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South Africa's Reconnaissance Regiments
South Africa's Reconnaissance Regiments
RECCES
The first Reconnaissance Regiment was founded in Durban on
October 1st 1972 as a small specialized SAS or Selous Scouts type
unit capable of operating deep inside enemy territory to obtain
valuable intelligence on enemy movements, positions and numbers.
Col. Jan Breytenbach commanded this new unit designated 1
Recognizance Commando or 1 Recce. Soldiers serving in this unit
went on to form the core of additional Recce groups. The
"Regiments" the Recce units consist of few men termed "operators".
These men are highly trained, shun the spot-light and are rarely
filmed or photographed.
Up until recently, the units of the Reconnaissance Regiments were
1 Recce based at Durban in Natal Province; 2 Recce (Citizen
Force) based at Voortrekkerhoogte in the Transvaal; 4 Recce based
at Langebaan in Cape Province; and 5 Recce based at Phalaborwa
in the Transvaal. Of interest is the fact that 3 and 6 Recce were
formed in 1980, at the end of the Rhodesian War, from former
Rhodesian SAS and Selous Scouts. These were disbanded in 1981
and the men were absorbed by the remaining units.The units are
now known as 451, 452, 453 Parachute Battalion (thanks to Henri
for this info).
The Recces are trained to act in tiny units or individually, far in the
field with little support. The operators mission is to gather strategic
and tactical intelligence about the enemy behind his lines. Stealth
and the ability to blend into the surrounding bush are essential
elements of the operators repertoire. They occasionally participate
in special aggressive operations in the enemy's rear territory,
destroying targets, harassing troops and causing small scale havoc.
Recce units usually operate in 5 or 6 man teams, though it is known
than 2 man reconnaissance teams have operated inside Angola.
Each Team-member is a specialist in a particular field such as
navigation, tracking, demolition, medic, signaler etc. The men are
cross-trained so as not to be dependent on one individual and are
able to carry out all tasks proficiently
Applicants for selection for Recce training must meet stringent
requirements. He must be prepared to enlist for 3 years in the
Permanent Force for three years after his National Service
commitment is over. The applicant must be between 18 and 35
years old and be physically and mentally fit. He needs to have
appropriate military skills which can be built upon, must hold a
matric, and wish to serve his country in a special way and seek an
outstanding military career. He must be a South African Citizen,
have no criminal record, and be fluent in English and Afrikaans.
Once accepted, the applicant can specialize in a particular field
such as medical training, signals, logistics, weapons, diving, boats,
demolition, or research and development. Some 700 prospects
apply from all branches of the South African Defense Forces, and
only about 45 are accepted.
TRAINING
Recce Training consists of a pre-selection phase (3 days), Special
Forces Orientation (two weeks), selection (three days), training (42
weeks) and specialization.
The pre-selection phase stars with a day of psychological testing.
The applicant undergoes a complete psychological and medical
exam, and an interview to convince the selection board that he
would contribute to the team and fit in as a member. If he is
successful, a very exacting one-day physical test commences. It
includes competing a variety of tasks including a 30 km march,
wearing all kit and carrying a rifle and 30 kg sandbag within 6
hours.; an eight km run carrying all kit and rifle in 45 minutes; 40
push-ups, eight chin-ups, and 68 sit-ups in a time-limit; 40 shuttle
runs of 7 metres each in 90 seconds; and a swim of 45 metres in a
specific time. The third day includes a routine march. When a
candidate is deemed satisfactory and completes the pre-selection
course, he will begin the Special Forces Orientation Course which
includes two weeks of advanced infantry skills and physical
training. PT is eight hours per day as preparation of the selection
course. 20 % drop out rate is expected at this point in the process.
The Selection Process includes three days of survival and bush
orientation training. Rations, water and sleep are limited by the
instructors. Physical Training is continuous and testing occurs
often. Candidates are evaluated for adaptability, discipline,
navigation skills, fears of animals or situations, care of weapons
and equipment, memory, powers of observation and ability to move
in the bush. Special watch is kept on the candidate to evaluate
whether he has the ability to work successfully with other
candidates under stress, and the development of a team mentality.
