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RSM Wolfes Unarmed Combat Series
Volume I
The Start
In the footsteps of heroes
William Hill Wolfe CD

CWO / RSM ( Ret.)
Volume I
The Start
In the footsteps of
heroes
by
William hill wolfe CD
Cwo / rsm (Ret.)
Wh wolfe
WARNING:
The workouts and other health-related activities described in the programs presented by
W. H. Wolfe are prescribed for use as an adjunct to improve strengthening, conditioning,
health, fitness and, above all, self-protection/self-defense. These programs may not be appro-
priate for everyone. Individuals who suffer from any disease or are recovering from an injury
of any sort should consult their physician regarding the advisability of undertaking any of the
activities suggested in these programs. The author has been painstaking in his research and
the presentation of the material in these programs. He is neither responsible, nor liable, for
any harm or injury resulting from this program or the use of the exercises or exercise device
described herein.
William H. Wolfe, C.D. 2000

All rights reserved. This manual, or part thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without
permission from William H. Wolfe.
RSM Wolfes Unarmed Combat Series

Volume I
Wolfes Combatives History
Training in the footsteps of Heroes
First printing as Modern Defendo / Wolfes Combatics History October 1999

Revised printing June 2010
Revised printing February 2012
Printed in Canada
Published by WH Wolfe
Copyright 2010 - 2012

whwholfe.com William Hill Wolfe
COPYRIGHT
A WORD ABOUT COPYRIGHT
The information presented in this, or any W. H. Wolfe based training manual, publication,
seminar, video, or training course is the sole property of the author. Copying this material in
any form whatsoever is strictly prohibited without written consent from the copyright holder.
If you wish to use any materials such as lecture or workshop handouts, course manuals, dia-
grams and text or concepts developed or taught by William H. Wolfe or his certified instruc-
tors, please use the following guidelines to avoid legal action:
1. Credit the author, W. H. Wolfe and any referenced source completely and professionally.
Paraphrasing without proper referencing is considered plagiarism. Whether intentional or
not, this is theft of intellectual property and the plagiarist may be prosecuted under copyright
law (depending upon the form & amount of the plagiary). Any type of impersonation of an-
others ideas is entirely unethical and heavily frowned upon in professional circles.
2. Professional referencing usually takes one of two forms: either the original author is indi-
cated by name in the body of text and a complete reference is included in the list of source
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Contents
Forward 1
Acknowledgements 2
Dedication 3-4
Preface 5-6
The system 7-8
Legendary (Chapter One ) The Legend Starts 9 - 31
Epilogue (Chapter Two ) We Train in the Footsteps of Heroes 32 - 34
The Camouflage ( Chapter Three ) Smoke and Mirrors 35 - 43
The Martial Art Opinion ( Chapter Four ) New Age 44 - 46
History In The Making ( Chapter Five ) Living History 47 - 49
Where Are We Now ( Chapter Six ) Beyond 50 - 52
Bumps In The Road ( Chapter Seven ) Bad Apples & Sour Grapes 53 - 61
Relax and Breathe Again ( Chapter Eight ) Moving On 62 - 64
The end... ( Chapter Nine ) The Beginning 65 - 66
Lineage Diagram Defendu - Defendo - Modern Defendo - Wolfes Combatives 67 - 68

Enjoy
reading

forward
FORWARD AND FOREWARNING
This book series is not a manual or textbook, though they could be used for either. They are
more like a guidebook to modern realistic self protection and the historical contributions of
some extraordinary martial art pioneers and WWII veterans. They show you the dark alley-
ways, the bright meeting-places, the bohemian nooks of violence and the pulsing thoroughness
of fighting it. And they show you more than a few short cuts and tricks, guiding you toward
the self protection you want to learn. Like a guidebook, this series goal is to help you get
skilled whether youre young or old.
It is a helpful series, like an old battle-scarred veteran helping those below him understand sol-
diering but its also an irreverent series, with that same old veteran making faces at the new
ultimate warriors. It is a serious series but it has its humorous side. It will tell you how to be
polite one moment and in the next how to fight like a gangster. It preaches self protection
with a smile, a strut and maybe just a bit of attitude. This series wants you to become a highly
skilled assertive confident person and it will stop at nothing, or almost nothing, to accomplish
this.
Of course, no book series can teach you self protection. Only by practicing and especially
living and breathing it can you learn. So why read them? Because as you will see, this series
makes learning Wolfes Combatives more fun. And if learning Wolfes Combatives isnt going
to be fun, why bother?
1
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The idea for this series was born two decades ago in the hectic world of my police days. An
instructor and colleague of mine at the Police Academy Doug Farenhotz now a retired S/Sgt of the
Royal Canadian Mounted Police overheard me complaining about the standard of police self defense
and tactical training. So he challenged me to put my skills and knowledge to work rather than my
mouth. In those busy days I went about using Dougs research data and my expertise with the idea of
polishing and molding the style and teaching technique that eventually came to be known as Modern
Defendo and today we call Wolfes Combatives. I sat down with the late Harold Starin, my mentor,
and asked for his expertise on the subject. My brother Dennis and I put the skills to the test on the
mats and I took them to the street to see if they worked. It was not until 1998 when I meet John
Parker that the actual correlations of the police skills met the civilian self defense applications and the
programs of Hard Target, Combat Tech and S.T.A.R. were finalized to teach our private students. We
formed the now disbanded International Defendo Federation to spread the word and represent the
System I created. So I thank them for their encouragement and help.
Many friends and students have offered me encouragement along the way like Lt Colonel (Dr) Bob
Dingeman, Matthias Granic, S/Sgt Frank Bowen, all the Parker ladies, the students and staff at National.
The hundreds of Modern Defendo now Wolfes Combatives instructors and students around the
world who are keeping the system alive and Jamie Brown, Don Young and the folks at Frantic Films
and History TV who encouraged me to explore my artistic side and offered me a chance to showcase
the System on International TV. To the WWII veterans and my military comrades; General Waters,
General Barr, Colonel Read, Colonel Vance, Col dArtois, Colonel Blackwell (RSM), Captain Starin,
Captain Planet (RSM), Lt Story, RSM Nailer, RSM Buxton, RSM Bullock, CSM Crawford, CSM Parsons,
S/Sgt Glass, and many more who taught me the skills and who gave this series its sense of purpose.
We train in the footstep of those heroes.
A special thanks to Akos Polt, Daniel Cavrak, Brendan Zentner and others who got beat up in the pho-
tos. To Irene Franklin and Cameron Toshi for all the proofreading. I am sure some errors no doubt
slipped by and for the record I should state that they are in fact mine.
Special thanks to the late Peter Robins who contacted me about the Canadian Army training and for
the copy of his book on Fairbairn The legend of W.E. Fairbairn Gentleman and Warrior: Shanghai
Years where some of the old Fairbairn pictures in this manual are taken from. Captain Collin Stevens
an old army buddy, who is a military historian and authority on this subject and all things Commando,
for his advice and access to his vast collection.
Finally to my wife Ashley for the layout graphics and modern feel of this series. Without all her hard
work it would have been a much more boring series.

Dedication
This series of books stand for all those mentors who taught me martial arts, to soldier and
police. For my family and especially my daughter Lauren who has put up with her Dad all her
life and still wonders what the hell Im doing. For my incredible wife Ashley who wanders the
world with me in this quest for knowledge and trains harder than any four people I know. For
my Regiment, the Bayonets of the Canadian Infantry Corps that I served alongside and had
the privilege to lead, proved a long time ago this stuff works in battle. And to the naysayers
and backstabbers Ive met along the way; no matter what uniform they wore; military, police,
martial arts or civies I say:
Illegitimi non
carborundum
I never let you bastards grind me down!
3
Dedicated to the
Heroes whose
Footsteps we follow
mm
To the men who

took the time to mentor me
In this picture is Lt. Larry Story is kneeing Johnny Crawford

in the groin Johnny Crawford, my Sergeant Major. Men like
these gave me inspiration and through a lot of pain and sweat -
the courage to persevere

preface
As you read and study the pages of information in this book youll wonder why more people
do not study WWII Combatives training or study its history. Why has it become so neglected
a pursuit in an increasingly more violent society? Well in these pages I am not going to try and
answer that question for you because youre not one of those people or you would not have
bought this book. So I will let this book explain the history of this system and let my other
volumes speak to you about my realistic and often simplistic self protection techniques accom-
panied by the necessary mental and tactical mindset. As I have told students from the begin-
ning I did not invent this training; I just modernized it and therefore feel it is important you
fully understand where it comes from.
Some of you may well object to my simple historical outlook or what I am suggesting that you
adopt as self defense skill and knowledge. Defending yourself against violence is not for the
faint of heart. So those people in our society that would resort to violence to hurt or molest
innocent victims do not care about the rules. If you submit to being their victim, either physi-
cally or psychologically, youd wish you hadnt and if you saw someone else being attacked
youd wish you could have helped. This simple historical retrospect will show you that your
great grandfather had the same worries and maybe fears and therefore self defense training is
not new.
If you are trained to deal with modern violence in all its forms you will stand a much better
chance. This means we need to understand all parts of violence and that any attacker, while
committing the act of assault is psychologically disturbed and you will have to hurt them just
like in the good old days. So my aim in this series of books is to teach you how to do just
that. The skills outlined in my second volume offers a basic level and sets a foundation that is
more than adequate to deal with most street assailants. The additional volumes of my work
can help you adapt to learning more physical skills rounding out your combative resume and of
course I have a volume called the Uncommon Warrior Philosophy. It will give you an in-
depth look at the mental and spiritual aspects you will want to develop and my volume 360
Defense will spell out the tactics.
5
It will always come down to you, learning is your responsibility as is your security. Remember
there is no magic to self defense in todays world any more than there was in your grandfa-
thers time. To be able to train yourself, then or now, to acquit yourself without injury if at-
tacked, requires a lot of luck; forget skill, and thats achieved by a very few. A lot of knowl-
edge is a dangerous thing and was never truer with regards to practical self defense, so well
keep it simple by understanding our history in this volume and build knowledge and skill in
later volumes to give you a better foundation.
When you train hard but wisely as with all knowledge when applied, can be both creative and
destructive. I am not a big fan of aggression; it will eventually destroy the person who misuses
it. The skill and knowledge of the Wolfes Combatives System, used correctly, can stimulate
physical abilities and a more in-depth knowledge of self with disciplined work. We must bear
in mind nothing happens overnight and this is so very true of skill and tactical knowledge. So
lay your historical foundation and take ownership and this volume will help to give you pride in
the systems roots. It is impossible to include every historical point but I hope to give you a
true sense of this legendary lineage. With some experience and research you should have lit-
tle difficulty learning more about our roots. We train in the footsteps of heroes
On A personal
Note
I wrote this series
of books as a result
of my personal desir
and martial arts my e to teach self defen
way. As a retired se
policemen and soldi
my martial skills an er I wanted to keep
d tactical knowledge up
rather than just sit
and letting skills fad at home getting old,
e so I decided to sh fat
are it. The knowled
taught to some of ge in these books I
the most elite polic have
e and military pers
onnel on this plane
started my martial t. I
art studies in 1962
with boxing, Judo,
Jujitsu and Defendu
YMCA and for mor at the
e than four and half
decades I have neve
applying my knowled r stopped learning
ge. These books re or
present a certain pa
arts/self defense sh th of how I feel mar
ould be taught. My tial
attitude is a reflect
mastering the martia ion of many key ye
ars of
l arts, military and
police expertise th
work. One of the at has become my
key goals of this se lifes
ries is to teach cour
assertive confidenc age; this means deve
e and the mind and loping
body of an uncom
set and level of tra mon warrior. This
ining is not for ever mind-
yone but it might jus
for If: t be what youre lo
Disc oking
ipline . Duty . Hon
or . V alor . Integrity . Lo
yalty
Mean anything to you?
Because to a lot of peop
le today they do not;
theyre just empty w
or ds!

