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Jan Breytenbach

South African military officer (1932–2024)

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2035 characters
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1352446633 · 2026-05-04T06:34:21Z
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South9 uses in this article African7 uses in this article Special5 uses in this article Forces5 uses in this article Battalion3 uses in this article retirement2 uses in this article military2 uses in this article opposing2 uses in this article Brigade2 uses in this article brother2 uses in this article colonel2 uses in this article officer2 uses in this article Website2 uses in this article Africa2 uses in this article Border2 uses in this article Crisis2 uses in this article George2 uses in this article after2 uses in this article first2 uses in this article Reconnaissance1 uses in this article

Overview

Jan Dirk Breytenbach (14 July 1932 – 16 June 2024) was a South African Special Forces military officer and author of military books. He is best known as the first commander of 1 Reconnaissance Commando, South Africa's first special forces unit. In his long career, he served in the Suez Crisis, the Biafran War, the South African Border War, and the Angolan Civil War, and attained the rank of colonel before his retirement. He died on 16 June 2024, at the age of 91.

Military career

Breytenbach attended the Army Gymnasium in 1950, and was awarded the Sword of Peace in 1953 and joined the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm after serving in the Armoured Corps and saw service in the Suez Crisis in 1956. He rejoined the South African Defence Force in 1961 and was promoted to colonel. In 1978, he led the SADF air assault on Cassinga, and would later continue for long contest opposing versions of the event in the press. He became senior staff officer for operations at Northern Transvaal Command and commanded 44 Parachute Brigade from 24 September 1980 to 31 December 1982. He founded the SADF guerrilla school, which he commanded until his retirement.

Personal life and death

He is the brother of South African poet and writer Breyten Breytenbach and of war correspondent/photographer Cloete Breytenbach. Cloete, who took an iconic photograph of Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu on Robben Island in July 1964 after being given permission to do so by then-South African Prime Minister John Vorster, died in 2019. Breyten and Jan Breytenbach held strongly opposing political viewpoints, as his brother opted for a left-wing approach. Breytenbach was married to his wife Rosalind, and they had two children together. Breytenbach died in the George Mediclinic in George, South Africa on 16 June 2024.

See also

* 32 Battalion (Book) * 32 Battalion (South Africa) * South African Border War

External links

*The Silent War – Book on SA Special Forces History *32 Battalion Website *SA Army Website. *Partial mirror of the old, removed official SA Special Forces Brigade site. *South African Special Forces League *

Literature & books

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