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Recce: Small Team Missions Behind Enemy Lines
“This book is highly recommended and should be of interest to anyone interested in Special Forces operations, both in the African context and in other parts of the world. From a training and operational perspective, there is much food for thought in this publication.” ― Insight on Africa
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.
Table of Contents
Author’s note
List of abbreviations
PART 1: COURAGE AND ACTION
1. Target
2. Boy Adventurer
3. The Seed is Sown
Part 2: The Bushmen
1. Into the Unknown
2. Bush Baptism
3. Brothers in Arms
4. First Small Team Ventures
5. The Realities of Fighting Patrols into Angola
6. Operation Daisy, November 1981
7. End of an Era
Part 3: Special Forces
1. Special Forces Selection and Training
2. Special Forces Training Cycle
3. First Special Forces Operations
4. 51 Reconnaissance Commando
Part 4: Small Teams
1. Into the Fray
2. Operation Cerberus, September 1985
3. Operation Killarney, December 1985 to January 1986
4. Operation Caudad, May 1986
5. Operation Colosseum, October-November 1986
6. Operation Abduct 1, January-February 1987
7. Operation Angel, August 1987
8. Facing Fear
9. Three Crosses at Operation Abduct 2, November-December 1987
Epilogue
Endnotes
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.
Table of Contents
Author’s note
List of abbreviations
PART 1: COURAGE AND ACTION
1. Target
2. Boy Adventurer
3. The Seed is Sown
Part 2: The Bushmen
1. Into the Unknown
2. Bush Baptism
3. Brothers in Arms
4. First Small Team Ventures
5. The Realities of Fighting Patrols into Angola
6. Operation Daisy, November 1981
7. End of an Era
Part 3: Special Forces
1. Special Forces Selection and Training
2. Special Forces Training Cycle
3. First Special Forces Operations
4. 51 Reconnaissance Commando
Part 4: Small Teams
1. Into the Fray
2. Operation Cerberus, September 1985
3. Operation Killarney, December 1985 to January 1986
4. Operation Caudad, May 1986
5. Operation Colosseum, October-November 1986
6. Operation Abduct 1, January-February 1987
7. Operation Angel, August 1987
8. Facing Fear
9. Three Crosses at Operation Abduct 2, November-December 1987
Epilogue
Endnotes
384 pages, Hardcover
First published August 28, 2015
112 people are currently reading
270 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 1, 2017
A profound paradox lies at the heart of this book, a paradox not even hinted at in its subtitle (“Small team missions behind enemy lines”), although it is mentioned, without comment, in the book’s blurb. For while it is an intriguing and insightful examination of the specialised and deadly world of special forces’ operations, what is skated over is who these special forces were and what they were fighting against.
The special forces were part of the South African army and they were fighting the guerillas of SWAPO, the organisation struggling to free South West Africa (now Namibia) from the racist control of the apartheid regime in Pretoria. And the author of Recce, Koos Stadler, was one of the men fighting to preserve that regime.
For some, that in itself might disqualify the book from reading lists, but that would be to miss another of the paradoxes at the book’s heart: while the author is fighting to defend the indefensible, reading Recce brings the reader to the slow realisation that good men can be committed to fighting for what is wrong. For Stadler is undoubtedly a good man and a good soldier, serving his country, his people and his God as best he knows how. Nor is he, the servant of a racist regime, in any way racist himself: how could he be, when in the long border war he served alongside so many black African soldiers, creating the sorts of bonds of mutual trust and friendship that staring into the face of death together forge between men.
And this reveals the book’s final paradox: how many black Africans fought alongside the South African army against the guerillas of SWAPO. So the book’s final lesson is that, even in the struggle against apartheid, things are never just black and white.
The special forces were part of the South African army and they were fighting the guerillas of SWAPO, the organisation struggling to free South West Africa (now Namibia) from the racist control of the apartheid regime in Pretoria. And the author of Recce, Koos Stadler, was one of the men fighting to preserve that regime.
For some, that in itself might disqualify the book from reading lists, but that would be to miss another of the paradoxes at the book’s heart: while the author is fighting to defend the indefensible, reading Recce brings the reader to the slow realisation that good men can be committed to fighting for what is wrong. For Stadler is undoubtedly a good man and a good soldier, serving his country, his people and his God as best he knows how. Nor is he, the servant of a racist regime, in any way racist himself: how could he be, when in the long border war he served alongside so many black African soldiers, creating the sorts of bonds of mutual trust and friendship that staring into the face of death together forge between men.