The system
The training within the pages of these books is a reflection of my martial art expertise and
more than 39 + years of operational military and police service. It is my system and the foun-
dation is based on Self Defense validated by those years of ultimate warfare I experienced.
The initial aspects of the system were first founded in 1918 by a highly qualified martial arts
practitioner and legend William Fairbairn in Shanghai China. It was further expanded on by
one of his senior students Dermot Pat ONeil himself a 6th dan black belt under Kano the
founder of Judo. It is basically the old Canadian Army system of close combat combining;
Judo, Jujitsu, boxing, wrestling, kung Fu, sword fighting, stick fighting and many more skills I
learned at the hands of Harold Starin and Johnny Crawford both masters in their own right
and veterans of WWIIs most famous commando units and they were students of the a/n men.
I have used this skill and knowledge in both my military and police service in fact this knowl-
edge has saved my life on more than a few occasions. It is by far one of the most effective
martial systems; mentally, tactically, physically and spiritually I have mastered. The system, as I
teach it, offers practical and effective training programs that I have divided into different vol-
umes within this series for ease of learning. Each volumes level builds on to and attaches to
the other seamlessly. In the military we called these levels of training B.R.I.C.K.s just as a
series of bricks come together to make a wall, this series comes together to form a complete
comprehensive system. The name of my system is Wolfes Combatives which has become
well known around the world by my teaching it and keeping its history alive. I am the last of
the old school breed; the master military instructor still teaching this system this way. You
will receive the original course of instruction I developed for the Canadian military and police
service but presented my way. The current Canadian Forces Close Combat Training Man-
ual B-GL-382-004/FP-001 is based on the historical foundation of this system as is all Canadian
Police use of force training. In 1985 I was tasked as a police officer to modernize our training
system and its value as a result of the P.O.P.A.T. STUDY a comprehensive investigation into
assaults on police officers. This study and subsequent others resulted in both the complete
Canadian Police use of force training being modernized and as a Chief Warrant Officer in the
Canadian Forces I took it upon myself to update the Canadian Forces Close Combat System
to reflect the modern reality of a three tiered war fighting system.
7
Scope and design of
The system
My goal in this series is to make it fun and a bit of an adventure. I also want your personal training to
be an event that you can enter leaving your troubles at the door, feel safe and change into your uni-
form leaving the days stress behind. I want the training and knowledge to provide healthy adult role-
playing with the purpose of developing:
Fit functional bodies
Centered healthy mind/body connection
Assertive and confident indomitable spirit
The understanding of fear and conquering it
I offer each student an understanding of the uncommon warrior path especially in the volume titled
The Uncommon Warriors Philosophy. It will answer all the questions I have been asked about sol-
diering, policing, fear and the mental aspect because this knowledge is the cement that holds together
the physical and tactical training. Whats written and demonstrated in this series of books represents a
road less traveled today but we all could learn to stand a little taller on our roads where everyone
seems fearful and unfulfilled. I believe we all should train to master a practical discipline for our mind &
body; soul tested training worth its weight in gold. This I hope I have shared as best as I can within
these pages.
What do I look
For in students
Whether a new or old student to martial arts or self defense training I look for honesty and a fun
spirit; a wee gleam of the devil in their eyes for adventure perhaps! I expect students to train and not
be afraid to push themselves in a self disciplined manner. I expect proper courtesy and respect for
their training partners and loyalty. I expect them to honor the System and its forbears and respect my
teachings. I expect them to ask questions and enjoy each training session. I expect them to be ambas-
sadors and sales people for this system and never to bring it into disrepute by their conduct or bad
behavior. Finally I expect them to keep me honest as their teacher by training as often as they can.

legendary The legend
starts
Legendary is a word that would hardly describe the men and
the story I am about to tell you...
This volume is about incredible men; real life action heroes; spies, commandoes and a pioneering train-
ing system that seem to appear from nowhere in a great time of need and then disappear as fast as it
came. Its also a personal story of men who mentored me and of their mentors. The society we live in
has long since forgotten who established this legend. They werent a secret cult back in their day but
today many exponents of their legend have created cult like organizations surrounded in mystery; se-
cret Black Op Societies etc. that Im sure the legends themselves would scoff at. So now bear with
me as I tell you a story of elite police officers, Commandos & Rangers and Secret Agents and how I
came to be involved.
It all started in the Far East, China to be exact, in a city

called Shanghai. This is where our legend begins in
around 1907. Shanghai is a melting pot of Chinese cul-
ture and western based influences. Its a major sea-
port and trade center and in the center of the city
itself you can find the western zone, a city within a
city. This very small exclusive seven square miles
is home to the cities western population, and an
important business center where you can see an
almost eerie setting. Western style architecture
with a Chinese influence, western clothes, west-
ern cars, western office buildings and even a
western styled Police Force known as the Shang-
hai Municipal Police or SMP for short. It was 4,739
strong at its peak. The SMPs job is to ensure the safety
of this city within a city. To ensure its safety the SMP was staffed
with western constables with a few Chinese and Far Eastern cultures thrown in. Its command staff was
for the most part British. This surreal setting was dominated by the great western powers and was a
hub of business and military activity. It was the great age of the British Empire and its colonial rule.
WWI was over and Russia was now Communist and many former Russians were fleeing and or hiding
here. It was a city of great intrigue.
9
the legend starts
Shanghais night clubs and social networks were only for foreigners. This city within a city was a melt-
ing pot, and as the story goes, a time and place in history to be if you where an adventurer looking for
mystery and political intrigue.
I first heard about old Shanghai from my grandfather Captain Hill

Wilson, a merchant sea Captain, who sailed into the Far Eastern
Granddad Wilson
ports before WWI. Our house was full of chests, tables and carv-
ings my grandfather had brought back with him from Shanghai, the
perks of being the ships Captain. Granddad would fill my ears
with his stories. He would laughingly tell me of having to bail
members of his crew out of jail for getting into drunken fights
with the western military garrison soldiers from the Argyle
Highlanders for teasing them about wearing a kilt in China.
He showed me the pictures he took, of this city within a city,
and how unusual it was in those days compared with the rest
of Chinas poverty. He told me, dont let the pictures fool
you he would say, It may look like good old England but
Shanghai was a tough sea port and if you werent careful you
could easily lose your life. Granddad told me the level of vio-
lence was worse than Chicago in the 1920s. Of course I had no
idea what he was talking about until many years later. But his sto-
ries kept me captivated for hours until Nan would call us for tea.
When I reflect back on my grandfather telling me those stories, I
can still remember the gleam in his eyes and the sense of adven-
ture in his voice.
I wanted to go there, after all who wouldnt. So my grandfather

gave me two things to prepare me for my later adventures; a
wooden sword he had brought back from Shanghai and an old
training manual on Jujitsu called the Scientific Art of Fighting by As-
sistant Commissioner William Fairbairn of the Shanghai Municipal Police. My grandfather told me Mr.
Fairbairn knows his stuff. I still have the sword and the book, both more than a little dog eared around
the edges, after all these years. So bear with me now while I tell you of
those men who created a legend. Men you have never heard
of, never seen a movie about, or written about in books
on the best sellers list. So grab a cup of coffee and join
me in remembering men who where the Jedi Warriors
of their day.
10

The legend starts
1900 - 1939
As I mentioned, the book my grandfather gave me, was written by

William Fairbairn. Who was he? Well, to guys like me, retired sol-
diers and police SWAT types, he was the father of all modern
close combat training. He founded the first police mixed martial
arts training system in 1918 with his book Scientific Fighting. He
W. E. laid the foundation for all modern police use of force and officer
survival methods still in use today. His SWAT tactics are still used
ir b air n
fa by every police force around the world and even elite military units,
like the SAS, use his tactics and shooting methods. He was involved
in over 600 street battles in Shanghai and lived to teach others in
what to do. He was known as the Shanghai Buster to the WWII
Commandos and Rangers he taught. He taught WWII Spies in both
the SOE and OSS. The instructors he trained in closed combat taught
over 6 million allied soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen and his system
became the most combat tested fighting system of all time. My training in this fighting system saved my
life on three separate occasions and I personally know countless other men and women who will tell
you the same thing.
Now before we go any further I was not trained by Fairbairn but by one of his instructors, a man
named Harold Starin. Remember that old book my grandfather gave me? I read it from cover to cover
from 1959 till I meet Harold in 1962. In 62 I was living with my parents in a little railway town in Brit-
ish Columbia Canada called Revelstoke and every Saturday I would go to the small local theater to
watch the Matinees for about 10 cents. Most often they played cowboy movies but on two Saturdays
in a row they played two movies that put me on a lifelong course of studying the martial arts and all
things military. The first movie was called Blood On the Sun staring James Cagney. In this movie I
saw Jujitsu for the first time and instantly remembered the book Granddad had given me. I ran home
after the movie to find the Jujitsu techniques in the book, I had seen in the movie, demonstrated by
James Cagney none the less. I flagged what looked like the moves and studied the pages
over and over. Next Saturday I went to the movies again and this time they were playing
13 Rue Madeline again starring James Cagney. He was training OSS agents (WWII US
Spies) and in one scene he is demonstrating unarmed combat just like I had read about in
the book. This sent me on a mission to find someone or somewhere to teach me how to
do this and found the local Judo club fittingly located in the local Army Reserve Amory.
The club had all of 10 students mostly kids. The instructor was a
brown belt named Pat and for $2 a month I was in.
11
the legend starts
I thought it was so cool. We trained out of the small Rocky Mountain Rangers Armoury in the center
of town, 2 nights a week. It was fantastic and the first time I stood on the mats, I knew this was for
me. After a few weeks we had a guest instructor come to the club, yup you guessed it, Harold Starin
and he was wearing a black belt. Wow, we were absolutely
dumbfounded because back then a black belt was a very rare
. Ha ro ld St ar in
Capt thing and really meant something. Harold was an impressive
man, not very tall but built like a bull dog. He spoke with an
East London English Accent and was an extremely skilled Judo
player. Pat told us he was traveling around selling life insurance
and would from time to time stop in to teach classes. He also
told us hed been a Commando in the war. Wow, I could
hardly cover my excitement and the next class he taught I had
my old book in my bag and showed it to him. He flipped
through the pages telling me Its seen some usage then he told
me he knew Fairbairn and had been trained by him during the
war. Wow again I was stunned! Eventually we moved to Van-
couver and I joined the YMCA Judo club where Harold was
one of the main instructors and a lifelong mentoring began.
Harold passed away in 1989 and he taught me a lot; Judo/Jujitsu,
Defendu, boxing, fencing (he was a master fencer with the foil
and saber) and even how to sail and scuba dive. Harold was
quite an assertively confident man. He always dressed, as he
would say How a gentleman should in a three piece suit, hat
and shined shoes. Harold was born in London England in 1918
and grew up on the East side. He took up boxing and later Judo
earning his brown belt before the start of the Second World
The onl
y known War (and continued his studies after the war). At the outbreak
pic of H of the war he joined the Royal Marines as an Infantryman.
arold
When Britain formed the Commandoes he took the course
with the Royal Marines at the Commando School in Scotland. In the early part of the training
they noted his fighting background and after completing the commando course he was sent on a 12
week unarmed combat instructors course. At Archinraith House Scotland, he was taught by Fairbairn
to teach his new system of gutter fighting as he called it. Harold was then assigned to Royal Marine
Commando and took part in the early commando raids before being posted to 42 Royal Marine Com-
mandos where he attained the rank of Sergeant. The 42 was eventually sent to the Far East and
Burma, where in the latter part of the war, Harold was assigned to SOE Far East. Harold never
bragged or spoke openly about his war time experiences. It was through friends that I came to know
about his exploits and the commando raids as well as his experiences in Burma with the SOE.
12

