SimonB your assumption of been basically bullied into this style of "recovery", with hindsight ,as the nearest available vehicle, is correct.
A Jeep got stuck in front of me in a smallish mud pool by accident. It could not be pulled forward by another Jeep that was in front of him due to a forward steepish incline. I then was behind him and ordered by the self appointed marshall (hereafter SAM) to reverse recover the Jeep.
Here I should have backed out and said no go I am not familiar with recoveries and need guidance by example and not be a part of the main show.
However I did insist on not reverse recovery and turned my vehicle around. Again SAM wanted to use the towball and I refused using it but a much more sturdey part since reading about flying towballs. SAM called it a mith and I refused to listen shouting him down due to certain basic procedures that I have been reading about on the forums about recoveries do and donts. Here again I think that the reputation of 30 years of tour guiding stopped the other gents with experience in recoveries from stopping the proceedings and voted it unsafe to proceed. An appointed recovery marshall would have been the answer IMO. However the parties directly involved should have been meeting with the recovery marshall and discuss the recovery techniques and the safety aspects before proceeding with the recovery.
Lesson here is if there is shouting and army style orders dished out get out because proceedings from hereon will be unsafe.
Even better kick the person with the loudest mouth in the mouth to shut them up so that sanity can take over again.
The whole "recovery" was done with equipment that I did not inspect personnally for soundness, not any blankets or arresting weights were used to reduce backlash if anything breaks, rope/shackles or whatever goes wrong. Again guys with experience seemed to be bullied into accepting SAM as the man. One experienced gent's arm was missed by inches by the flying snapped rope that damaged my vehicle.
Lesson learned equipment can and will break therefore take preventative measures in case they do.
Lastly drinking of alcoholic beverages by SAM came to my attention later in the day after my mishap as SAM nearly rammed me from behind whilst driving along the route and a few minutes later nearly rammed a Jeep from behind as well.
My own rules made up after this:
1) Need better training for myself regarding recoveries, equipment, etc..
2) No experienced appointed recovery marshall starting a trail no personnal participation
3) Any alcohol during driving I will put the persons name up and if safe to do so leave the group
Facts as I have seen it and surely there can be a lot contributed by the other participants to give a better picture of the event.
Last but not least accidents will happen but experience and procedures minimizes them.
Hope to have it here at the panelbeaters by tomorrow or Wednesday costing about R1300 incl VAT for only the parts. Dent much more costly. 
My Pajero allready stripped and hope to have it back before Thursday late. 