And this reveals the book’s final paradox: how many black Africans fought alongside the South African army against the guerillas of SWAPO. So the book’s final lesson is that, even in the struggle against apartheid, things are never just black and white.
October 14, 2015
Fantastic read
Koos Stadlers humble and unassuming style of writing makes for a superb read. Loved the insights into training and operations, the details the operators dealt in and the absolute dedication to the mission. Great book but due to the nature of the SF's setup details are plenty but very much the varnish on the veneer.
Highly recommended read and a great book to have in any collection.
Koos Stadlers humble and unassuming style of writing makes for a superb read. Loved the insights into training and operations, the details the operators dealt in and the absolute dedication to the mission. Great book but due to the nature of the SF's setup details are plenty but very much the varnish on the veneer.
Highly recommended read and a great book to have in any collection.
February 9, 2017
Het hierdie boek ongelooflik geniet. Dit is a konsentreer lees maar baie interessant. Die ding met hierdie boeke vir my is dat dit my so laat trots voel oor on weer mag gedurende daardie dae. ek dink nie ons besef al dag hoe goeie weet mag ons gehad het nie.
February 18, 2016
Well done Koos on clearing up some of the many myths surrounding the infamous Recce soldier of South African Special Forces.
Brave soldiers doing a job...............really really well!
Brave soldiers doing a job...............really really well!
August 20, 2017
My wife bought this book for me as she knows I enjoy reading military nonfiction.
Being a South African, the exploits of the Recces is close to home. I was hoping for more of an insight into the mind of Koos Stadler and the controversial times he operated under.
The writing also lacked the drama and suspense that made books like Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell so gripping.
Being a South African, the exploits of the Recces is close to home. I was hoping for more of an insight into the mind of Koos Stadler and the controversial times he operated under.
The writing also lacked the drama and suspense that made books like Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell so gripping.
December 14, 2015
Very interesting. As a national serviceman during our border war I heard many stories about the recces and it's good to hear the truth from one of them.
October 29, 2023
Generally speaking, I'm not one to read "army books" in the sense of tactical this-or-that ... so I actually surprised myself when I bought this book. It was only once I'd reached the photos in the book that it dawned on me that my motivation might have something to do with the fact that I'd just recently lost a friend whose ties to the army appeared in several aspect of his life. He'd suddenly died of a heart attack, not active combat. It's a sad truth that no matter how much you search for the deceased in the land of the living, your search is in vain.
Koos Stadler paints a vivid picture of the training (physical and mental) that goes into any form of reconnaissance. I found it fascinating how he was prepared to stick out the worst kind of suffering merely to fulfill a dream: Which was to be a recce - and a good one at that! This served to curb my curiosity about what went on at the border all those years ago and unveiled some of the secrecy a lot of the missions were veiled under. Sure, here and there you get the feeling that the men were having fun playing "war games", but there were individuals who actually got wounded, or died, while on these missions.
On page 134, Stadler notes: It is strange how we are often connected to people even before we meet them. The person he's referring to here is his close friend André Diedericks, but as with most things you find in books, you can relate it to your own life. There are several people I've come across with a certain sense of de ja vu which leads me to conclude that a lot of what we go through has been predetermined.
The other thing I take home from this book is the sense of purpose Stadler maintained throughout his career as a recce. Obviously there were times when he got the jitters, but he always returned to his main objective. I can only imagine what it must be like to apply that kind of mantra to my ordinary little life (that has been sucked dry of any form of dreams).
A book worth reading - especially if you feel demotivated about life!
Koos Stadler paints a vivid picture of the training (physical and mental) that goes into any form of reconnaissance. I found it fascinating how he was prepared to stick out the worst kind of suffering merely to fulfill a dream: Which was to be a recce - and a good one at that! This served to curb my curiosity about what went on at the border all those years ago and unveiled some of the secrecy a lot of the missions were veiled under. Sure, here and there you get the feeling that the men were having fun playing "war games", but there were individuals who actually got wounded, or died, while on these missions.
On page 134, Stadler notes: It is strange how we are often connected to people even before we meet them. The person he's referring to here is his close friend André Diedericks, but as with most things you find in books, you can relate it to your own life. There are several people I've come across with a certain sense of de ja vu which leads me to conclude that a lot of what we go through has been predetermined.
The other thing I take home from this book is the sense of purpose Stadler maintained throughout his career as a recce. Obviously there were times when he got the jitters, but he always returned to his main objective. I can only imagine what it must be like to apply that kind of mantra to my ordinary little life (that has been sucked dry of any form of dreams).
