Who is W.E. Fairbairn?

William E. Fairbairn

I have already posted two articles on combat knives, both of which reference W.E. Fairbairn. Who was he and why is he so important to the study of close combat? Fairbairn pretty much started the whole thing.

Fairbairn joined the Royal Marines in 1901 and transferred to the Shanghai Police in 1907.

From the end of the Boxer Rebellion to 1940, part of Shanghai was controlled by an international community of Western powers. They were responsible for policing the International Community. Shanghai was a pretty wild place then. What with the illegal opium trade, organized crime and other disturbances, the police had a tough job. Fairbairn found that out when he was nearly beaten to death in the line of duty.

Fairbairn demonstrates chop in Shanghai manual

Fairbairn took up the study of Asian martial arts, specifically Judo, Jujitsu and Chinese Boxing. He became a formidable fighter. Using his knowledge of police work, Fairbairn set about composing a practical system of police combatives. He called the system Defendu. It worked! Police officers were trained in the system. As many of the police were military units rotated into Shanghai by member states of the Community, Fairbairn’s fighting system spread. He taught the Bengal Lancers and 200 US Marines, among others.

Fairbairn demonsrates a capture and hold

In 1940, the Western powers were leaving Shanghai. The war between Japan and China was spilling over. Fairbairn and his partner, E.A. Sykes, went to Britain. There they trained the Home Guard and the Commandos. Fairbairn devised two weapons for the commandos: the Fairbairn-Sykes Combat knife and a heavy weapon called the Smatchet.

Fairbairn-Sykes Commando Dagger

Fairbairn went to the United States to teach the Army and Office of Strategic Services agents. He teamed with Colonel Rex Applegate to develop an unarmed combat, knife fighting and combat pistol shooting program.

Fairbairn demonstrates the neck chop.

In the 1950s, Fairbairn trained the Cyprus police force and the Singapore Police riot squad. He died in 1960 at age 75.

Many of Fairbairn’s techniques are still taught by armies and police forces around the world. You can see several of his methods in every Army Combatives manual from 1954 to 1992. The knife system was heavily influenced by Fairbairn.

The Smatchet

Thanks to his work with Rex Applegate of the OSS, Fairbairn’s influence spread. Agents from many nations were trained by the OSS, and they brought those lessons home after the war. Applegate contributed to the development of Army combatives. Many of Fairbairn’s lessons were incorporated in Army combatives.

Fairbairn shows Point Shooting with Tommy gun

Fairbairn and E.A. Sykes also developed practical combat pistol shooting as well as use of the shotgun and submachine gun. These methods were also taught to the O.S.S., British S.O.E. and the. Army. Fairbairn's shooting methods influenced the techniques taught in subsequent US Army manuals. His methods had been tested and proven in the deadly streets of Shanghai.

Here are a few of Fairbairn’s hand-to-hand tricks from an article on my hobby blog: http://thortrains.blogspot.com/2015/10/classic-hand-to-hand-combat.html

(The fighting techniques are only shown for informational purposes. They are dangerous and can do serious bodily harm, Use them at your own risk, The author takes no responsibility for the consequences of using them. )

Fairbairn's foot stomp and shin scrape, from 1971 US Army manual

Fairbairn wrote several books:

“Get Tough” was published in 1942. It is a course in hand-to-hand combat, knife righting, stick fighting and disarming.  This stuff works! Simple, practical, effective.

“All-in-Fighting” is identical to Get Tough ,with the addition of a bayonet fighting trick and how to aim the Enfield rifle. This version was written for distribution in Britain.

“Hands Off’ was Fairbairn’s book of self defense for women.

“Scientific Self Defense” was first published in 1931. It contains methods used by the police as well as stick fighting methods..

“Shanghai Municipal Police Self Defense” was written in 1913 and shows several basic defenses and arresting techniques. ( Click here for PDF copy - http://www.thortrains.net/downloads/shanghai-police-sd.pdf )

“Shooting to Live” is Fairbairn’s course on combat pistol craft.