The final 42-week training course consists of an individual phase; a
basic parachuting course; training in minor tactics (foreign and
platoon weapons instruction, survival, urban warfare, and vehicle
movement training); water orientation (small boat instruction, basic
diving, swimming, and survival); air orientation (static parachute
jumping, rappelling, fast rope decent, forward air control and
direction, and helicopter drills); and basic demolitions and
explosives training. The parachute training consists of physical
training and parachute training. Extensive endurance and body-
building training is initially conducted for ten 40-minute periods
every day to ensure candidates are in top physical condition and to
evaluate their reaction to this stressful phase. Speed marches
progress from five km to 25 km with full kit, rifle, all timed and
evaluated by instructors. An exercise on the parade ground is
marching while suspending a 25 kg cement globe called the
"marble" above the head. By the time the second phase is done, 40
to 50% of the class will have dropped out. To complete parachute
training the Recces will make static line jumps from 150 metres and
then progress to free-fall jumping, and HALO (High Altitude Low
Opening jump.
Navigation techniques are taught and the students are required to
navigate through swamps and waterways. Various team-building
exercises are held including races and forced marches over sand
carrying heavy weights. Team work and leadership qualities are
watched for by the instructors. Candidates are rated on their ability
to work under stress, resistance to cold, adaptability, stamina, co-
ordination, and general fitness. They are tested frequently for
psychological, physical, and psycho-motor skills and the ability to
think and react well under extreme mental pressure.
A extreme phase of testing begins with a forced march of 38 kms.
Well into the march, the soldiers are allowed to fill water bottles,
while the instructors try to entice them to quit by offering food or
ice-cold drinks. When the men reach their destination they are
given rations that have been made inedible by soaking in diesel
fuel. A variety of additional tortures thought up by instructors are
also applied to the candidates to test their resolve. This may seem
cruel, but it is all voluntary, and the men's safety is assured by
doctors, training cadre, and psychologists monitoring every step the
candidates make.
When the final rendezvous is made, the men sink down to rest
thinking it is all over. at this point a new marching order of 30 kms
is issued. Those that proceed are taunted with more offers of food
and drink as well as transport to ease their tired bodies if they just
call it quits. The ordeals are far from over. They might be
"captured" and treated as a prisoner by the trainers dressed as
terrorists, or have to solve mind-bending puzzles while exhausted
and starved. Those who finish this phase are considered
"operators", while those that fail at any point are sent to other
SADF units, no disgrace for at least they have tried.
OPERATIONS
The Recce operators use highly specialized and personalized gear
and uniforms as well as both Western and Eastern-bloc weapons
and ordnance. Often the operators utilize South African made
copies of camo uniforms used by other countries and their allies.
They are worn to blend into foreign troops when on covert
operations. Recce missions are covert and highly secretive by
nature, and must remain so in order to safe guard the lives of the
men involved. One mission is known all to well to South Africans.
May 1985 saw a covert mission by Recces blown when the 9
operators were discovered over 2,000 kms inside Angola in the
province of Cabinda, known for its rich oil deposits. The battle
resulted in two South Africans killed and their leader, identified as
Capt. Wynand du Toit captured.
The remaining half-dozen soldiers escaped safely to South Africa.
The official story from the government is as follows:
On May 13 1985, a South African Navy strike craft carrying the
Recce team as well as a back-up team left Saldanha Bay and
traveled to a spot 160 kms off the Angolan coast near its border
with Zaire. The mission was to confirm the existence of ANC
terrorist bases and SWAPO bases near Cabinda. Reports indicated
this area as containing a major ANC training base from which
insurgents returned to South Africa. The area contains oil storage
installations run by the Angolans and Gulf Oil, and because of this,
several large military bases are in the vecinity. Speculative reports
had mentioned US Veterans and ex-SAS guarding the installations.
The plane brought the soldiers close to the coast in the darkness of
May 19. An advance scouting party was sent to gather intelligence
on terrain where the party would land, rowing ashore in rubber
dinghies. No hostile movement or activity was noticed so the rest of
the team landed on the night of May 20th. Under ideal cloudy
skies, the Recce teams trip was slowed by the need to launch their
boats farther from shore than anticipated. The longer journey, as
well as rough seas threw off the precise timing of the mission. Near
shore, Capt. du Toit noticed a small fishing vessel in the area of the
landing zone and the occupants were on shore around a fire. This
forced the team to wait off-shore until the boat left the area. They
were now three hours behind schedule, and the danger of being
detected grew. Upon landing the boats were hidden and a
rendezvous point set up.