A book worth reading - especially if you feel demotivated about life!
November 3, 2018
Very often a Recce or SAS story is a chronology of gung ho, and then sometimes with names changed or omitted. One is not sure if one is reading fact, fiction or imagination.
The absolute humility of Stadler is inspiring, as is is concern not only for his fellow recce, but for anyone else who might be involved in extracting or sustaining him.
Probably the biggest compliment to his abilities and mindset is that with the changing of government in South Africa and the understandable purge of some of the military, that his new masters identified his abilities.
The absolute humility of Stadler is inspiring, as is is concern not only for his fellow recce, but for anyone else who might be involved in extracting or sustaining him.
Probably the biggest compliment to his abilities and mindset is that with the changing of government in South Africa and the understandable purge of some of the military, that his new masters identified his abilities.
February 23, 2023
Really enjoyed this book, what a remarkable character and facinating insight into SADF SF & the Recce's. I feel it could have done with a little more discriptive detail in places, the final mission discribed the book is goes a bit further in detail than most of the previous and as a result has a building tension and intensity around it. Will certainly be looking up more books on this subject and chapter in history.
December 23, 2017
Since primary school, being a recce was the ultimate achievement after school since national service was compulsory at that stage. Yea, and there was a lot of imaginary stories about it. This book gives a first hand insight on what it was like to be a real recce.
December 6, 2019
Koos tells what led him to the Recon community of the South African Army. Without telling every operation he went on, he tells many while explaining the hardships he pushed through to do some epic operations. 2 man teams, well behind enemy lines. A fascinating tale. Worth the time to read.
January 17, 2017
The books tells the story of a man and his career in the South African Defense Force. You will not learn much about the recces, their missions, their life or their tradecraft
July 7, 2022
A fascinating story of war in Africa in the ‘70s-80’s. The author really made his missions come alive and he showed an honest side of Africa at war
March 1, 2016
'n Recce is nie 'n een man oorlogsmasjien wat links en regs doodmaak nie - dit kom jy gou genoeg agter in hierdie boek.
Wat hulle wel is, is ongelooflik veelsydige soldate wat spesialiseer in verkenning en sabotasie. Hulle word opgelei om 'n verstommende reeks vaardighede te besit...wapengebruik, observasie, uitkenning van vyandige voertuie en toerusting, kommunikasie, radiogebruik en herstel, navigasie, plofstofkunde, infiltrasie, eksfiltrasie, spoorsny, teenspoorsny, kamoeflasie, valskermspring. Daar is feitlik geen operasionele taak kort van vliegtuie loods wat 'n opgeleide recce nie kan doen nie.
En dan ongelooflike uithouvermoë...om byvoorbeeld 30km per dag met 'n 90kg rugsak te beweeg. Die senuwees om gekamoefleer somtyds binne raakafstand van die vyand te lê.
Koos Stadler beskryf sy tyd eers in die verkenningsvleuel van 31 Bataljon en later in die spesiale magte sonder aansit of oordrywing, of enige aanspraak op supersoldaatstatus. Hy verduidelik hoe die konsep van kleinspanne ontstaan het soos daar mettertyd agtergekom is dat groter spanne (6 - 10 man) eenvoudig nie ongesiens kan beweeg nie. Hy is nie bang om sy vrese te erken nie, en ook nie bang om die operasies wat misluk het te bespreek nie. Inderdaad loop baie operasies op antiklimakse uit, soos toe die noukeurige nagtelike infiltrasie van 'n vyandige vliegveld, met die doel om Mig vegvliegtuie op te blaas, bloot uitloop op die besef dat die vliegtuie na 'n veiliger lughawe geskuif is.
Daar is ook oomblikke van introspeksie wat stof tot nadenke gee, soos toe Stadler sy gedagtes deel rondom die dooie Swaposoldaat met 'n Bybel in sy sak.
Somtyds trek die boek bietjie swaar wanneer die skrywer miskien te veel detail oor die voorbereidingsfases vir elke operasie weergee, aangesien dit redelik herhalend word.
Moet ook nie te veel vuurwerke verwag nie - hierdie is nie werklik 'n aksieboek nie in terme van groot skietgevegte nie. Aangesien hierdie manne in klein spanne van slegs 2 - 4 operateurs gewerk het, en te danke aan die sensitiewe omstandighede waaronder hulle moes werk, kon hulle nie regtig vyandige kontak bekostig nie. Om lewend of dood in vyandige hande te beland sou reuse politieke implikasies gehad het, soos gesien met die gevangeneming van Wynand du Toit. Hulle moes onsigbaar bly.