Since Paladin Press, the current publisher of these books has gone out of business, many can be found online in PDF format.

The Ordnance Soldier’s guide is a World War II manual that shows a variety of soldiering skills, A nice overview for the World War II fan. The section on “Commando Combat” is drawn from Fairbairn’s book, “Get Tough!” Download it here: http://www.thortrains.net/milihistriot/ord-soldiers-guide-merged.pdf

Applegate's Kill or Get Killed illustrates several of Fairbairn's unarmed techniques as well as knife combat and combat point shooting. https://ia800308.us.archive.org/25/items/milmanual-fmfrp-12-80-kill-or-get-killed/fmfrp_12-80_kill_or_get_killed.pdf

Here are films of Fairbairn instructing troops:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWSLXXdg9Bw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkvHoOH9I3w

Feel free to check out the other articles on this blog.

Paddy Beaks and Viking Descendants

The Extreme Right is a curious mix, indeed. Here is an example from 40 years ago. A friend who was into it subscribed to a magazine called American Mercury. The cover usually had art of the Founding Fathers and other historical personages. At first glance, I thought it was a history magazine.

One day, while at my friend’s house, I picked up a copy of the magazine and tried to read it. There was an article about a man’s visit to Iceland. The article made sense at first, but then the author started complaining. He complained about all the “Irish noses” on the Icelanders. Of course, the Icelanders did mix with the Irish. That is no surprise. But to read the article was to hear a litany of complaints about “Irish noses” and the implied mixing with the Irish.

I found it hilarious, though the author did not intend to be funny.

Think of it this way. You are in medieval Iceland, and there she is. A pixie-faced Irish harp-ette with those floppy Celtic boobs and pile-driving hips. And she has eyes for you. Are you going to pass her up? Are you going to complain that any offspring might have Irish noses? You already know that like most Irish women, she is probably a pain in the ass, but why let that stand in your way?

Just for laughs, imagine someone with a Scandinavian accent saying:“ I will not mate with an Irish woman because I do not want my children to have Irish noses.”

By the way, some Scandinavian women are a pain in the ass, too.

Yes, it is funny. And it is pathetic. The article was an episode of petty bigotry and stupidity. Then again, most things of that nature are inherently stupid. The one who comes off bad is not the Icelanders with the so-called “Irish noses” (also know as Paddy Beaks), but the moron who wrote the article.

Back then, the Right-wing rags also had ads for Laetrile, investing in gold, and other crackpot schemes. I guess that if you are offended by Irish noses, you may be a sucker for the latest pseudo science and goofball investment scheme.

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It is a scientific fact that when it comes to Irish women, the bigger they are, the more pleasant they are. On the other hand, the scrawny little ones with button boobs are constant complainers, perennial grouches and a monumental pain in the ass. I know this from personal experience: growing up around them, and dating some of them.

If you enjoyed this article, please read some of the other articles on this blog.

Two Rules to Save Money and Avoid Embarassment

The 14 Pound Rule. 

Let’s be as blunt as a Louisville Slugger. When it comes to spending, we are overwhelmed by exhortations to buy. There are many things working to coerce us into buying. Everything from spot ads and coupons to carefully-placed “impulse buy” items are arranged to encourage spending.  And if you buy these things, half the time you regret it later. That is called “buyer’s remorse.” That brief but strong impulse to buy overrode your common sense. It is as if one part of you says, “I do not need this” while another says “I want it and must have it.”

Even things arranged near the cash register are done to invoke spending. It is all carefully arranged to separate you from your money.

Invoke the 14 Pound Rule! The rule is an amusing analogy.

“ Unless it hits you with all the impact of a 14-pound maul on the bridge of your nose, do not buy it.”

That is a silly but powerful statement. Try it the next time you are tempted to buy something that you had not planned to purchase. You will be surprised how many impulse buys you will avoid. Buyer’s remorse will be a thing of the past.


The Three Day Rule

Another rule is the Three Day Rule. If I am offered a product, service or other thing that is very expensive, I give myself three days to consider the transaction. No matter how much they pressure me, offer me a discount or threaten that it will not be available if I don’t buy immediately, I stick to this rule. It has saved me from bad deals.

For instance, I was getting estimates for a job in my yard, Several contractors offered estimates. In order to encourage me to jump on an offer, a contractor might tell me that if I signed immediately, I would get a discount price. I said I’d like to think on it, but he said I had to sign  now or pay more later.

Why? What was the rush? If he really wanted the job, he would be willing to keep the lower price open for a few more days. Naturally, I fell back in the Three-Day rule every time. And you may have guessed that I found a contractor who offered a lower price without demanding I sign immediately. Patience helps!

A friend had a time-share in the Poconos. As the company was promoting sales of time-shares, they made a deal with customers. They could bring friends up for a weekend to enjoy the place. The catch was that on Sunday, they had to attend a sales pitch to sell them a time share.

Sunday came and I went to the sales pitch. Several people were in attendance. There was a film about the place. It made it sound like having the time share opened up  whole new world of travel and vacations. Then they had a little fellow in a “Uncle Floyd” jacket take me to a cubicle where he tried to “seal the deal.” I let him know from the start that I preferred to think things over a few days before committing to a contract. He told me that my time share slot might be gone by then. He said I could make a deal right then and there and still have time to back out in three days.

By the way, they only held these sales pitches on Sundays. Nobody was going to buy “my” share during the following week.

Backing out is not that easy. It takes sending a certified letter and sending a well-worded letter that may or may not arrive in time. Better not to sign at all than get entangled. I stuck to the Three Day Rule, assuring the little fellow that if I decided to buy, I would call him.

Of course, I saw that this time share was like a racket and was pretty sure I would not buy one.

Suddenly, the little man closed his briefcase and got up. He acted as if I had punched him in the nose or deprived him of one of his Constitutional rights. He was about to a walk away rudely. I believe in being polite, even if a transaction does not happen. The little man’s  handshake was like a dead fish. It were as if I did something to intentionally harm him.

Of course, I did not call back.

As for the little man, he was a time-share owner. The folks who owned time shares could get money shaved off their cost by selling time shares to others. That little fellow wanted my money to pay for his time share. He wanted it so badly, it was as if he had his hand in my wallet. In his mind, my money was already his.

  Even if I thought the time share was a good idea, I would have waited three days before signing. The Three Day Rule is a defense against high pressure sales. Think it through for Three Days before you sign, and sign no sooner!

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A few years ago, my wife and I were passing a Sleepy’s mattress shop across the parking lot from our local supermarket. We decided to browse and get an idea of the cost of mattresses that we might like.. The salesman descended on us like a hungry hawk. Instead of letting us look around, he was at our side constantly. He never stopped talking. The man guided us from one bunch of mattresses to another. We told him we only wanted to look, but that did not stop him.

At one point he said, “This isn’t high pressure .It’s high practicality.”

My wife and I just rolled our eyes.

Instead of browsing, we were guided to the ones he wanted to show us. That only made us more resistant. Finally, he said, “What can I do to get you to buy a mattress from me today.”

“We only wanted to browse and look at a few mattresses.,” my wife said. “We are not ready to buy right now.”

The man’s face changed from a smile to a frown. Like the little man in the previous story, he acted as if we had done something mean to him. Without another word, he turned his back and walked away from us. My wife was irked by this, but I had seen it before. That man thought for sure he had his hand in my wallet.

Audrey and I did not like the way it felt. We never had a chance to browse because that salesman was so busy trying to tell us what to buy.  Of course, we will never buy from that Sleepys or its new rendition, Mattress Firm. High-pressure sales for a mattress? Then again, the salesman was just like the man at the time-share.

This was one time it did not get to the point where we invoked the Three Day Rule.

If you enjoyed this article, please take a look at the other articles on this blog.

Some Guidelines for Searching Varieties of Spirituality and Religion

People have asked how I could examine and experience so many spiritual things “safely”. They are under the impression that it is dangerous or that doing so might invoke the wrath of a jealous deity or malicious devil. No Gods, God, Spirit, Mind or what ever you call it is going to punish you for asking questions. The only ones who rebuke for asking are people who cannot stand the fact that anyone would challenge their beliefs. People and doctrines might not be able to stand up to the truth. That which is truly spiritual will meet the test of truth every time.

One thing you need is the ability to keep a straight face. You have to be able to hear and see things that seem outrageous without appearing outraged, curious, upset, disgusted, etc.

You have to be skeptical. Do not take everything at face value. Weight the validity of what you hear and see. Listen to your doubts. Doubt is a good thing. It keeps your assessment of things honest.

Do not be awed by people or titles. Many who follow a path or school will extol those they consider gifted leaders or teachers. Do not let their awe affect you. Remain cool. More than one magnificent guru has turned out to be just another schlub with a fancy robe and bizarre rhetoric..

The facts are not just in what you hear, but what you do not hear. Likewise, they are what you see and what you do not see. In other words, what aren’t they saying or doing? What is missing here? All too often, the catch is not what they tell you, but that which they do not disclose.

In the participation in religious or mystical activities, never harm another person in any way. Never harm an animal. If you see or hear of people being harmed, LEAVE. You would do well to consider notifying the authorities. (There are religions like Voodoo and Santeria that still practice animal sacrifice. Opinions on it vary. While I disagree with that practice, I would advise that persons involved in those paths have no business harming animals unless they have achieved a high degree of initiation. That takes many years to attain. Again, I disagree with animal sacrifice.)

Never agree to sex with anyone you do not want to sleep with. There are leaders and teachers who insist that sex is part of the initiation or rites. Ask yourself this: if magick, faith or spirituality were not involved, would you want to have sex with this person? Had you met this person at a club, dance or barbecue ,would you be willing to sleep with him or her?  There are seedy teachers and leaders who use religion to get sex from people who would otherwise never have a thing to do with them.

Never agree to anything criminal.

Never allow yourself to be tattooed, branded or otherwise marked by a teacher, leader or group.

If a school or teacher tells you to shun friends and family, leave immediately. Any valid tradition will abide and may even enhance relationships with loved ones. The only reason a path would shun family is to isolate you and thus make it easier to control and indoctrinate you.

Note what the teaching or path says in writing, such as its scriptures, creed or code of morality. Pay attention to what it actually does. And watch the people who adhere to it. Do their actions and conversation meet up with the teaching? Are they just doing the same old things but explaining them with a new religious lexicon? Would you like any of these people as friends if you met them in an another context?

If you visit a meeting or seminar, do they try to limit questions? If you talk with someone else in the room, do the folks running the event try to get in the way?  If so, leave immediately.  (One trick they use when people start conversing is to place one of their members between them. Some cults do it. I have also seen it done by scammers.)

Before you begin your search, be firm in your own sense of right and wrong. Like it or not, but morality is essential. I am not talking the straight-laced and narrow minded prudery of conventional religion, but your own individual sense of right and wrong. That includes things like honesty, fairness, commitment, sex, finances, etc.

Ask yourself: what will you do, and what won’t you do. How far will you go?

For example let’s look at sex. With whom will you have it, and with whom will you not? What things will you do and what things will you never do?  Would you do some things in a long-term relationship that you will not do in a casual fling or one-night stand? There is no judgement here. The only one who needs to hear your answers is you.

What of alcohol and drugs? How much is too much? In what circumstances will you drink and which will you not?  Which drugs, if any, are acceptable to you and which are not?

How much is a fair price for lessons or a seminar? When is the price too high? Guard your finances. That also means guarding your financial situation. Never let on how much you have, financially or otherwise. Never sign away your money, property or rights.

These are just some of the issues on which you must be clear with yourself. Being secure in your own behavior insofar as sex, money and esteem is important. You have to know when to say “NO.” This goes a long way to allowing you to safely and happily pursue esoteric matters.

If someone tells you how they wronged or otherwise wronged another person, pay heed. Do not think they are confiding in you. They are not trusting you with a great secret. They are just talking. Whatever these types say they did to someone else, they will just as easily do to you if the situation arises. Take that as a warning!

Know when it is time to GO. At that time, walk away. Run if necessary.

No knowledge is wasted. I have experienced various forms of conventional and unconventional religion, spirituality and mysticism. Almost without exception, I have taken something useful from each. My experience has been that every religion and spiritual path has something to offer. By the same token, every one also has its shortcomings, some more than others.

In every path, there are good teachers and bad ones and everything in between. I will use an example from a conventional religion:

A Catholic church in a medium-sized city had a large congregation and several priests. One was a younger priest who was something of a character. He was very outspoken. The people liked him and he enjoyed working with them. The pastor was an elderly man with a kind disposition. He was also firm in church matters. Another priest was a very severe man. He was very strict and very impatient with lay people. Most folks shied away from him.

Each week, the church held its rite of Confession. There were three booths called confessionals. People would be lined up at the confessionals of the young priest and the elderly pastor. Very few came to the severe priest. 

There it was: One church, one denomination, one congregation.  There were a young and rather brash but likeable priest, a wise elderly priest and a middle-aged and impatient grumpy priest. 

Another example comes from the time I was studying metaphysics. The organization’s chapter that I attended had several practitioners. A few were ordained minsters, as well. One teacher was a very warm and pragmatic woman. Another was a chubby, good natured  fellow. The leader was a man who seemed very aloof. It was hard to warm up to him. I had attended lectures by all three. Same teaching, same chapter, but three very different approaches. One was practical and laced with humorous anecdotes. The other was less practical and more inspirational. The leader’s was packed with information, but lacked feeling.

Teachers and leaders vary. All the examples I used were of essentially decent people.  Be warned that there are also charlatans, hucksters, manipulators and exploiters out there. Just because things are done within the context of spirituality does not mean they are all benign. I have heard it said, “Church is the final refuge of scoundrels.”

Indeed, more than one policeman has told me stories of low-life criminals and ne’er-do-wells with the humorous punch line, “But they go to church!”

For some folks, religion is just a cover for nefarious deeds.

Never let anyone pressure you into something you do not want to do.

Note if the people following a school or path have unusual personality traits. Are they uncharacteristically giddy, mean or judgmental?  I am not talking about one or two individuals, but the following as a whole. Mindsets are contagious. If being in that path makes a lot of quirky folks with dislikeable traits, leave lest you become one of them.

There may be instances where you have followed a tradition, but find that it no longer suits you.  When you move on, do so peaceably. Unless the reason for leaving is some offense or affront, do not burn bridges. Leave cordially. The people you met there will still be your friends., It is not their fault that tradition or school no longer suits you. You will always be welcome back to visit.

The right tradition, school or path should fit you like the most comfortable garment. It is not tight, nor too loose. It feels just right. One analogy is a glove that fights comfortably but does not restrict movement. Not too big or too small, too tight or too loose.

You will find that spiritual growth is more a process of losing than gaining. You will lose burdens and tired, outworn concepts that have impeded you. There will be a dropping of that which is wrong and useless. Complexity falls by the wayside. Things will be simplified. You will know a freedom you never knew before.

Many things may change as you continue your pursuit of spirituality. Your outlook, your priorities, even aspects of your morality might experience some change.  However, through it all, you are still...YOU! Your core personality, including relationships and morality remain pretty much the same. Aspects may alter, but you never lose yourself.

Map your way.  Start with a general idea of where you wish to go. Set limits. As you begin the journey, you will make changes. You may find yourself very far from where you started.

If you have enjoyed this article, please take a look at the other articles on this blog. Thank you!

Payback by Rambunctious Beagle

Canine Avenger

This happened over 50 years ago. I remember it as if it happened this afternoon. Two of my cousins were older than me. I believe one was 5 years older, the other 7 years. At that age, they were not interested in hanging around with a much-younger kid. The older boys made it very clear that I could not toss the football with them.

Indeed, I felt left-out and angry.

The boys were busy tossing the ball back-and-forth, which caught the attention of my grandfather’s beagle. Murphy was a playful and sometimes mischievous dog. My cousins did not want to be bothered with the dog, either. He was my ally.

While tossing the football, one of the older boys dropped it. That was all it took. Murphy leaped into action. The little dog was fast. Before they could react, he grabbed the football. It was half his size. Undaunted, Murphy ran for the woods, pursued by my cousins.

The sight of it was hilarious. A small dog with a large football zipped to the woods, chased by the two older boys. They pursued him into the woods but they could not catch him. I was enthralled! Dog-gone revenge! They deserved it.

Murphy came back about an hour later. The boys were miffed. They searched but never found the ball.

Some years later, up in the woods, I saw an odd shape on the ground. It was almost black, flat and mildewed. The football was still up there after all those years.

Remembering how angry my cousins were as they chased Murphy, I still gloat. It is well over fifty years - closer to 60 than 50.

Please take the time to enjoy my other articles on this blog!

Religious Crackpots, Southern Style

The main character in these stories is someone I know well. This was his first exposure to the nation’s “Bible Belt” and religious bigotry. Everything transpired over 45 years ago. As usual, names have been changed to protect the guilty.

A young soldier from the Northeast was stationed in the Bible Belt. He went downtown now and then. There were the usual kinds of stores, plus pawn shops, strip clubs and other things common to “G.I. towns.  There was a storefront place called “Christian Servicemen’s Center”.  They had a counter, some small tables and a ping pong table. The young soldier passed it but had no intention of going inside.

One Saturday afternoon downtown, the young soldier ran into a couple of friends from his unit. They told him they were going to the Christian Serviceman’s Center. He wanted to decline, but reluctantly joined them. Inside was a counter with a coffee pot and cookies, the ping pong table , and an old man. The friends called him “Brother Chizzum” or something like that.

The two friends invited the young soldier to play a game of ping pong. He played a couple of rounds. Then they went to the counter and introduced him to Brother Chizzum. The old man offered the Northeasterner some cookies. The soldier was eating the cookie when the old man asked him about his beliefs. The young man replied that he was Catholic.

“Well, you better watch out. You might choke on the cookie. That is a Christian cookie.” the old man said with a spiteful smile.

The young man was confused. Catholicism is a form of Christianity. He was baffled that a so-called Christian would want him to choke. His two friends looked embarrassed. The soldier finished the cookie.

“Thanks for a cookie,” he said, and left.

Later, back on post, the two friends tried to make an explanation for Brother Chizzum’s rude remark. They said it was a misunderstood joke. The young man was not buying it. Suffice to say he gave the Christian Servicemen’s Center wide berth after that.

This was how he learned that some fundamentalist sects of Christianity do not consider other denominations Christian.

There was a “holy roller” in the unit named Ray. He was a skinny Mexican fellow with a too-large nose and a too-skinny everything else. “Ugly Ray” was a cook. One day, on the serving line, Ray went into a religious tirade. As he served each soldier, he asked, “Are you right with the Lord, brother?”

As you can imaging, some of the replies were far from what he expected.

When it came to the soldier mentioned earlier, the young man did not want to fuss. He said, “Yeah, I listen to the priest”  and started to move on.

“You’re going to go to Hell with that priest,” Ray shouted.

Ugly Ray got into a lot of trouble for preaching in the chow line.

A month or so later, the unit was going on maneuvers. “Going into the field” for two weeks.

They were leaving on Easter Sunday. The troops were told there would be no excuses for not showing up to deploy. Most of the men were there. Ugly Ray and some of his holy-roller pals did not show for religious reasons. All I was told was that they got themselves into a lot of trouble. I can see the Army’s point. War happens regardless of holidays, and training reflects that fact.

These were the young man’s first introduction to religious bigotry. He never forgot the look on that old man’s face when he wished the young man to choke on a cookie.

Why not check out some of the other stories on this blog? An amusement assortment of stories, articles and anecdotes awaits you.

The Fairbairn / Sykes Commando Knife

The Fairbairn-Sykes Commando Knife

This article is posted for informational use only. The techniques shown can be dangerous. Use them at your own risk. The author takes no responsibility for your use or misuse of this information.

W. E Fairbairn made a name for himself at the Shanghai Municipal Police. He devised a practical system of hand-to-hand combat that was easy to learn, easy to use and very effective. He called his method Defendu. In 1940, Western powers left Shanghai. Fairbairn used his experience to teach the British Home Guard. He then taught the British Commandos and the American O.S.S.

A Version of the F.S. Commando Knife

Fairbairn and his partner, E.A. Sykes, developed a combat knife for the commandos. It was a simple dagger with a foil-type handle. The knife was light and easy to handle. This was primarily a thrusting weapon, though students were also taught a few basic slashes.

Daggers have been around since the days of the ancient Egyptians. They are double edged knives, usually triangular in shape. Daggers are strictly a combat weapon. They have little use as camp or field knives.

Fairbairn was sent to America, where he began teaching the Army and the O.S.S. Here he partnered with Colonel Rex Applegate. Fairbairn shared his experience in hand-to-hand combat, knife and stick fighting, and combat pistol craft. With Applegate, he further refined his techniques.
Rex Applegate taught the Fairbairn-based method ever after. His last book, Combat Use of the Double-Edged Fighting Knife was printed in 1993.

The commando knife went through several variations, some better than others. Manufacture was done by several companies. The best examples came from Sheffield, England.

The technique for using the Fairbairn-Sykes dagger was mostly a series of strikes. It was held like a fencing foil. Fairbairn outlines several strikes in his books “Get Tough” and “All-in-Fighting”. Similar instruction was included in Applegate’s work. In the 1971 version of Army Field Manual 21-150 Combatives, the Fairbairn-Applegate training is given right down to holding a bayonet or combat knife.

W.E. Fairbairn in knife-fighting stance

The original commando knives had their weaknesses. The blade could break at the hilt and the point could snap off. Of course, it all depended on the particular manufacturer. Not all knives were equal.

Commando knives were copied by the US Marine Raiders and the First US / Canadian Special Forces (Devil’s Brigade). There are other variations of the Fairbairn-Sykes knife. Various nuances of handle type, place of manufacture, etc., are popular with collectors of this particular weapon.

Here is the proper grip

Here is the stance advocated by Applegate and Fairbairn

Rex Applegate in stance

Fairbairn/Applegate stance (left)

The method was right for dagger and thrusting blades. It was taught by the Army and Marine Corps for the bayonet / combat knife from the M3 Trench knife and bayonets up to the M7. (See my article on the M3 Combat knife)*

A copy of Applegate’s instructions were included with custom knives by Randall.

Here is a video of a veteran of the Commandos explaining use of the knife: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=6&v=uDGHKyB3T_U

You can download a copy of the last edition of Applegate’s “Kill or Be killed” here: https://ia800308.us.archive.org/25/items/milmanual-fmfrp-12-80-kill-or-get-killed/fmfrp_12-80_kill_or_get_killed.pdf

Copies of Fairbairn's "Get Tough" can be downloaded from various places on the Internet.

*My previous article on the Mk III Trench knife: http://thorsmanstuff.blogspot.com/2018/04/classic-combat-knives-mk-iii-trench.html

Toy commando with dagger by Airfix

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I have been fascinated with military close combat systems for some time. Most interesting are those developed from 1939 to 1955. I had a copy of the Combatives manual used b ythe Army at the time I was there. I took Charles Nelson’s self defense course, which was actually a course in the O’Neill system as taught in Shanghai  prior to `1940. That led me to the works of Fairbairn & Sykes, Colonel Rex Applegate, A. J. D. Biddle, John Styers, and others. The history of it is intriguing and the methods are surprisingly effective.

Unfortunately, health problems have curtailed my actual participation in these things.

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