The legend starts
Harold was tough as nails, to put it mildly, and he encouraged me to join the Army cadets which I did,
the Seaforth Highlanders 72 Cadets and later the Reserve Regiment and finally when I was old enough
the regular army. I served under Harold in the Seaforths in Recce Platoon and it was Harold who
taught me some of the most important soldiering skills of my military career. This included a lot of old
school commando skills and even some pretty valuable tricks from SOE. Recce platoon was pretty
much his baby and although we were reserve army it seemed we were always coming into the Seaforth
Armories 4-5 nights and weekends for Harold's special skills training. It still to this day is some of the
best special operations skills I have ever learned and try to pass on. Just before Harold was taken by
cancer, he was still selling life insurance and his office was in the town I was assigned to as a police offi-
cer. One night as he is leaving his office dressed in his London Fog rain coat, hat and no doubt carry-
ing a briefcase, he is approach by three well known local thugs who demand his money. In a split sec-
ond it was over; one was on the ground with a broken knee, anothers wrist was broken, apparently he
made the mistake of grabbing Harolds coat front and the third was on the ground having difficulty
breathing. Harold had apparently slapped him across the throat with a knife hand strike. I was a block
away finishing a coffee break when the fight call came in and I rushed to the scene. Picture Harold
standing there, calm as can be, not even breathing heavy, with the thugs on the ground. As I approach
Harold he says in his typical fashion, William it comes back to you. At 71yrs old Harold dispatched
these three tough bad guys in seconds. This was the nature of the WWII training he had received
from Fairbairn and taught to young soldiers like myself. It was not unusual for men like Harold, who
had undergone this particular style of combatives training, that they could still perform even if they had
not used it since the war. It was a method of hard wiring thats not used anymore in todays military
or police training and its really too bad. Too effective and too brutal I was told by those in power back
in my days in uniform.
So who was this

man who taught
Harold?
13
the legend starts
He was Assistant Commissioner William Ewart Fairbairn and by the end of WWII LT Col. William
Fairbairn of SOE/OSS/Commando fame. Fairbairn joined the Shanghai municipal police force (SMP) in
1908 and served till retirement in 1939 as the Assistant Commissioner. Before joining the SMP he had
served in the Royal Marine light Infantry (1900-1907) where he saw service in the Far East and Korea.
During his Marine service he became an expert on the rifle, bayonet and sword. He was a trained
western boxer and wrestler and by all accounts a fitness enthusiast. He had a reputation as a fighter,
tall and strong, but at first glance he did not look the part. He was a quiet fellow, not very intimidating,
short sighted and wore round glasses, yet was a deadly marksman with a pistol. One incident early on
in his police career with the SMP set his quest to become the worlds foremost close combat expert
and pioneer. Like many who seek martial arts knowledge there was a critical incident; he was attacked
while on patrol and beaten up, not in just a wee punch up, he was set upon by a gang of Chinese gang-
ster who put him in the hospital for months. During his convalescence Fairbairn swore this would
never happen again and once fit enough he started to study as many fighting systems both western and
eastern as he could. Of great interest to many current martial artists, his studies included Judo and Ju-
jitsu under Okada Sensei the former Emperor of
Japans teacher. He studied several styles of
Chinese Boxing under Tsaiching Ting, former William e fairbairn
n si
Okada se
Instructor to the Chinese Imperial Court and
body guard to the Dowager Empress; in 1932
he was awarded his second dan in Judo at the
Kodokan in Tokyo by Dr. Jigoro Kano the foun-
der of Judo. He was asked to present a demon-
stration at the Kodokan of the modern weapons
disarms for gun and rifle which were by all ac-
counts well received. His Defendu system
became the standard for most police training
of the day, and as I said, is to this day still set-
ting the standard by which all training is
ensei
judged. It is based on a mixed martial arts ap-
- o kada s
proach, unique in its day, but more important, its ina
hai C h
a system that is tempered by Fairbairns more Shang
l ub
than 600 street battles and the lessons learned from
J uijitsu c
them that shapes the training concepts and tactics. He
was the first modern instructor to talk about the im-
portance of mental training in combat and how the fear reaction affects you making difficult moves im-
possible to do. In 1918 through the 1920s he pioneered a scenario based training that was designed
to create the mind/body connection where one could manage the emotions and act rationally in these
types of situations thus allowing the training to take over.
14

The legend starts
From the 1920s through the 1930s Fairbairn wrote hundreds of articles in the weapons and police
training magazines of the day. He published his first book Scientific Self Defence in 1918 and it was
re-released in 1928. He wrote his book on Defendu in 1926. His Shooting to Live Combat Hand
Gun Pistol Point Shooting was a more police based work than would be his later books; All in Fighting
1942 (released in the US as Get Tough 1942), Self Defence for Women and Girls 1942 was
meant to teach English women to fight off invading German soldiers and his later Hands Off! (Self De-
fence for Women and Girls). There was even a comic book written about Fairbairn and his training of
Commandos and Spies during the war. Not too many people have comic books written about
them and this attests to his importance, not only as a trainer, but also his systems effect on
the enemy as propaganda and as a morale booster for the home front. But I am getting ahead
of myself were not finished yet in Shanghai and the pre-war years.
During the period of time from 1925 to approximately 1938 Fairbairn made many trips out-
side of China to teach and lecture on Defendu and his Shooting to kill Program. He was invited by
many Police Departments to lecture on his methods, like the New York Police with whom he spent a
few months on exchange. He came to know J. Edgar Hoover, the legendary Director of the FBI. The
FBI adopted many of his training concepts early on especially his pistol shooting and the use of the
Tommy gun. He did demonstrations, at the British Army Small Arms Instructors School on pistol
shooting, which by all accounts wowed them and he received an official certification as an instructor
from the Small Arms School. It would be safe to say Fairbairn was well known in the police circles of
the time and well respected for his skills and knowledge.
15
the legend starts
By all accounts the SMP worked as a prudent and professional Police Force of the day. They went to
great lengths to ensure they did a professional job. This started with the training of police recruits on
a proper standardized academic and athletic format. Fairbairn introduced shooting review boards after
every police involved shooting because every police officer in the SMP was issued bullets with their
police number on the cartridge for the purpose of identification. Unjustified shootings were dealt with
and stats where kept to improve training. The SMP used the first tactical shooting range called The
Mystery House where for the first time in police training
history scenarios of shot/dont shot skills where tested.
Fairbairn formed, trained and lead the famous SMP Re-
serve Unit. In its day it was considered basically a Riot
Squad but it was actually the precursor to the modern
day SWAT Team. Yes, it dealt with riots and by all ac-
counts there where many and they where bloody.
In fact, the Reserve Unit was formed after one such
incident where a large number of Chinese were
killed costing the SMP Commissioner of Police his
job. Through Fairbairns efforts the Reserve Unit
was also trained to deal with armed encounters,
hostage takings, kidnappings and VIP protection. The the mystery House
unit had a dedicated sniper team and was well drilled the first k
ill House 19
in the tactics we are still using today. Every Unit member 20s
was above average in fitness, Defendu trained and an expert
marksman in automatic pistol (Fairbairn preferred the 45), shotgun and the famous Tommy gun. The
Unit had weapons modified and specialty equipment made and designed by Fairbairn for the tactical
threats they and his team faced. These included bullet proof shields, body armor and even their own
armored SWAT vehicle called the Red Maria. These were also the concepts Fairbairn shared with
police agencies around the world in particular the United States, where they were facing an upsurge in
gangster violence with the likes of Al Capone.
Fairbairn surrounded himself with a fine team and many of these men would become experts in their
own right. Many would follow him back to England and become part of the WWII legend. Two key
figures I should mention here are Eric Sykes and Dermont Pat ONeil.
Eric Sykes was born into a wealthy English family in 1883 (died 12 May 1945). He arrived in Shanghai
some time in 1907 and was a businessman and representative of the Remington and Colt Firearms
Company. Through this connection he and Fairbairn became close friends in 1919. By all accounts
Sykes was a crack shot with a rifle and his position as a representative of a firearms company opened
many doors for him. He became a student of Sensei Okadas school in Shanghai in the 1920s. He vol-
unteered for the SMP as a Reserve member in fact an inspector and instructor in the Reserve Units
Sniper Team. He and Fairbairn co-authored the book on Shooting to Kill I mentioned earlier. Both
men reportedly left Shanghai on the same ship in 1939. There will be more on Mr. Sykes later.
16

The legend starts
Dermont Pat ONeil was born in County Cork Ireland and not
Capt. Pat ONeil much is known of his early life in Ireland (died 11 August 1985).
He travelled to Shanghai in 1925 and joined the SMP most likely in
response to an advertisement for constable positions with the
SMP in an Irish newspaper. So at 20 he became a Constable with
the SMP and would serve with the Force until 1938 and made the
rank of Detective Sergeant. He is also considered Fairbairns protg.
Pat ONeil was a member and instructor for the Reserve Unit and by
all accounts he loved to fight and was involved in many a street battle
with the SMP. He was also a primary instructor for the USMC De-
tachment in Shanghai and was instrumental in teaching Defendu to
members of this unit like Sgt Kelly who would go on to teach the
USMC and the Raider Battalions in WWII. ONeil was considered a
FSSF 1942 Rare Picture weapons expert with firearms, knives and sticks and he made good
use of his time in China studying martial arts. He joined Sensei
Okadas Jujitsu School and quickly proved his skill. He studied various
Chinese Boxing systems Tachi Chaun with Hsing Yi and Pa Kua and he
studied Sikh Stick Fighting Gatka as there where many Sikh members of the SMP. When he
left the SMP in 1938 he took up the position as body guard for the British Legation to Japan and moved
to Tokyo. He spoke fluent Japanese and three dialects of Chinese. He made good use of his time in
Japan studying martial arts till 1942. He studied Judo under Uchijima Sensei at the Kodokan and was
graded to 6th dan in Judo at the Kokodan. Both Kano and Uchijima considered him to have superior
grappling skills especially in newasa (ground fighting). Pat ONeil made several trips to Japan from
Shanghai to study under Uchijima and to attend Shiais (tournaments) where he excelled at randori
(free style fighting) and remained a keen exponent of Judo till his death. He also studied Japanese
Kempo. He left Japan just before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and went to Australia. Well
return to Pat ONeil later.
During the latter part of the 1930s China and the city of Shanghai was an extremely dangerous place
to be because of the Japanese threat and the annexation of Manchuria. History now shows us just how
brutal an occupation it was and how dangerous it was in Shanghai. With the onset of WWII most of
the European members of the SMP where put in Japanese POW camps and by 1943 there was not
much left of the SMP. Those who saw what was coming got out and I am sure Fairbairn, who had
some very close links with the Japanese community of Shanghai, new that all too well, especially after
Japans brutal attack on Nanking the Chinese National Government Capitol in 1937. This attack left
some 300,000 dead and a reported 100,000 women raped by the Japanese Forces. Shanghai was not
spared. It was bombed and occupied by the Japanese before Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. This time
and the events in China have been forgotten by most of the western world. My grandfather made his
last port of call to Shanghai in 1938.
17
the legend starts
1939 - 1945
As I told you Fairbairn retired from the SMP in 1939
WWII
and made his way back to England at the age of 54
accompanied by Eric Sykes. I am sure neither man
knew what fate had in store for them. At the onset
of WWII things went badly for England. The German
war machine seemed to be unstoppable; Poland had
fallen and the rest of Europes defenses collapsed
under the Blilzkrieg and Germanys use of Airborne troops and fifth columnist
spearheaded lighting fast attacks. The British Expeditionary Force did its heroic
evacuation from the beaches at Dunkirk and the Nordic countries were being in-
vaded with the exception of Neutral Sweden and Finland already fighting the Rus-
sian invasion (The forgotten War Russo-Finnish War 1939-1940 in the west) had
started before WWII had actually gotten under way.
Churchill, Englands New Prime Minister readied the British Isles for invasion.
The German Air Force was making life pretty uncomfortable and com-
pounding the morale problem as the news on the fighting
front was not getting any better. As history now tells us
Churchill took huge steps to punch back at the Germans. In
these early stages of the war the hitting back was left up to the
British Air Force but the British Intelligence Agencies such as
SIS (Special Intelligence Service) took on a new aggressive
role. Soon they would develop a fighting arm, in a manner
of speaking, called SOE (Special Operations Executive). An
even more aggressive Force would come into being called
The Special Companies and would later become famous
world-wide as a new breed of warriors called Commandoes.
The name Commando (meaning command way) was apparently
picked by Churchill himself from his Boer War service and
referred to the Dutch Boer War units called
commandoes which were very effective against the British
in South Africa (Boer War 1899-1902). In time the US Army
would form the US Army Rangers based on the Commandoes
and the first Battalions were trained at the Commando
School in Scotland.
r c hill
C hu
18

The legend starts
But in the beginning these new organizations and Commando units needed to be
trained. This was a new kind of warfare. SIS being an old time British Intelligence or-
ganization quickly recruited the skilled people that would be needed. Both Fairbairn
and Sykes, now in England, were well known to the SIS from their Shanghai intelligence
operations. Rumors still exist today that either Fairbairn or Sykes were members of
SIS during their Shanghai days but no one has ever found conclusive evidence of this to
my knowledge. SIS recruited both Fairbairn and Sykes and they are given short term
war commissions as Captains. As the need for experienced instructors was critical,
Fairbairn went about recruiting many of his SMP students living in Britain who had
r ic W . S ykes been part of his Reserve Unit. Both Fairbairn and Sykes hit the ground running and
E brought their skill and expertise to this new kind of training to SIS, then to the SOE
and training the spies that would be parachuted into occupied Europe and the Com-
mandoes. In the early stages they criss-crossed the country teaching everyone. Some of the most fa-
mous old film footage is of Fairbairn teaching the Home Guard basically old men who were consid-
ered unfit for regular military service. These types of films were shown in the Theaters across the UK
to build up the morale and have been largely dismissed by modern day martial artists. However the
Home Guard units that Fairbairn and his colleagues taught in practicality had a serious military purpose.
They were trained as Stay Behind parties and were taught sabotage, how to kill the enemy and gather
intelligence. Remember the big fear was that Germany was about to invade England.
Locations like Lochailort House in

