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44 Pathfinder Platoon
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44 Pathfinder Platoon
The 44 Pathfinder Platoon is part of the 44 Parachute Regiment. The pathfinder is a trained and specialised operator who performs covertly behind enemy lines, either in small groups or in collaboration with other reconnaissance units.
In the early 1980s and following the creation of Zimbabwe a number of former Rhodesian Army soldiers joined the SADF on a short contract. Some were absorbed into 32 Battalion and others, mainly Rhodesian professional soldiers, were recruited by Col. Jan Breytenbach into 44 Parachute Brigade to serve as a new fighting arm within the brigade. These British, Rhodesian, and American Troops were at that time humorously referred to as 'The Philistines' because they were foreigners.
After their selection and induction, these recruits underwent further training in bush warfare and conventional pathfinding methods as a part of 2 pathfinder selection courses. This training by early 1981 produced sufficient personnel to be deployed on active service. Their envisaged role was to conduct mobile, fighting patrols deep inside Angola. They were highly trained in counter-terrorist operations and already self-sufficient and in most cases independent from the rest of the SADF.
They were based at Ondangwa, South-West Africa (now Namibia) and from there they would launch patrols into Angola mostly led by Colonel Breytenbach. This force in its short and controversial history proved to be highly successful and when Colonel Breytenbach left the Brigade in 1982 they were disbanded. Before its eventual disbandment the Pathfinders were involved to a degree in giving instruction to 44 Parachute Brigade's Citizen Force Paratroopers, however, on the completion of their one-year contracts some chose to leave the SADF whilst others which were the majority, were transferred to 32 Battalion.
In 1976, 1 Parachute Battalion possessed a limited pathfinder capability in a small group of permanent force members who were Drop Zone Safety Officers and Freefall qualified. These comprised the following: Capt. J.E. Rabie Lt. J.C. Van Wyk 2 Lt. M. Ellis 2 Lt. M.J. Boon Sgt M. P .J. Liebenberg Cpl. D.W. Van Zyl and Cpl. J.J. Grobler.
The Battalion had no other specialized training except that of paratrooper soldiering. With fixed posts within the Battalion, these members would only group as and when the situation required and then mainly for the purpose of training. With the success and lessons from Operation Reindeer in May 1978, it became clear that a method for ensuring correct and safe dropping, grouping, and extraction of paratroopers was urgently needed. In order to have the capability to covertly insert behind enemy lines, and do reconnaissance on the target, the Battalion would need to create a formal structure, command system, specialized equipment, and operational procedures to support this.
The then Commander of 1 Parachute Battalion, Col. D.J. Moore, requested Maj Joos Rabie to formulate staff, equipment tables and to establish guidelines for the formation of an extended Pathfinder capability within the unit. The blueprint used was a combination of the British SAS, USA Pathfinders, and the Reconnaissance Regiments (Recces) of the SADF. The objective was to train the Pathfinder to be on par with the Recces' in their training schedule regarding land warfare, but specializing in pathfinder and airborne operations. 2Lt. Jacobus. G. Hoon and 2Lt. Pierre Lundberg together with Cpl's I.J. Pretorius and Daniel. J. Schutte were the first Permanent force leader group who trained the first group of Pathfinders in September 1978.
The command of this group fell under Lt J.G.Hoon (1st Pathfinder Group 1978) and 2 Lt Paul Troll. Both Hoon and Troll were from 1 Para Bn. The Pathfinder group teamed up with 101 Battalion in May 1981 at Miershoop where Minor Tactics were introduced to the Recce Pl of 101 BN. South West African Territorial Force (SWATF) who mainly served as trackers, translators, backup firepower (60mm Mortars and LMGs) and the Pathfinder group acting as team leaders and medics. They operated in small (4 man) teams (2 Pathfinders and 2 101 Battalion Ovambos) looking for weapon caches and doing counter-insurgency operations for the upcoming expected rainy-season offensive. For their service, this group of Pathfinders was awarded the Chief of the SADF Commendation Medal.