The men climbed a bluff and followed a route that skirted a small
village and led to a road. They miscalculated the distance to the
road and turned back losing an hour of valuable time. Du Toit
decided to continue and reach the lay over position in a densely
wooded area within the two hours prior to dawn. South African
Intelligence and aerial photographs showed an uninhabited area,
but in fact it was surrounded by camouflaged FAPLA bases. The
hide was finally reached as day broke. This proved to be far from
ideal as a hiding place as it was not part of the jungle but an island
of dense growth some distance from the jungle.
The Recce's hid in the undergrowth and spread into a defensive
perimeter, one man at an observation post several yards to the
North with a view of the course they had traveled. As dawn broke,
the features of a well hidden FAPLA base became clear some 1,000
yards from the hide position. A few hours later, a small FAPLA
patrol could be seen following the tracks they had left the night
before. They team watched as the patrol withdrew, and then came
back with a larger patrol which passed the hide. At 5:00 pm a three
man patrol followed the team's trail directly to the thicket where the
Recce's were hidden. They stopped short of entering the brush, and
returned to their base. Meanwhile a second patrol approached the
hide from the other direction, and opened up heavily on the hidden
position. As RPG rockets struck their position Capt. du Toit
ordered the withdrawal of his troops.
They had no choice but to double back on the trail that brought
them to this position the previous night. Two of the men were
wounded as they exited the trees. FAPLA troops deployed 50 yards
west of the site opened up with RPD machine guns RPG and many
AK-47s. The team turned north, pursued by FAPLA soldiers.
Another group of Angolan soldiers advanced from the west,
flanking the Recce's, they could only go east now. They could see a
group of trees, but needed to cross 40 yards of waste high grass to
get to this cover. Du Toit took two men and made his way through
the grass as the rest of the team hid in the thicket. The small team
drew fire as over 30 troops moved onto the exposed position.
Corporal van Breda was killed as his two comrades fought on. The
fighting continued for a full 45 minutes. The two men started to run
out of ammunition and were wounded.
Corporal Liebenberg was killed, and du Toit nearly so, though he
remained conscious. The contact was over, and two of South
Africa's finest soldiers were dead.
While du Toit lay on his stomach, FAPLA soldiers approached
thinking he was also dead. While stripping his equipment, they
realized he was alive and shot him through the neck. He remained
awake with wounds in his neck, shoulder and arm as the FAPLA
soldiers began to savagely beat him. The soldiers ranted that he was
a mercenary, while du Toit explained that he was in fact a South
African officer, which surprised the soldiers greatly, though they
were unaware he was a member of the notorious Recces. After
being abused, he was finally taken to Cabinda for medical
treatment then to a Luanda hospital.
The remaining six Recce operators carefully made their way north
where they regrouped and made contact with their plane. They were
picked up and returned safely to South Africa. Their escape was
due in part to being ignored after the Angolans captured du Toit.
After denying that South Africa used soldiers in Angola, on May
23rd, it was announced at a press conference that the SADF had
small groups of soldiers deployed in northern Angola. The soldiers
tasks were to gain information on "hostile elements which threaten
the Safety of South West Africa and South Africa" such as
SWAPO, the ANC and "Russian surrogate forces". Regarding du
Toits team the statement was "At this moment there is concern
because contact has been broken. This element was gathering
information about ANC bases, SWAPO bases, as well as Cuban
involvement with them in the area south and north of Luanda."
The Angolans played the propaganda for all it was worth. They
showed footage of the two dead Recce's and of Capt. du Toit, and
they were all identified. On the 24th Pik Botha stated he was eager
to talk about the incident and have du Toit returned. He blamed the
excursion on Angola's aid to the ANC insurgents after repeated
warnings to desist.
Angola had du Tout deliver a statement to cast doubt on the
information gathering aim of his mission. The Angolans tried to
make it appear that South Africa was trying to blow up oil
installations and cripple the Angolan economy. Du Toit read out a
statement haltingly describing how he and his group had been on a
mission to blow up a key oil depot in order to cause a "considerable
economic set back to the Angolan government...We were not
looking for ANC or SWAPO, we were attacking Gulf Oil." The
attack was to be credited to Unita, and to this end they were
carrying Unita leaflets. Psychologists examining the footage stated
that du Toit had been brainwashed after isolation and serious
wounds and abuse.
Du Toit was finally released after 837 days of solitary confinement in an Angolan prison in a complicated prisoner exchange arrangement. The Recce's as a unit have been since reorganized and are now under the control of the Chief of the Army.
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