. This wide spectrum of skills was harnessed during operations to frustrate and outwit the enemy. Each member of the team displayed initiative and leadership. Given their small numbers, they were invariably up against a numerically superior force.
The camaraderie that reigned among the close-knit group of men still persists today, long after they have left the unit. The principle of ‘one for all and all for one’ applied throughout. It was this bond of brotherhood that carried them through tough times, and they would continue supporting one another on all levels in the years ahead. During operational periods a premium was put on security, and members would never try to find out where their comrades had been deployed. The less you knew the better, as ignorance eliminated the possibility of a security breach.
In this book, a brief overview is first given of the Recces’ employment in both 1 RC and the subsequent 1 Reconnaissance Regiment, which originated from 1 RC in 1981. The reader is given insight into how they were deployed and utilised, inter alia in bush and urban warfare, pseudo and vehicle operations, two-man reconnaissance missions, and deployments with parachutes and on rivers and at sea.
The Recces operated at night in small groups far behind enemy lines. Because their small numbers ruled out reliance on heavy firepower, they put their faith in stealth and surprise. The mother unit, 1 RC, had only a handful of operators at its disposal, despite various recruitment initiatives. The reader gets a behind-the-scenes look at aspects such as the formation of the unit, selection and the full training cycle, and accompanies the operators on a number of decisive operations