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44 Pathfinder Platoon
The 44 Pathfinder Platoon is part of the 44 Parachute Regiment. The pathfinder is a trained and specialised operator who performs covertly behind enemy lines, either in small groups or in collaboration with other reconnaissance units.
In the early 1980s and following the creation of Zimbabwe a number of former Rhodesian Army soldiers joined the SADF on a short contract. Some were absorbed into 32 Battalion and others, mainly Rhodesian professional soldiers, were recruited by Col. Jan Breytenbach into 44 Parachute Brigade to serve as a new fighting arm within the brigade. These British, Rhodesian, and American Troops were at that time humorously referred to as 'The Philistines' because they were foreigners.
After their selection and induction, these recruits underwent further training in bush warfare and conventional pathfinding methods as a part of 2 pathfinder selection courses. This training by early 1981 produced sufficient personnel to be deployed on active service. Their envisaged role was to conduct mobile, fighting patrols deep inside Angola. They were highly trained in counter-terrorist operations and already self-sufficient and in most cases independent from the rest of the SADF.
They were based at Ondangwa, South-West Africa (now Namibia) and from there they would launch patrols into Angola mostly led by Colonel Breytenbach. This force in its short and controversial history proved to be highly successful and when Colonel Breytenbach left the Brigade in 1982 they were disbanded. Before its eventual disbandment the Pathfinders were involved to a degree in giving instruction to 44 Parachute Brigade's Citizen Force Paratroopers, however, on the completion of their one-year contracts some chose to leave the SADF whilst others which were the majority, were transferred to 32 Battalion.
In 1976, 1 Parachute Battalion possessed a limited pathfinder capability in a small group of permanent force members who were Drop Zone Safety Officers and Freefall qualified. These comprised the following: Capt. J.E. Rabie Lt. J.C. Van Wyk 2 Lt. M. Ellis 2 Lt. M.J. Boon Sgt M. P .J. Liebenberg Cpl. D.W. Van Zyl and Cpl. J.J. Grobler.
The Battalion had no other specialized training except that of paratrooper soldiering. With fixed posts within the Battalion, these members would only group as and when the situation required and then mainly for the purpose of training. With the success and lessons from Operation Reindeer in May 1978, it became clear that a method for ensuring correct and safe dropping, grouping, and extraction of paratroopers was urgently needed. In order to have the capability to covertly insert behind enemy lines, and do reconnaissance on the target, the Battalion would need to create a formal structure, command system, specialized equipment, and operational procedures to support this.
The then Commander of 1 Parachute Battalion, Col. D.J. Moore, requested Maj Joos Rabie to formulate staff, equipment tables and to establish guidelines for the formation of an extended Pathfinder capability within the unit. The blueprint used was a combination of the British SAS, USA Pathfinders, and the Reconnaissance Regiments (Recces) of the SADF. The objective was to train the Pathfinder to be on par with the Recces' in their training schedule regarding land warfare, but specializing in pathfinder and airborne operations. 2Lt. Jacobus. G. Hoon and 2Lt. Pierre Lundberg together with Cpl's I.J. Pretorius and Daniel. J. Schutte were the first Permanent force leader group who trained the first group of Pathfinders in September 1978.
The command of this group fell under Lt J.G.Hoon (1st Pathfinder Group 1978) and 2 Lt Paul Troll. Both Hoon and Troll were from 1 Para Bn. The Pathfinder group teamed up with 101 Battalion in May 1981 at Miershoop where Minor Tactics were introduced to the Recce Pl of 101 BN. South West African Territorial Force (SWATF) who mainly served as trackers, translators, backup firepower (60mm Mortars and LMGs) and the Pathfinder group acting as team leaders and medics. They operated in small (4 man) teams (2 Pathfinders and 2 101 Battalion Ovambos) looking for weapon caches and doing counter-insurgency operations for the upcoming expected rainy-season offensive. For their service, this group of Pathfinders was awarded the Chief of the SADF Commendation Medal.
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