Scotland would become famous for
SOE and Commando training. In the
early stages the first group of com-
mando trainees got to know Fairbairn
and his staff very well. Both he and
Sykes set an incredible pace training
men, in most cases 30 years younger
than themselves, to fight in this new
dirty war fighting. Remember back
then very few people had ever heard
of martial arts and the brutality of
the training was shockingly real com-
pared with todays army standards.
19
the legend starts
The first priority was to teach them to have the assertive confidence to
Kill and the level and conduct of training did just that. I have been
told by military experts today that the training period of unarmed com-
bat training back then was too short to be affective. Yet when the US
Army, a few years back, tested some of the surviving members of
WWII OSS and Rangers they found their abilities, even though they
were well into their eighties, still had an edge; mentally and physically
they could still perform their skills. I witnessed this when I did the His-
tory Channel TV Show Devils Brigade with the veterans of the First
Special Service Force. The military value of close combat training that
Fairbairn brought to the education of the WWII elite has been lost.
That value is what Harold and my other military instructors gave me
and I will tell you more about that later as well. Fairbairn was no
stranger to controversy and not all of his concepts and training met
with approval from the higher command. But he steadfastly stood
firm, after all even today how many men can say they were involved in
600 plus life and death street battles. In my limited experience, of 39 years of
operational military and police training, I know I am not easily moved to adapt to new concepts. I stick
with what has saved my life. As I am sure that just like me Fairbairn found
it hard to accept direction from people however well intentioned who
had never been there or done it. For example it is a little hard to be told
what to do by someone who has never been shot at while you have.
One thing I learned early on in my military service is the WWII and
Korean veterans who were my squad leaders, Platoon Sergeants,
Company Sergeant Majors and Officers had a battle-wise way of
doing things that often flies in the face of the book and their stub-
bornness to change reflected in their concern for us soldiers
learning the right stuff. Those who had not walked in their shoes
saw it as arrogance and despised and feared them for it at the
same time. I respected them for it and in hindsight as I told you
having that knowledge and skill saved my life. I am sure Fairbairn
was every bit as tough and fierce as my instructors, even if he did
not look or act the part, and I am sure that fact alone made him
even more intimidating.
PPCLI Battleschool
Instructing Sentry
removal
20

The legend starts
The Fairbairns and Sykes WWII unarmed combat instructors courses were 12 week courses The
first prerequisites for candidates were men who had been fighters, veterans of the Spanish war, pre-
war martial arts students (Harold being one of those). Those who were sent went through a grueling
12 week program of training to learn all that was expected of a WWII close combat instructor and
then how to teach those skills. These men were a new breed of instructor warriors. They were
taught a heavily modified course much different than the police style reflected in Fairbairns book De-
fendu. Or even Get Tough. Fairbairn liked to refer to it as gutter fighting and his instructors gained
what today would be considered a cult like status within military circles. Harold told me it was a
tough program both physically and mentally demanding and what he taught me in 27 years of study
with him I have tried to keep alive. When Harold first taught me to fence with a sword I thought he
was nuts but it was part of the course and it greatly improved my speed and balance for knife fighting.
I learnt striking, grappling front, ground and rear techniques, knife fighting, silent killing, rifle and bayo-
net including the bayonet charging defenses, what we would call today arrest and control tactics and
how to tie up POWs. For the most part it was simple applications of force repeated over and over
until you had them hard wired. You were then taught to improvise and adapt them through scenario
based training and then free style fighting. We had full contact fighting often with no protection as
Harold would say, The enemy wont be wearing gloves and you wont have safety gear so get over the
fear of being hurt. If you cant do it here you wont on the battlefield. We were never allowed to
give up and if you tapped out Harold was all over you saying, You will survive, youll never give up.
There were no rules and anyone who fought fair generally got the tip of Harolds ammo boots or a
slap in the back of the head. Harold was one of the first veterans to teach me to use the knife in com-
bat and it was harsh. Harold used his FS knife many times in Burma and he taught me how to assassi-
nate a human being a far cry from the level of knife training I see today. When I taught these aspects
to the soldiers in the Devils Brigade for History TV they were surprised and shocked. Modern day
Rangers and Green Berets had never been taught this. Later a 5 day course I did for the US Special
Forces as a result of the TV show, intimidated the SF soldiers their words not mine. In fact the base
safety officer shut the program down and we moved it off Post to finish it. Such was the level of WWII
combatives training I learned as a private infantryman in the Canadian Army which seems about a hun-
dred years ago now.
My RSM years passing

on the training to
my soldiers
21
the legend starts
One of the famous tools of the Commandoes to come out of WWII was the Commando Dagger bet-
ter known as the FS Fighting Knife FS standing for Fairbairn and Sykes who reportedly designed it.
Although from what Harold and other Commando veterans told me this was most likely not the case.
As the story goes Fairbairn and Sykes took their design which was based on a knife they used in Shang-
hai called the Shanghai Mauler (later designed and released by Col Rex Applegate after his death).
Wilkinson Sword who was tasked with making the knife thought it too costly and time consuming to
build a fighting knife from nothing so they compromised on the FS design making use of a current mold
for a fencing foil handle and a double edged dagger. The first issue FS knives had the waved guard and
the latter version a straight guard. It came in a leather scabbard which was usually sewn onto the right
side of the battledress pants. The knives became the pride of the Commandoes and the first Ranger
units. There is an old war story that the FS knife made Hitler so mad that he ordered the execution
of any British soldier caught with one. Another item that became famous was the
Commando green beret still worn today by many Special Forces Units around the
world. The other weapon Fairbairn taught the Commandoes to use was the fa-
mous Tommy gun a weapon well received by the Commandoes themselves.
Fairbairns time with SIS/SOE and the Commandoes was short lived as he would
soon be transferred to a new Top Secret SOE STC Camp X in Canada. Training in
Great Britain was left in the capable hands of Captain Sykes and his team of highly
trained experts.
Shanghai Mauler
FS Knife
22

The legend starts
1942 STs Camp x Canada
Now Major Fairbairn arrived at the Top Secret SOE STS (Special Training Station) Camp X in rural
Ontario Canada. Camp X was a melting pot of nationalities being trained as agents by some of the
best instructors the SOE had. Add to this mix Fairbairns expertise now training agents in his deadly
skills. One of the alleged trainees is a young British Naval officer named Ian Fleming who would after
the war write the James Bond Series of books using his time at Camp X as a basis for his main charac-
ter James Bond. Camp X obtained the reputation as being the best STC of the war and trained hun-
dreds of agents who took on hundreds of missions throughout the war years. Much of what went on
at Camp X is still classified and the surviving secret agents rarely talk about their training or what they
did. As a Regimental Sergeant Major in the Canadian Army I got to know many of
these men who were always welcome guests in my Mess. The stories of their mis-
g e de
Geo r sions were in fact the stuff of a James Bond legend and I have been privileged to
CSM leyskow know them and share a drink or two. Camp X also had the distinction of be-
Rewe
ing the training center where three future Directors of the CIA would
be trained. Although Camp X was the primary facility in Canada a
second SOE STS was setup in British Columbia near the small town of
Vernon and was known as Camp Y. Its job was to train Chinese
agents for the Far East operations many of whom would be sent to
Burma and China as part of Force 136. I had several of these incredi-
ble gentlemen as my guests in my Sgt's mess and as RSM got to know
them well. Fairbairns time at Camp X was not long and in a matter of
months he would be transferred once again to help train the US OSS
(Office of Strategic Services). Fairbairn would be replaced at Camp X
by CSM George de Reweleyskow.
Camp x
23
the legend starts
Fairbair
Area B OSS Training Center n Area
B USA
Area B was located in the same area where today you find the US Presi-
dents retreat Camp David but in 1942 it was simply referred to as Area B.
The OSS was pretty much a new Military based Intelligence organization
and headed by the colorful Major General Wild Bill Donavan (1883-1959)
himself a highly decorated WWI officer and Medal of Honour winner. He
commanded the famous fighting 69th of New York in WWI and he was a
successful Wall Street lawyer and friend of President Roosevelt. Donavan
himself knew of Fairbairn and had personally asked for him to be trans-
ferred to help train OSS Agents. Donavan was not the kind of guy to let US
Agents be trained by another power. In this task Fairbairn was assisted in the
early stages by Captain (later LCol.) Rex Applegate (1914-1998) US Army Mili-
tary Police. Applegate had been in England under Donavans orders to learn
everything he could about SOE and Commando training and became an expert in
unarmed combat and pistol. In 1943 Applegate wrote his own book on
the subject called Kill or Get Killed based on his studies with Fairbairn.
Applegate would get promoted and transferred to Camp Ritchie where
he would help set up the US Army Intelligence School and conduct the
close combat training till the end of the war.
By all accounts I have heard OSS was better suited to Fairbairns crea-
tive talents as it had more resources and cash than SOE. Fairbairns
main role was still to train the agents in close combat. The OSS re-
cruited potential agents from a wide variety of backgrounds and ages
just as SOE had. Unlike todays super spies, education was not the only
bench mark to getting in. Having the smarts to be able to get the job
done was. So they recruited plumbers, lawyers, prostitutes, businessmen, actors, doctors, Spanish
Civil War Veterans, criminals, gangsters, journalist, even people with handicaps. Some celebrity mem-
bers who were trained by Fairbairn were actor Sterling Haydon, Julia Child and Moe Berg. As a result
Fairbairn became too well known for some of the OSS office brasss liking.
Fairbairn would spend the rest of the war working for OSS in the States and would be responsible for
training instructors for the whole of the US Armed Forces including the US Coast Guard which
adopted his system of fighting. He brought Pat ONeil from Australia to help train the OSS. After his
arrival ONeil spent a lot of time criss-crossing the US filling requests for instructor training which Fair-
bairns duties at OSS would not allow him to conduct. One important request that came into the OSS
for Fairbairns services was from the Chief of the General Staff wanting Fairbairn to train a new US/
Canadian Commando Force but at 59 he considered himself too old so he recommended Pat ONeil
for the job.
24

The legend starts
By the end of WWll in OSS circles you either loved Fairbairn or hated him. Rumor has it the agents
respected him for what he taught them but the desk jockeys werent so happy with him most likely
Fairbairn was not interested in their point of view since they had not had the experiences he had.
However it was very clear Donavan did respect Fairbairn and valued his abilities to train and improvise
realistic training. After Fairbairns arrival with OSS he was put on the higher US pay scale as the British
Army pay was pretty low compared to the US Officers pay scale. Donavan was also instrumental in
getting him promoted to Lt Colonel and having him awarded the US Legion of Merit by the President
for his services to OSS. At Wars end Fairbairn return to England. But more on the post war years
later.
We like him!
25
the legend starts
Pat ONeil and the

rce
First Special Service Fo
1942
As I told you earlier Fairbairn was asked to train the First Special Ser-
vice Force (FSSF) but managed to get the role assigned to his much
younger protg ONeil. ONeil would become the best choice he was
37 yrs old very fit and as I already told you tough as nails and loved to
fight. This was just the type of man this elite Force would be built
around by its commanding officer Col Robert Frederick (Major General
-1907-1970). On a personal note many of my NCO and Officers whom
I served under in my early years with the Canadian Army were veterans
of this Unit.
The FSSF was created for Operation Plough proposing commando raids into Norway to destroy the
Germans ability to produce heavy water needed to make atomic bombs. The British could not afford
the cost of financing such a Force and the task went to the Americans. Frederick who had initially
helped plan the operation and did the study on its merits was put in Command and charged with creating
a Force of 2,500 Officers and men and to train them to be the most elite commando force of WWII.
The Force as the members of the FSSF liked to be called were unique right from the start because the
Brigade size Force was made up of half Canadian and half US personnel. Frederick recruited from both
armies asking for volunteers who were bushmen, hard rock miners, and hunters who liked to fight. A
few years ago I did a TV show for History Channel where we recreated the training of the Force and I
was given access to Fredericks training diaries and unit planning as well as the veterans themselves. Fre-
derick set a modern blueprint for Special Forces training and operations that are hardly matched today.
Like Fairbairn I believe Frederick is an unsung genius and forgotten warrior. Fredericks set out from the
very beginning to create something different from the British Commandoes; the US Army had Rangers
but they where a copy of the Commandoes. Frederick wanted a Special Force better equipped than any
unit (and by todays standards they where hard) because he knew that his men would need to be asser-
tively confident and extremely fit to fight both physically and mentally, because a parachute drop into
Norway was basically a suicide mission.
26