Ten spyte van die dodelik ernstige omstandighede is van die onvoorsiene gebeure op operasies dikwels komies.
Die boek is 'n eerlike en meestal boeiende kykie agter die skerms van die recces en verkenningseenhede, en koppel 'n menslikheid aan hulle wat miskien deur die jare se legendes en oordrywings misken is. Terwyl hierdie boek baie van die meer ekstreme mites rondom die Recces aan skerwe laat spat, laat dit jou op die ou end met niks anders as respek en bewondering vir hierdie spesialis-operateurs nie.
**Enige moontlike onakkuraatheid oor die recces in hierdie resensie is my skuld, nie die van die skrywer nie. Daar is baie inligting om te verwerk in hierdie boek, en ek skryf suiwer op geheue.**
Wat hulle wel is, is ongelooflik veelsydige soldate wat spesialiseer in verkenning en sabotasie. Hulle word opgelei om 'n verstommende reeks vaardighede te besit...wapengebruik, observasie, uitkenning van vyandige voertuie en toerusting, kommunikasie, radiogebruik en herstel, navigasie, plofstofkunde, infiltrasie, eksfiltrasie, spoorsny, teenspoorsny, kamoeflasie, valskermspring. Daar is feitlik geen operasionele taak kort van vliegtuie loods wat 'n opgeleide recce nie kan doen nie.
En dan ongelooflike uithouvermoë...om byvoorbeeld 30km per dag met 'n 90kg rugsak te beweeg. Die senuwees om gekamoefleer somtyds binne raakafstand van die vyand te lê.
Koos Stadler beskryf sy tyd eers in die verkenningsvleuel van 31 Bataljon en later in die spesiale magte sonder aansit of oordrywing, of enige aanspraak op supersoldaatstatus. Hy verduidelik hoe die konsep van kleinspanne ontstaan het soos daar mettertyd agtergekom is dat groter spanne (6 - 10 man) eenvoudig nie ongesiens kan beweeg nie. Hy is nie bang om sy vrese te erken nie, en ook nie bang om die operasies wat misluk het te bespreek nie. Inderdaad loop baie operasies op antiklimakse uit, soos toe die noukeurige nagtelike infiltrasie van 'n vyandige vliegveld, met die doel om Mig vegvliegtuie op te blaas, bloot uitloop op die besef dat die vliegtuie na 'n veiliger lughawe geskuif is.
Daar is ook oomblikke van introspeksie wat stof tot nadenke gee, soos toe Stadler sy gedagtes deel rondom die dooie Swaposoldaat met 'n Bybel in sy sak.
Somtyds trek die boek bietjie swaar wanneer die skrywer miskien te veel detail oor die voorbereidingsfases vir elke operasie weergee, aangesien dit redelik herhalend word.
Moet ook nie te veel vuurwerke verwag nie - hierdie is nie werklik 'n aksieboek nie in terme van groot skietgevegte nie. Aangesien hierdie manne in klein spanne van slegs 2 - 4 operateurs gewerk het, en te danke aan die sensitiewe omstandighede waaronder hulle moes werk, kon hulle nie regtig vyandige kontak bekostig nie. Om lewend of dood in vyandige hande te beland sou reuse politieke implikasies gehad het, soos gesien met die gevangeneming van Wynand du Toit. Hulle moes onsigbaar bly.
Ten spyte van die dodelik ernstige omstandighede is van die onvoorsiene gebeure op operasies dikwels komies.
Die boek is 'n eerlike en meestal boeiende kykie agter die skerms van die recces en verkenningseenhede, en koppel 'n menslikheid aan hulle wat miskien deur die jare se legendes en oordrywings misken is. Terwyl hierdie boek baie van die meer ekstreme mites rondom die Recces aan skerwe laat spat, laat dit jou op die ou end met niks anders as respek en bewondering vir hierdie spesialis-operateurs nie.
**Enige moontlike onakkuraatheid oor die recces in hierdie resensie is my skuld, nie die van die skrywer nie. Daar is baie inligting om te verwerk in hierdie boek, en ek skryf suiwer op geheue.**
April 26, 2023
Solid, particularly if you're interested in the Angolan conflict and are impressed by the (mad) survival skills of South African Recces in the 1980s. That said, I was hoping for more, even though it was a work-related read.
January 30, 2016
Altho the book gives a great overview of the harsh training and ability of the Reccies, it fails to impress regarding the outcomes of operations.
September 4, 2024
One of the best Bush War books written. Congratulations!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews