This is the American M26, a High-Explosive-Fragmentation (HE-Frag), Anti-Personnel (AP), delay (DLY) detonating, hand-grenade which has a notched fragmentation coil liner including the M26A1, A2 and A3 and is manufactured in various countries. Its distinct lemon shape...
During his career, he went on many operations, mostly with the seaborne specialists, 4 Recce. Some were spectacular, like Ops Kerslig where he won the Honoris Crux and many more. His list of decorations besides the Honoris Crux (HC) is the Southern Cross Medal (SM),...
Mike West held the rank of Sergeant (Sgt) in the Rhodesian Light Infantry (RLI) and was a trooper/operator in the Rhodesian Special Air Service (SAS) and South African Special Forces (Recces).
This is the South-African R2M2, a High-Explosive-Blast (HE-Blast), circular, plastic-bodied, non-metallic, pressure-initiated, Anti-Personnel (AP) landmine designed to wound or kill by its HE-Blast effect that uses an integral fuze with a steel Firing-Pin (FP) and...
This is the South-African No 2 (R1M1), a copy of the American M18A1 often called the SHRAPNEL MINE No 2, a High-Explosive-Fragmentation (HE-Frag), claymore shaped, plastic-bodied, directional, anti-personnel (AP), landmine that is designed to wound or kill by its...
The No 8 mine is a South African a High-Explosive-Blast (HE-Blast) circular bakelite bodied, Anti-Vehicle (AV) cased minimum metal anti-tank blast mine, which is designed to damage or destroy a vehicle by its HE-Blast effect with a conventional pressure fuzing.. The...
The South African R1 series of rifles are based on the Fabrique Nationale de Herstal (FN) Fusil Automatique Léger (light automatic rifle) or FAL. Formally introduced by its designer Dieudonne Saive in 1951, and produced two years later, it has been described as the...
Long relying on foreign arms to stock its military inventory, the South African national army faced a dilemma of sorts when a UN arms embargo cut the nation off from outside support. The embargo began as a voluntary measure in 1963 and formed into a mandatory...
The inside story of a Recce's Special Forces training year The South African Special Forces, or Recces, has always been known for their gruelling selection course that pushes soldiers to the ends of their physical and mental limits. Many sign up for it; only a select...
The Night Belongs to Us 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...
Small Team Missions Behind Enemy Lines 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...
South Africa's Seaborne Raiders 1978-1988 This seminal work documents the clandestine sea borne operations undertaken by South Africa’s 4 Reconnaissance Commando Regiment. It breathtakingly reveals the versatility and effectiveness of this elite unit which worked with...
Operation Firewood was a 1987 cross-border military operation conducted by the South African Defence Force (SADF) against the armed wing of SWAPO, the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN), during the later phases of the South African Border War. he PLAN Northern...
Operation Coolidge was a covert military operation conducted by the South African 4 Reconnaissance Regiment in August 1987, where a team of 4 Recce Commandos was inserted by helicopter into an area north of Cuito Cuanavale in Angola to target infrastructure,...
The southern element of the FAPLA offensive was launched from the area of Cuito Cuanavale on 14 August 1987. The brigades involved here were 25 Brigade, already deployed east of the Cuito River at Tumpo, and 16, 21, 47, 59, 66, 8, and 13 Brigades, which were deployed...