The legend starts
I can tell you we re-created his standard for physical training and conducted it for
over a month for the show. It was grueling and the Force did it in combat boots
not running shoes. Frederick like no other Commander understood the impor-
tance of the moral building characteristics ONeils training would have on his
men and instructed the now Captain ONeil that, He wanted his men assertively
confident to fight and kill the enemy. Frederick and ONeil designed the units
famous V-42 fighting knife; every Forceman was issued one and ONeil taught
them how to use it. The V-42 became a symbol of that confidence in close com-
bat and you will still see it worn on the badges of the US and Canadian Special
Forces today.
Now imagine ONeils drama. You arrive at Fort Harrison have a series of meet-
ings with the Commanding Officer and he tells you, you have to train 2,500 men
general the entire Force from Frederick down to the lowest private to kill not just de-
Fredericks fend themselves. ONeil took to this role with zeal and understood very clearly
how it had to be accomplished. Although a protg of Fairbairns I believe he was
the best of all the WWII unarmed combat instructors skill wise and he surely was martial arts wise
ranking as a 6th dan. He also understood the mission of the Force and the time constraints to learning
affective skills. So he designed a course of close combat much different than the one Fairbairn was
teaching. It was far more aggressive and based on striking taking the fight to the enemy and killing. He
designed it over a three tier training format based on the amount of time he had to train. The over-
view of this would be a first phase consisting of striking skills with hands and feet heavy on dirty fight-
ing; to this phase he would add knife fighting. It struck him a boxer with a knife in his hand would be
hard to deal with. Next phase would be simple grappling using dirty fighting drawing the knife to kill or
choking the enemy to death, after all silence was important. He taught knife hand strikes to soft tissue
areas like the throat, thumbs and fingers into the eyes of jabs, knees and instep kicks. Tactics that in
1942 was unheard of unless you were a gangster and were used to rough and tumble fighting. His last
phase taught weapons and he designed a stalking course for killing sentries (something the Forceman
became famous for). Everyone from Fredericks down learned what well
call the ONeil System.
27
the legend starts
ONeil also started his training phase by pulling together men in the Force that had some type of com-
bative sports background including 2 actual Mafia gangsters/hit men members of Lt Larry Storys pla-
toon, (Lt Story is an old friend and related the story. He is also in the famous FSSF unarmed combat
photo disarming the handgun; hes the man on the right doing the disarm p. 7) ONeil spent two weeks
teaching them how to teach the first phase. By the end of the FSSF training at Fort Harrison every unit
member was a very skilled close combat craftsman. The old timers in Helena Montana still tell stories
of the Forceman in bar fights with the local loggers and cowboys and coming out on top.
How well O'Neil did his job is exemplified in the name the Germans gave to the FSSF Black Dev-
ils (Hollywood called them The Devils Brigade in a 1968 movie with William Holden). German veter-
ans I have met who opposed the Force in Italy told me they were scared as hell of them. They would
go out at night faces blackened armed with their V-42 fighting knife and a pistol in small teams and hunt
Germans. They would sneak in and kill sentries and machine gunners at their post while leaving his
team mate asleep in the bottom of the trench. The poor guy sleeping would wake up find his mate
dead and an FSSF sticker glued to his helmet which read in German,The Worst
is yet to comeFSSF. The Force never gave up an inch of ground and took
every objective they were assigned. Churchill acclaimed they where the best
unit in the war and struck more fear into the hearts of the enemy than any
other. ONeil could have gone back to OSS after the Force was trained but
he said, I trained them and I am damn well going to fight with them. He
served as Fredericks body guard, no mean task as Frederick was
wounded eight times in combat. The veterans of the FSSF still
speak highly of ONeils training and the edge it gave them and I
was told many stories over beers of just how affective it made
them at closing with and killing the enemy. As a young soldier I
was turned inside out by a few of these guys especially if I got to
cocky with them so I was on the business end of learning how
effectively they were trained and most of these guys where my
age now (old).
When the FSSF was disbanded in 1944 the best trained and most unique
WWII Commando unit disappeared into just a few pages of the WWII
history books. ONeil was re-assigned as the Provo Marshall at Monte
Carlo until he was pulled back into OSS and assigned to the Far East.
28

The legend starts
The post war years

What do men do after a war and especially those who have lead a life of adventure almost it
would seem being in the right place and time in history to fill volumes of adventure books.
Well as best as I know this is what happened.
Major Eric Sykes; Well Unfortunately Erick Sykes died an untimely

death on the 12th of May 1945 at age 62. His health was affected by the pace
at which he worked but his contribution to the War time SOE was legendary.
Like so many men of his caliber he died alone and has been forgotten as much
do to his own secretive nature and as a result of his work still being classified
by Britains MI6.
Lt Colonel William Fairbairn; Returned to England to his wife and

family. Since the SMP no longer existed his pension was lost he spent the re-
mainder of his years training Police Forces in Singapore and Cyprus. He died
June 20th 1960 and his knowledge passed into history. Fairbairn never wrote a
final manual that would have covered the depth and breadth of his knowledge.
Most people think they know what he taught. Myself I might be one of the
lucky ones who got to train directly under men he taught like Harold Starin
and meet many others throughout my military career. Fairbairn and Sykes
contribution to the WWII war effort touched almost every aspect of how
front line soldiers were trained. Their legacy is still being passed on in the Spe-
cial Forces and SWAT skills being used today by members who have no idea of
their trainings origins. In most WWII history books Fairbairn hardly rates a
paragraph.
29
wa r y e a rs
s t
The po the legend starts
Captain Pat ONeil; Returned to working for the OSS and was sent to
Japan as a liaison officer. This would have been a logical choice since he spoke
Japanese and Chinese understood the culture and probably still had good con-
nection within the martial arts community and other sources within Japan. He
worked for various State Department organizations after the War including
the CIA. In the mid 60s he was with the International Police Academy funded
by the Agency for International Development which was a cover for para-
military operations run by the CIA. When the US Army formed the Green
Berets ONeil trained the first instructors in what weve called the ONeil
method of close combat some of which can be found in the old US Army man-
ual FM21-150 Deal the First Deadly Blow Hand-to-Hand Combat although
this is a pale example of the course he actually taught. ONeil I was told wrote
only one training manual of his methods and it is held by the CIA and like all
things CIA you and I are not going to see it ever. Much of ONeils work is
still classified. ONeil passed away in Washington on August 11th 1985. The
Close Combat Training Center on Post at Fort Harrison where he taught the
FSSF is named in his honor The ONeil Center (a suggestion I made while
filming the Devils Brigade TV show there). The ONeil system of close combat
training is the back bone of the old Canadian Army unarmed combat program
far more so than Fairbairns initial program. More on this aspect later on...
Lt Colonel Rex Applegate; After Camp B Applegate went to

Camp Ritchie and taught there till the end of the war. He retired from the US
Army shortly after the war as Lt Colonel. He spent some 20 years living in
Mexico teaching the police and military of that country and Latin America riot
control training and weapons skills. He lived out his life in Oregon and was
active in teaching and training US Police Forces right up to his death. I had the
honor of meeting him in 1975 while attached to the newly reformed 2nd
Ranger Bn at Fort Lewis Washington. He was still very keen on people getting
their training right and was not a big fan off the touchy feeling training that was
soon to take over close combat skills. As I recall one of his favorite expres-
sions was Keep it simple stupid when the younger Rangers would do some-
thing they had been taught that was just a little too martial artist. I still have a
tape of him demonstrating knife techniques for use at 61 yrs old.
30
n McKenzie
WO ( Ret) Joh
CDN Airborne REG
The legend starts
The post war years

I must not forget to mentioned that I have by no means
ntored by
John was also me
touched on all those instructors who were qualified by the
men above and who went on to prove the effectiveness of
the training. Luckily I got to serve with and learn from quite a
Harold Starin
few and met many more over the years. Most of these men returned to civi-street after the war and
most never taught again. Some, a very few, went into police service and taught defense tactics and
others like my instructors were career professional soldiers. Some like Harold continued to teach
martial arts like Judo and Jujitsu at the local YMCA. But wherever they taught unarmed combat they
gave soldiers and secret agents the tools to survive in the harshest environment in the world, the mod-
ern battlefield.
The discipline of WWII combatics pioneered by these instructors stayed with many Allied Militaries
well into the late 70s. As an old Army Regimental Sergeant Major and martial arts master I can tell
you it is still by far the most effective form of close combat I have ever studied and I have spent the last
48 years doing just that. In my more than 39 years of operational military and police service I have ex-
perienced a lot of violence and was taught no better form of assertive confidence building to effectively
deal with violence then the system established by Fairbairn and passed on by his instructors. The un-
fortunate aspect is that too many modern day exponents of his methods, know little or nothing about
the actual system or its training. They only have the few books written by Fairbarn and Applegate to
draw from and showcase their limited knowledge. And of course the few poorly written military manu-
als on the subject as well. The nature of how to teach these skills for real and more importantly for
combat has been lost but for a few men like me; the last generation of WWII based military instructors
who actually learnt and used these skills in the military at the hands of the generation
mentioned above who proved its training value.
31
Epilogue We trained in the
footsteps of
heroes
Many students of this style of WWII combatics as well as many martial
artists have asked me never ending questions about its fate and what
happened to the system. Since there are many experts now on this
subject any blog on the internet will give you an opinion! So I will tell
you the Canadian Army story. The one I experienced firsthand.
After the war the Canadian Army still had tons of expertise still serving from our elite WWII units the
FSSF, 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, Canadian Commando Brigade and of course SOE. Remember
we ran one of the best WWII spy schools in the War Camp X and the Canadian soldier was consid-
ered the best trained soldier in WWII (Still is today). In 1947 the Canadian Army decided to pull to-
gether a small Airborne Strike Force of Company strength from as many volunteers of the above units
as they could find to man this new unit. The officer they choose to Command the
Company was Lt Colonel Guy dArtois. dArtois had been a member of the Royal
Montreal Regiment before the War and at the outbreak was keen
to get into the fighting. So after his initial officers training he vol-
unteered for both the SOE and the FSSF. He was accepted for the
FSSF and went to Helena and Fort Harrison for training. During
his second month of training with the Force he was ordered to
report back to Ottawa for another assignment. Reluctantly he
followed orders and upon arrival was ordered to report to
Camp X for SOE training. Major dArtois was parachuted into
occupied France in 1943 and helped organize the French Resis-
tance. He also commanded a large group during the war espe-
cially during the D Day operations. He was a very skilled
operator, as was his wife whom he met at the SOE
and who also parachuted into France and worked
valiantly with the Resistance. Both were highly
decorated SOE veterans.
Not just
couple a cute
32
Copyright 2010
Footsteps of heroes
The Canadian Army High Command could not have picked a more experienced
out of the box thinking soldier for the job. So Major dArtois was ordered to
raise and train the 1st Canadian SAS Company. Into this unit came many veter-
ans of the above noted units including several of the best close combat instruc-
tors we had. d Artois was keen on the value of close combat training and told them
to come up with the best fighting system they could. The soldier leading this effort was S/Sgt John
Crawford an ONeil trained instructor and a veteran of both the FSSF and 1st Can Para. Crawford
qualified many instructors of what he told me they called Defendo within the SAS Company and the
name Defendo branded the system with a proper Canadian ID to separate our system from Fair-
bairns yet still pay respect to him and ONeil. Remember instructors and soldiers in
the 1st CDN SAS Company had been trained by both Fairbairns, Sykes and O Neils
methods. They also blended in their own combat experiences and modified it to suit
their needs and tailored a specific instructors program. On a personal note , in 1972
Crawford as my Company Sergeant Major, ran the last 11 week WWII ONeil based
close combat instructors course at CFB Wainwright based on what was systemized at
1st CDN SAS Company (and yours truly was on it). The first basic military publica-
tion of this system was the 1947 Canadian Army Provo Corp manual on self de-
fense and arrest tactics. In the preface to this manual the system is referred to as
Defendo not Defendu. I asked Crawford where the Defendo name come from and
his answer was short, sweet and gruff as always, Some dumb fucking officer at
Camp X couldnt get it right and when he heard Fairbairn and Defendu were com-
ing he thought he meant Defendo, fucking type O and it has stuck with us ever
since. The name Defendo means in Latin I Protect or To Protect. Of course
this information seemed unimportant to most on the course at the time but to me
because of my Judo background I first thought it meant something like The way of
Defense. Generally we simply called what we did unarmed combat it was not until the 70s when the
military placed restrictions on teaching unarmed combat that as a senior instructor I started using the
Defendo name again to get around the BS from Higher and it worked. Martial arts training was OK
but unarmed combat was bad Defendo was martial arts enough sounding to get around the ban.
The 1st Canadian SAS Company was short lived and disbanded in 1949 but not before they established
the modern Canadian army airborne training doctrine and close combat training course. When the
unit broke up the members, for the most part, were sent back to their original units across the length
of the Canadian Infantry Corp; PPCLI, Queens Own Rifle, Royal Canadian Regiment and The Royal
22nd Regiment the unit Lt Col d Atrois would command in Korea. In my army career I served with
and was mentored as a Sr NCO by several veterans of 1st Canadian SAS Company; RSM (Lt Col) Bob
Blackwell (Black Watch), RSM (Capt) Bob Planet (QOR), RSM Frank Buxton (PPCLI), RSM Geordie
Nailer (1Can Para/QOR) to name a few.
33
Copyright 2010
Footsteps of heroes
These veterans in turn dispersed the close combat training knowledge to the Canadian In-
fantry Corp. All of them by the late 70s were retired from the Army which no longer saw
a need for such training but a few of us fought to keep the skills being taught. The Army
Instructors course I taught went from 11 weeks down to 5 weeks and eventually 1 week.
From the days when every NCO in the Canadian Army could teach the skills to where by
the 80s few had any knowledge. Even in the Airborne Regiment they struggled for the
real knowledge. The 70s was a bad time for the Canadian military. The negative effects
of the unification of the three services are still being felt today. The Hippie Movement of
the late 60s & early 70s a part as soldiers were hassled for wearing the uniform. There
was a general disregard from the Canadian government and of course the Viet Nam War -
mindset. We went from being the best trained soldiers in the world in close combat to
almost none. At one point orders came down from NDHQ banning unarmed combat
training in all forms too many injuries and too many civilians allegedly getting beat up by soldiers
in bars (dont spit on a soldier and not expect to get hit). The latest Canadian Forces Close
Combat manual is still a soft paper (no f***ing value) even though weve been at war for 9
years in Afghanistan.
You might ask why I did not get tired of banging my head against a brick wall trying to keep
the system alive. For example, at one point in time, the Canadian Army had a system in place
that every recruit learned basic unarmed combat at what we then called Regimental Depot
not the same as CF Recruit School today. Once you got to Battalion you learnt level II
skills which honed striking skills and introduced you to grappling and then level III weap-
ons and silent killing. Every soldier practiced even our physical training (PT) was based
Once upon a around it (Fitness with Purpose). These programs died off as the WWII and Korean veteran
time, you were Commanding officers and Company Commanders retired leaving a breed of officer who did
allowed to not see the need or reason for it (no combat experience). As this generation took over units
look and feel
received less and less unarmed combat training and the whole program was slowly scrapped
like a soldier
by neglect and by the 1980s forgotten. Except by old Sergeant Majors like me who tried to
teach as much of it as we could after all how many times does a soldier need to clean his rifle
when its already clean. In these later years I experienced a lot more martial arts being passed
off as military unarmed combat and armies including mine as a result have tried to re-invent the
wheel as far as unarmed combat training goes for todays soldiers. For some COs in the 80s and
onward the show of having all the soldiers on the parade square doing punches and kicks like robots
and yelling Kiia passed for real training but it has failed in this current war just as sport training has
in combat operations. It was stupid and as a wise RSM said, You cant fix stupid. So what do we
do, we camouflage it.
Then they Issued cheap ugly

