Warrant Officer 2nd Class Jim Reeves, 5 Reconnaissance Commando. “Jim Reeves” (nom de guerre) was born in the Portuguese Colony of Cape Verde Islands on 13 August 1959. At age 18, he volunteered to join the South African Defence Force, shortly after the Portuguese withdrawal from Africa, adopting the false name “Jim Reeves” for operational security reasons.

Reeves soon volunteered for the rigorous South African Reconnaissance Commando selection course.. The grizzled veterans of the Second World War, Malaya, and the Border Wars showed their young recruits no mercy or quarter. After successful passing through weeks of intense commando training, he was posted to 5 Reconnaissance Commando (5 Recce) in the SADF.

Whether it was Pietermaritzburg bar room, or the Angolan border, he was cool headed in any combat situation. He earned multiple commendations and medals for gallantry in battle, and continued to serve in the SANDF after 1994. By the end of his career with 5 Recce, the young man from Cape Verde would serve in the same command capacity as Jock Hutton once did.

Tragically, “Jim” was killed in Burundi while serving as a peacekeeper with the SANDF in January 2004.