One Reconnaissance Regiment
 One Reconnaissance Regiment    | |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1972 |
| Extinction | 1997 |
| Type | military |
| An apartheid-era army unit. Predominantly black soldiers with white senior officers and with a strength of approximately 1000, for cross-border raids. | |
The 1 Reconnaissance Commando, also known as One Reconnaissance Regiment, was the first South African special forces unit, founded by General Fritz Loots - the founder of the South African Special Forces, and the first General Officer Commanding of the South African Special Forces. He appointed 11[1] qualified paratroopers (known as "The Dirty Dozen", although they were made up of only 11 men) as the founder members. Included in these 11 paratroopers was Jan Breytenbach, who was placed in command of the Founder Members by General Loots.
The unit was based in Durban and consisted of a training component and an operational wing which provided personnel for cross-border raids such as those on Matola and Maseru.
In the 1980s it was a predominantly black unit with white senior officers and with a strength of approximately 1 000. Officers commanding 1RR were Cmdt JG ‘Jannie’ Breytenbach (1972-75); Maj (T/Cmdt) JC Swart (1975-81); Col. E Olckers (1981-83); Col. A Bestbier (1983-88); Col. G Keulder (1988-)[2][3]
References
- ↑ Strachan, Alexander (2018). 1 Recce. Cape Town: NB Publishers. p. 51. ISBN 978-0-624-08152-4.
- ↑ Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa Report - Volume Two, Chapter Three, p322-323.
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20141224105920/http://www.sabctrc.saha.org.za/reports/volume2/chapter3/subsection69.htm