suits or aka the bus diver
outfit, called CF greens ...
The start of the down turn
34

The camouflage
Smoke &
mirrors
Well before I try and explain my experiences over the last 4 or 5 years let me share with you
a quote from a great veteran of the FSSF and one of the very first members over the top at
the battle of Monte La Defensa;
How do you explain

combat, if you have
never been in combat
you know you cant
explain it
S/Sgt Joe Glass WWII Veteran FSSF
35
Smoke & mirrors
Veterans like Joe are the soldiers who taught

me close combat (a term which means all forms of
infantry combat training) in the Canadian Army. Joe was
Joe Glass FSSF 1942 one of those Canadian volunteers for the FSSF who re-
ported to Fort Harrison in 1942 and was with the Force
until wounds took him out of action and ended the war
for him. I got to know Joe Glass when I did the Devils
Brigade TV show and at almost 90 years old Joe was still
passing on valuable CQB lessons (you can see Joe on the
RSM Wolfe channel on YouTube). As I told you before
that old school skill and knowledge has stood me in
good stead throughout my military and police career and
On set Devils Brigade
saved my life on a few occasions. I have been passing on
US A
TV series 2007 MT this experience and knowledge now for more than 40
years. As I also told you it was taught to me by real
pioneer SF warriors like Joe, Harold and others and now validated by my own experience. Remember
nothing is validated until its been proven in combat and you can never explain combat to someone
who has never been there! All you Curious Georges out there have been asking me about real mod-
ern military close combat training but I am not sure what your definition of real is anymore? Remem-
ber I told you the story of the soldier who asked me about the octagon. For most real seems to be
the UFC. So Ill try and explain my thoughts on this subject matter so the arm chair commandos
can have something to blog about and tell me Im wrong!
First let
explain m me
of real y idea ...the units and soldiers I teach today have been
bloodied and many more will be as they go into
harms way in this ongoing protracted 9+ year war.
What do I mean by bloodied? Its having to kill or having members killed in
combat. So teaching close combat in these professional military environments is not a role I take
lightly. When I see the ball being dropped I get a little more than pissed off as do the soldiers who
need the skills to round out their professional skill-at-arms abilities. There is no place for gifted ama-
teurs who have never been a professional soldier teaching soldiers. Its not a place for theory but
serious fact! In training I teach soldiers to close with and kill the enemy. This is not based on sport
but rational knowledge of the variables they will face on the current battlefield. Its the battlefield
where soldiers die or get maimed not the base gym where they can win a title in the unit MMA sport
competition. In this gym environment real close combat training does not matter. It is training the
battle-wise skills that easily fit into the three defined tiers of this new battlefield of War Fighting.
36

Smoke & mirrors
If you do not understand the concept of the modern three tiered war youre
already lost before I begin? You dont! So go look it up!
For example I recently did a training program for the US Army Special Forces Teams (The Green Be-
rets) Modern Army Combatives Instructors. It was meant as a history lesson Are you as well trained
as your Grandfathers were after all the FSSF was part of their units historic lineage. It turned out they
were not and found the training intimidating (their words not mine). Why? Their current unarmed
combat training model of Modern Army Combatics is based on the assumption that you can de-
escalate time in a battlefield hand-to-hand combat (old school term) situation as you would in the
octagon (sports definition). What do they mean by de-escalate? For example; I take the enemy into
my guard on the ground and hold on till he burns out and gets tired. I then make a move, relax and do
it all over again until I get in a position where I can apply a painful lock or choke. First drama, the en-
emy is not wearing 80 lbs of Kevlar Body Armour in one of the hottest places on earth. Second
drama, youre now becoming isolated from your fire team partners as they fight through the objective
leaving you behind or your fire team partner would have killed the enemy on top of you. Third drama,
the enemies fire team partner is taking a sight picture on you and getting ready to kill you. Fourth
drama, the risk of being overwhelmed by more enemy and taken prisoner because of becoming iso-
lated is very real especially at night. The enemy does not wear Body Armour and is a natural born
grappler from birth (remember a guy named Alexander the Great). He likes knives up close and per-
sonal and has been fighting an ongoing war for more than 40 years (just this time around)! The time
clock in real battle does not de-escalate as it can in the
sports based octagon. Killing occurs in 'real time' with
speed and force of action. Finishing off the enemy
must be the first priority 'the kill'. I found these SF
instructors too busy pissing about trying to get in
position and roll on the ground when they could
have had the kill. Their techniques worked better
for them without full battle gear and with extreme
difficulty in full fighting order or not at all. Certain
moves were hindered by the equipment itself when
they played by the rules (Holy shit rules you say!).
This is just one tier of battle knowledge To Kill.
What are the other two? Yes thats the question
you where looking up! Were only talking about the
Iraqi Leg picking soldier..
first tier here today, because that is the place where generations of wrestling
training in CQB must start. Its important knowledge for
you to know blogger, especially you UFC types. Teaching sol-
diers to kill is a method of instruction you need to know how to do.
37
Smoke & mirrors
OK continuing on. The older SF instructors who were also old L.I.N.E.S instructors fared better but
the sports base kept infiltrating back in because most of these guys were level 3 instructors and had
been conditioned to the new concept. The few skilled boxers in the crew had the definite upper hand
making it almost impossible for their fellow soldiers to close the gap, take a clinch, and impossible
when I put a knife in their hand (remember ONeils first line concept 1942). They seemed to have
very limited offensive striking knowledge and limited blocking or parrying skills so they took hits trying
to get in. Some soldiers have been told their helmet would protect them and put their head down and
charged in. That stopped after I almost broke a few necks using the helmet itself to re-direct their
body core. These attempts to take the enemy to the ground and mount him as they had been taught
met with deadly negative results. Early on this created a psychological collapse and no trust in their
current training system. This closing the distance seemed so critical to them, yet they had no real of-
fensive skill to do it (apparently it comes later after ground fighting) they were dying that's not good,
especially when they are only a few weeks away from the real battlefield. They were told it was the
ultimate military system. So where do you go when ultimate fails for you? You enter tonic shock!
They were also told that dirty fighting tactics would not work and would only make the enemy angrier
(who told them that BS). Taking these soldiers eyes and nuts was easy because they were not taught
to guard them, since they had never made use of the skills in their training (good thing the enemy fights
fair too youre thinking!) This infiltrating back in of the sports mindset instead of a war mindset was
not present in fire arms related weapons drills with the M4. Why? Their close combat marksmanship
training is not sports based! Its killing based! If I told them to do something that was tactically wrong
with any aspect of the weapon they were all over me and correcting me! How we train is how we
react and that part they had down pat with their M4. Why not with Combatives? They found the old
school unarmed combat intimidating. There was also no integration training between the empty hand
aspects and weapons use (apparently it came in higher up the rank systemobs.. its needed now re-
member a few weeks away from real battlefields!). They had no difficulty transcending from their M4
to a pistol, if out of ammo but no such skill in defense tactics. Their Team training staff set the basic
test; this was based on their current training knowledge. I just added in from my own experience the
combat sickiners which showed the cracks in the systems knowledge base. Their present training
conditioners had set them up for combat failure. For example any time I introduced a knife into the
fight they failed to adjust their mental picture to a knife fight and reprioritize to it. They continued to
sports fight and roll, ignoring the stabbing action. Since none of them wore groin protection in opera-
tions it left a lot of open opportunities for some very simple P=C because in normal training the
package was protected by the cup and the eyes were protected by rules.
38

