Tafelberg Publishers

Subtitle: The Night Belongs to Us

Summary: ‘Every AK-47 is now firmly trained on the approaching man. Adrenaline pumps through the operators’ veins. They hold their breath, their hearts in their mouths.’ 1 Recce. One of the sharpest, most versatile and deadliest specialist units in the South African Defence Force. These men — superfit and unbelievably tough — were dauntless. Time and again they put their lives on the line in covert operations that were mostly conducted under the cover of night, far behind enemy lines. For decades, the participants have kept silent about these secret missions. Now, for the first time, the Recces’ legendary commanders reveal details about their many politically sensitive operations. The award-winning author Alexander Strachan, himself a former Recce, tells the full story of 1 Recce’s formation, history and role in the Bush War. After years of myth and secrecy, this book provides an inside look at the Recces and the work they did invisibly behind the scenes.

Subtitle: Small Team Missions Behind Enemy Lines

Summary: A gripping first-hand account of the combat operations and life of a member of the secretive and elite South African Special Forces, known as ‘Recces’. South African Special Forces, known as the ‘Recces’, are an elite group of soldiers that few can aspire to join. Shrouded in secrecy due to the covert nature of their work, the legendary Recces have long fascinated, but little is known about how they operate. Now one of this select band has written a tell-all book about the extraordinary missions he embarked on and the nail-biting action he experienced in the Border War. Shortly after passing the infamously grueling Special Forces selection course in the early 1980s, Koos Stadler joined the so-called Small Teams group at 5 Reconnaissance Regiment. This sub-unit was made up of two-man teams and was responsible for numerous secret and highly dangerous missions deep behind enemy lines. With only one other team member, Stadler was sent to blow up railway lines and enemy fighter jets in the south of Angola. As he crawled in and out of enemy-infested territory, he stared death in the face many times.