sons are
tory les
Some his
Smoke & mirrors

Knife Training.
Not in the sand box and not here and the same went for other effective
dirty tricks as well. They never watched the hands for weapons and
felt they had an endless amount of time to fight, which was not true in
real operations. Plus with all that body armour and assault rigs it dis-
sipated their will to survive. Their current system did not take into
account even the basic concept that the enemys National pass time
is wrestling and that one of the largest Muslim groups of foreign
Muslim fighters came from a real knife culture in the Philippines.
They failed to grasp the nature of the enemies CQB, but the enemy
did not forget theirs, hence their heavy reliance on the knife in close
combat training. These SF guys thought to ankle lock the enemy
was a right smart combat move but they were not fast enough ap-
plying (lack of ongoing practice under varied combat conditions)
before they had their inside thigh cut open. They thought in pas-
sive sports terms not honed battle reactions something they
would never have done with their M4. This is what happens when Are still combat
you make a big show of your close combat training on YouTube,
the smart bad guys watch and figure out simple more deadly counters to it. applicable
No one said the enemy was not smart or tough and they have some serious experience at war fight-
ing and they can buy Gracie DVDs too!
Simple basic skills presented by an old guy like me should not have been intimidating to SF soldiers,
who are 20-30 yrs younger and fitter, if these soldiers had the assertive confidence in their current
combatives program. Remember you cannot de-escalate violence in combat. I dont care who tells
you that you can (or the street for that matter), you have no control of the environment in which it
takes place, just control of your assertive confidence to deal with it. There is no Cage on the battle-
field in Afghan. Assertive confidence has to be earned and it must be done starting in Recruit School!
And there are no rules in combat so the sports mindset has to go. It only takes a secondary enemy
soldier to get a sight picture and squeeze the trigger (5 second rule) because youve rolled for too
long. The reason youre seeing the whites of the enemys eyes is because shit just happened Mur-
phys Law and youre responsible for your survival not the Drill Sgt (Get over it if you do not under-
stand the term!). Ask yourself when was the last time the enemy released one of our POWs alive?
This is the biggest difference your grandfathers elite soldiers like Joe Glass was taughtto close
with and kill effectively and personally with assertive confidence the big misconception is that they
were not taught CQB skills just some magical dirty fighting system. In 1942 boxing was more popular
than martial arts are today so dirty tricks alone would not have worked if skill was not taught Re-
member Gen Fredricks CO FSSF direction to Capt Pat ONeil the Forces Unarmed Combat Instruc-
tor. Your Grandfather for example faced a better trained, equipped and skilled professional soldier on
that WWII battlefield than we face today. But are we training the better killer? I received very mixed
reviews on the current US Army program from these soldiers. Newer members who had only experi-
enced this one military system had no choice but to like it.
39
Smoke & mirrors
They were the most intimidated. The senior Team

members told me they preferred the old L.I.N.E.S.
system with aspects of the new system added in. Shit Happens...
you are training
But they were very grateful for my two bits worth. for
Keep in mind I only had them for 5 hard days to
hard wire skills they wanted to incorporate into war
their training to make it more combat effective for
their next tour. Something SF soldiers can do
more readily over line soldiers especially consid-
ering current US Army Combatives training policies
and directives. What struck me over those 5-days
was the number of times the Base Safety Officer
came by to check on the welfare of the men.
Something I was not used to from my days of sol-
diering, and those words, to dangerous Mr. Wolfe
cant do it. Try telling that to the enemy! The
overall item that struck me though was watching how their program was taught and that is wherein the
trouble lies. Theyve forgotten how to teach it for war! They need to teach their soldiers better use
of their hands in the attacking and blocking role and then put a knife into it before they deploy for war
zones. They need to upgrade the system for war fighting and this means more soldiers will get hurt in
training but better here than on the battlefield (get the mindset out of the octagon). The soldiers I
taught were embarrassed at the base safety officers action and to their credit we completed the train-
ing of Post on their own time. This is an indication of just how much value this training had for them
and it was not something they were use to but their grandfathers were!
Another example, when I taught the British army, I found they have no unarmed combat/close combat
programs for their soldiers whatsoever. Very odd considering I had infantry soldiers on my program
who had done bayonet charges in both the Iraq and Afghan campaigns. They had never been taught
how to use the rifle and bayonet outside of fixing the bayonet to the rifle! The bayonet fighting pro-
gram was dropped at Depot because the new SA80 was considered too short and you might break the
sights. These where the lads that fixed bayonets and charged; some told me they were actually out of
ammo when the order to charge was given, but they charged! (Sounds like WWI doesnt it and I was
told bayonet charges were a thing of the past Mr. Wolfe) These current combat veterans all stated
there was a clear need for real close combat training but the only soldiers I found who got ongoing
training where the British Army Judo Team and no one was allowed to touch them (sports team!).
Why not train these guys to teach proper military close combat training I thought. Well lets just say
its not my army because I was a member of the Canadian Army Judo team and we taught unarmed
combat! The British army did have a use of force instructors course in place which was a throwback
to the days in Northern Ireland and is considered more than useless by the soldiers themselves. Its
hard not to have respect for young soldiers who bear the scars on their bodies from war and are keen
to learn. Damn good bunch! Its too bad their Army has dropped the ball!
40

Smoke & mirrors
On mainland Europe I got the chance to provide training and/or view vari-
ous countries military close combat programs. The old Soviet Block
Armies had Russian influenced programs that were clearly based on skills
they the Soviets had acquired from North Korean martial arts programs
( yes I know the claim 2000 year old ancient Russian warrior system etc,
etc!). Ive never seen soldiers, who were suppose to be learning skills, do
so many knuckle pushups and get slapped around for no reason. I saw lots
of flaming bricks being broken but little of the simple and effective skills
being imparted that an average soldier would use. And yes I did spend
time going over training concepts with them. Lots of silly knife training
that did not even stand up to my silly old guy tests. I even saw soldiers
being knocked over by invisible bolts of energy coming out of
one Majors finger tips ( I guess this had something to do with
ammo shortages back in the day which allowed them to de-
Stop paying lip service velop this secret skillSorry but what would you think?) In
to real combat training other words just too much flash being taught to some really
tough soldiers. Most units like Germanys and Austrias Special
Forces had developed hybrid systems basically dependant on
who in the unit knew some martial arts or brought in a civilian instruc-
tor, a mix match of skills from various systems with no defined purpose. The French Commandoes I
had some fun with since I was a kindred spirit having done the French Commando Course way back
in 71. I found the French to be the most open minded bunch. Even my beloved Canadian Army pro-
gram has now been mucked about with and it looks like a theatrical Tae Kwon Do/Karate/waste of
time Jujitsu Program! Some dumb bugger at NDHQ tried telling me its based on Fairbairns teaching
and I said BS to that! Its a waste of training time! So even when you have something that works and
proven like the old Canadian Army system someone thinks he/she knows more and screws it up. The
Canadian Forces Close Combat Manual B-GL-382-004/FP-001 is based on my early works but today
how to teach the system properly for war fighting has been lost in my opinion. New age soldiers re-
invent the wheel, selling it to some General at NDHQ who would not know a punch from a paper clip.
Find a safer way to teach the program less chance of injuries to the soldier, Mr. Wolfe (Tell that story
to the enemy). But if it looks good when you demo it parade square mentally then it must be good
stuff; sort of reminds me of my days in Korea watching ROK Soldiers demonstrating TKD. One
word, unrealistic! When its stupid it is a waste of training time and training time is valuable theres
never enough of it to go around. I think these inventors need some front line time humping the gear
and getting the overwhelming sense of fear that becomes part of the combat experience. Maybe then
well see a different program in the future that is soldier friendly and deadly to the enemy when the
bullets go whizzing by. No effective system looks pretty. But they need to realize the enemy does
not give a rats ass about their unarmed combat sports competitions or parade ground demonstra-
tions, he just wants to kill them something they are rather good at! And that is not very politically cor-
rect of him (the enemy) is it?
41
Smoke & mirrors
I have been asked about Krav Maga in comparison to what I do and this is
like comparing different flavors of chocolate ice cream. I met Imi Lichtenfeld
while I was stationed in the Middle East (1973-1974) through some Israeli
paratroopers I came to know. Though as brief as this encounter was we had
a chat and demonstrated skills back and forth and there was a common ground. I
saw a somewhat different approach more grappling from him than I see today in Krav. Unfortu-
nately back then I had no real idea of who he was outside of being a Sergeant Major in the Israeli De-
fense Force. From what I gathered Mr. Lichtenfeld had served with the British Military during the war
either with SOE Palestine helping train the German Squads Jewish settlers of German heritage to
work behind the lines gathering intelligence on troop movements and sabotage. As
well as the Jewish Brigade this Brigade fought with the British Army throughout
the war. From my talks with Mr. Lichtnefeld and other Israeli veterans of SOE
Palestine, No 3 Troop (Jewish)10 Commando, M.E. Commando Palestine, and the
Jewish Brigade it is very clear they where taught close combat skills similar to Fair-
bairn and Sykes design and this training made its way into the early units of the Israeli
Defense Force particularly the special operations units. To date I have had the good
fortune to train with and share knowledge with some of Israelis best police and mili-
tary trainers and have found as many variants of close combat training called by many
names being taught in Israel. The one common factor with these is that the Israelis
whom Ive met trained for real but then these men are operators within operational
military or police units. Their approach to war fighting was more in line with my mindset than the
other programs I have mentioned thus far.
OK lets take a step back. What was clear and good was that all the soldiers I have had the privilege to
teach have been keen. They displayed themselves and their units in the best professional light they
knew how. Every soldier was an active learner once I earned their confidence. Yes I said earned
their confidence. Before I could teach them my skills, that work on a tactical level, it had to be put into
a soldiers context so they could understand its use. Remember you cannot fix stupid and if a soldier
has been exposed to stupid or barbaric training methods their enthusiasm for more is pretty low. So
you have to earn the right to be there and gain their confidence. I chose a living history lesson and
how it was taught over BS and hype! I start with a challenge, are they as tough as their grandfathers or
in most cases their great grandfathers were! Hopefully their instructors found the knowledge valuable
and they continue to prepare their soldiers to assertively go into harms way with skills that can do
bad things to the enemy. Maybe too they will question and look closely at the skill sets they teach and
the method of instruction for war fighting I offered, to enhance their current depth of knowledge and
to teach it in a validated manner. This means mentoring soldiers who are timid in unarmed combat
training to a level of assertive confidence in their abilities.
42

Smoke & mirrors
This is why the instructors need to understand the mental and tactical component of unarmed combat
training and why inter-locking it with the physical is so important today, especially in this new 3-tiered
battlefield they find themselves fighting on. The other modern battlefield component is the concept of
lawful use of force so if youre not familiar with that start studying it; Operational Rules of Engage-
ment, Geneva Convention, Hague Convention on War Crimes, your National Defense Act and your
Federal Law to name a few! Yes a Military instructor today needs to know more if they are going to
develop quiet professionals who serve in our Armed Forces.
When I finish these military training sessions it leaves a big hole in my gut, because I know many are
going into harms way sooner than later and there is never enough time to prepare them. Nor am I
going with them and that is hard as well because after all it is a brotherhood! I teased some of the
Hungarian Special Forces soldiers I taught because their Government seems to think they are going to
Afghanistan to hand out flowers and their training policies reflected just that attitude. Many of them
are there right now as you read this. For example I receive emails all the time from soldiers on opera-
tions letting me know how therere making out; one recent one from Capt B. H.US Army who is in
the sand box. Hes been teaching my knife fighting program because his soldiers found they need it
and had no such training before deployment (on the job training). My old Battalion has taken heavy
casualties and as an old RSM its never easy to see the bodies come home, therefore we should never
drop the standards of this training my lads and yours deserve the best! I am tired of hearing about
lessons learned on the battlefield that are actually lessons forgotten! The soldiers I know are the
real Ultimate Warriors and there was a Leg-
endary System their fore-
bears of the Regiments like
me were taught. My
knowledge is old school
Canadian Army and its
part of that Legendary
System, even if it seems I
am the last guy teaching it
this way! I have never
qualified civilians to teach
soldiers, how can I, they
dont understand war.
Weve had enough
lessons learned!
43
The Martial art
opinion
New age
What is the modern martial arts communities perspective on WWII

combatics?
I would have to say not very good from my experience teaching around the world
for the last 15 years. This is mainly true because of the lack of real knowledge on
the training itself as it is poorly documented in manuals and what actual film footage
of it generally shows a demonstration which is designed and filmed for morale build-
ing purposes for soldiers and the home front theater audience. For example John
Ford the famous Hollywood Director did a short film on the OSS staring Fairbairn
and Applegate and a host of lone ranger mask wearing secret agents, who were
actually instructors. The Film can be seen on YouTube and by todays standard it is
quite comical especially for a generation used to seeing the fight scenes in movies
today. When the film was made it was intended to be shown in theaters as a rep-
resentation of the training not to actually show the training after all it was highly
secret. And dont underestimate the Germans concern for Fairbairns training
because they went so far as to create their own manual Abweher Englischer
Gangster Methoden a system of training designed to combat this new form of
gangster fighting for their soldiers so they could counter Fairbairns training. The
biggest problem in my opinion is how today some proponents of Fairbairns training
have packaged it and presented it to the public which includes the martial arts com-
munity. It's almost like a secret society offering nonsensical programs like; WWII
Black Ops long forgotten Secret Blocking, Fear No Man learn to fight in Seconds
deadly WWII combatics Revealed and especially those adverts that say martial arts
are not affective the list goes on and on. But when you watch videos of what these
new age Fairbairn societies are actually offering up as his training on DVDs or
worse attend a seminar as an experienced martial artist you just have to wonder
at the stupidity you see. Dont get me wrong there are some who try and present
a realistic view but we are far outnumber by what Ill term as nut bars who have
brought the nature and quality of the WWII training into disrepute. (I am pretty
sure Ill hear from them).
44

New age
There is also the comparison with the new US Army Modern Army Combatives Program which is
based on Brazilian Jujitsu and billed as the ultimate military system; when the US Army says they are
the best everyone listens but this is far from the truth (keep in mind Im Canadian Army and we eat
Yank soldiers for breakfast) but they do make reference to WWII combatives as being outdated and
no longer valid. As mentioned above from my experience with their current program I would assume
they drew that conclusion without having had any real experience in WW11 unarmed combat. If I may
I will try and explain by way of a short story resulting from a question I was asked at a seminar not too
long ago by a young serving soldier who had heard about this WWII style of training and came to find
out for himself (good for him). In the beginning of my seminars right after the introduction I ask if
there are any questions and there usually are. This young man, a member of the US Army maybe mid
20s asked me if I had ever proven the system in the Ultimate Fight I assumed he meant the sport
matches not actual combat by the way he phrased the question. So I said no but I have been in street
fights resulting in; having the tip of my nose bitten off, being stabbed and shot (luckily not at the same
time but over a 20 year period) and Im still here. He was ambivalent to my answer and stated, that
means youve not been in the Ultimate Fight? So I answered No Lad I have been in the ultimate fight
but not in the octagon. At this point his friend a fellow soldier hit him on the shoulder and called him
Stupid and told him to shut up. So the question I ask you is how do you compete with all the hype
created by the current marketing and coupled with the mixed messages being sent out about Fair-
bairns education in say the martial art magazines like WWII Combatives Secrets Revealed etc.etc.
Remember Fairbairn and Sykes were highly trained martial artists of their day and highly respected by
Kodokan Judo. ONeil was considered one of the best free style Judo fighters in Japan in the 1930s
and a very capable ground fighter (newaza in Judo). But how do you explain to a young man whose
mind is bent around sports fighting that these men faced life and death challenges and survived. Not
one or two but hundreds of times! That they created a sys-
tem based on that experience that is surely well outside of
the violence aspect of the 'Ultimate Fight', and especially
since Fairbairn himself referred to his system as 'gutter
fighting'. That alone reflects the serious intent of the
training. I can tell you from my own experience that
you dont really win a street battle unless you like get-
ting hurt; its not a sports experience, it is street war-
fare and in my case had life and death attached to the
results. Does our ability to prevail in these real violent
encounters trump the UFC Hype and have value in
the eyes of these young men?
Value in extrovert
persona?
the closed
Often a Facade given in nt
minded training envir onme
45
New age
Generally from my experience no. It seems their egos get in the way and they've been brainwashed by
all the hype based marketing. But at the same time I cannot really blame them because there are a lot
of guys teaching Fairbairns alleged system that could not fight their way out of a wet paper bag and
this is not a true representation of Fairbairn or his instructors. All the men I have mentioned to you
taught real skills and engaged with the enemy and killed them up close and personal. Harold for exam-
ple I can remember him at our Sgts Mess Burns Dinner late in the evening standing at the bar about
0300 hrs (I was a Private at the time and the bar steward one of those assigned duties for the evening)
one of the old WWII veterans was pretty much drunk so I called his house and asked if someone could
come pick him up and his 22 yr old son arrived a short time later. His Dad fully skinned drunk intro-
duces his son to the officers and NCO and guest standing at the bar. He becomes fixed on Harold and
tells him Judo is no good for fighting its Karate now old man (circa 1969). I knew this guy because I
also studied karate in the same YMCA club and he always liked to mouth off and push his weight
around. Well in short order he lit Harolds fuse and the two of them were squaring off. Well Harold
was sort of just standing there. The Kid, well call him, throws a punch and in a flash Harold was be-
hind him and he was choked out in seconds and left a heap lying on the floor. Harold said call an am-
bulance and I did, luckily they were not needed. Harold showed no emotion and no fear or concerns
either for putting him out. So in my experience he and the others also taught real technique not just
dirty tricks; yes dirty fighting as many call it are part and parcel but we learned the technical aspects
first. We had to fight free style and soldiers got hurt and this is one of the reasons HQ banned the
training. We used real knives and you learned to get out of its way and/or stop it. We were not crazy
about it but after a while we became use to it. I can still remember in training having a loaded 9mm
pistol pointed at my chest and told to disarm it. It would never be allowed today. The US Green Be-
rets, I taught not too long ago, will tell you that we were shut down for doing this level of training (real
knives not guns). Luckily having done that realistic level of training saved my life three times when
the pistol scenario was met on the street, but fortunately it was so drilled into me the action
was automatic. Maybe if I had to think about it I might not be here today. Crazy you say!
No, it's not, we trained for a purpose; we were combat soldiers. Its
a level that stays with you just like it did for Harold when he
was attacked as an old man by three thugs.
The nature of what the training is in my opinion has been

lost to this group and even misrepresented to the world-
wide martial art community. Fairbairns knowledge was first
learned in the Dojo; then taken to the street, then the battle-
field and there is no reason it cannot be back in the Dojo. If
taught right as a lessons learned kind of system the culture trap-
pings are not as important in my mind as the training is.
46

History in the
making
Living history
Approximately four years ago, as I told you I helped make a tribute TV show for the History channel
called The Devils Brigade. It was a 3-part miniseries what TV types call a living history. I got the as-
signment as a result of 10 years of efforts teaching the My System to the mainstream public. A student
of mine in the TV business heard about the project and suggested I contact the Producers Frantic
Films. Since I grew up knowing members of the Force and serving with its veterans I thought I could
contribute some value to the project and sent them a set of my training DVDs
In short order Frantic contacted me and I was on board with the production and was pretty excited
because I was now able to honour the memory of some soldiers/mentors and friends who meant the
world to me by honouring the FSSF the unit that meant the most to them. The project was simple,
recreate the initial lead up phase training of the FSSF at Fort Harrison and then the soldiers would
climb and assault the Forces battle honor of Mount La Defensa in Italy as it stands today. The goal was
simple could modern US and Canadian soldiers undergo the same rigours of training the Forceman did
in 1942? In the lead-up phase to this project we had full US Army support, FSSF Veterans Association
Support, Key Surviving Foremens advice and support, Fort Harrisons Total Support and the people of
the City of Helena and the State of Montanas support. The research and development phase for me
was a gold mine, full access to the Forces training diaries including General Fredericks. Interviewing
many of the Forceman themselves, US Army records and so forth. One bonus was an actual motion
picture film of the training phase of the Force that General Frederick actually had the foresight to have
made. I watched this over and over especially Pat ONeils unarmed combat training and studied notes
made by him and others on the training. I was in unarmed combat trainers heaven. Forceman veter-
ans and friends like Lt. Larry Story gave me lessons on the ONeil method including a sentry removal
technique demo using his lovely wife as a German sentry. V-42 in hand 89 yrs old hes demonstrating
like it was yesterday. I had veterans view news footage of our current infantry soldiers in Afghanistan
on patrol tell me what they saw. They gave me a tactical lesson that was right on, some 60 plus years
on, from their own combat experience. They told me in the Force they always moved with their
weapons safety off their finger on the trigger ready to fire; they told me their brain was their safety and
when they bumped into German patrols they always beat them to the draw.
47
Living history
They told me modern soldiers carry too much gear and always have
their heads down as a result. It went on and on. We went through their
tactical training and soldier tips on how to handle the old WWII weap-
ons which you do not find in the manuals. They told me they hated
the Hollywood movie Devils Brigade with William Holden because it
made them look like lovers not fighters. They made me promise to
make them out to be Fighters and we tried as best as TV would allow.
This project was very well received on

History TV and more importantly
by the Forceman and they gave us
FSSF unit coins thanking us for making
them look like Fighters. In the one month
that we trained them at Fort Harrison, the
modern soldiers found that the 1942
breed of Special Forces soldiers were
tough by any standard. We all got a new
appreciation for General Fredericks genius
and a whole new understanding of ONeils skill and talent
as a martial artist and unarmed combat pioneer. Watch the TV
show youll be impressed!
48

Living history
Real Secret Forces Training...

A few years back before I became a TV star I was asked to do some training for well.... well have to call
it a secret unit (official secrets act and all that stuff) fighting terrorism shortly after 911. You remem-
ber the hype and fear following 911. Well I was told these operators well call them xyz (sorry still
classified) were super trained killer commandoes, no joke that was exactly what I was told so I said Ill
be the judge of that. I said to these young operators lets see if youre as well trained as your grandfa-
thers were. Well in short order I had them terrified psychologically; training knowledge collapsed they
were not prepared at all for what they would have to do and that was kill. For example they had been
taught some ridiculous knife fighting program so they could use this special concealed knife they would
carry; I wont tell you the system it was based on (sorry but they should have gotten their money back)
when I taught them what I had been taught and used they were left in toxic shock. Even with pistols
their bread and butter weapon they had a hard time making what would be in my mind considered an
operational standard of shooting for the role they were going to perform. So I took their now very
less prideful instructor cadre and put them through two weeks of intensive training as they called it to
upgrade skills but in actuality we were retro-ing their knowledge. Training as for war! But they made
the mark breaking bad habits and learning to use tactics and skill by creating the mind/body connection
and use it rationally void of emotion. Quiet professionals now one and all!
Method in the madness...

The method of how I was taught and how I still teach it is much different than what I see today
whether its martial arts, police or military training. Training today is definitely more touchy feely (Col
Applegates big fear) Its sports or culturally based not really rationally based for addressing violence in
all its forms. I rarely hear commands like; Kill the bastard, Come on give him the tip of your boot
while hes down, Why are you not ripping off his F__king nuts laddie!, keep it bloody, simple and
savage, Kill or be killed soldier its your choice. We were not allowed to give up. Our mantra was I
will survive, I will never give up and just in case you did not get off the ground quick enough you got
the tip of the instructors boot up your ass. Crude concepts by todays training standards but mentally
it severed a purpose. We also were not allowed to yell encouragement or technique advice to a sol-
dier in free fighting if he got into a mess. Why you ask? Because on the battlefield no one was going
to be yelling encouragement to you and it was up to you to survive. We were taught to take care of
ourselves kill and then show compassion (if you were of a mind). We were taught such team sport
dynamics created blood lust and blood lust was an emotional state of mind and we must operate ra-
tionally thats how you win. We actually poked eyes and ripped nuts and slapped throats with enough
force in training to make it smart! Again a far cry from the training I see today. We worked attack
drills till we threw up and just when we thought it was over the instructor threw in a sickener to test
our mental and tactical state of mind. We had soldiers charge us with fixed bayonets (real bayonets)
and had to disarm them. We became a combat craftsman whether armed or unarmed we had asser-
tive confidence. No wonder civilians did not like bar fighting with us.
49
Where are we now
beyond
Training Now; and what have I been doing with all this knowledge?
I am pretty sure Harold and the others are rolling over in their graves and when I get upstairs Ill have
to answer to them. Harold was always keen on teaching Judo and Jujitsu and told me about the army
skills no one will really want to learn. He told me Id be a fool to try and teach it to you and often in
my experience he has not been too far wrong either in civilian martial art, police or military circles
where I have introduced this system. No one really wants the real deal and maybe
thats a good thing but extremely frustrating at the same time.
Just so you sort of get the picture, when I started training with
Harold in this system it was presented as an off shoot of his
YMCA Judo club. You had to basically start with Judo and if you
proved yourself keen enough he would invite selected students to
join the Goshin Dojo (Goshin - Japanese for self defense) and he
would train us in Jujitsu and elements of Defendu. Harold, al-
though he fought against the Japanese Army, was keen on martial
arts. He encouraged me to study them and even got me onto the
Army Cadet Judo Team. We did not spend a lot of time on Japa-
nese cultural aspects, outside of the bow, especially Bushido be-
cause Harold had no respect for the Samurai code after he experi-
enced so many war atrocities committed by Japanese soldiers in
the name of Bushido. But never the less his classes were ex-
tremely disciplined in the martial art training.
Many years later in the 80s when I returned home from the military I went into police work. Harold
and I continued on with the mentorship and I practiced and taught the martial arts and taught Use of
Force at the B.C. Police Academy. Back then I kept Defendu/Defendo strictly for the military and
police training as I was still a Chief Warrant Officer in the Army Reserve. In 1985 I took part in the
modernization phase of the Canadian Police Use of Force training initiated by S/Sgt Doug Farenhotz
one of Canadas leading Police trainers (Director of Physical Training Royal Canadian Mounted Police &
later the Justice Institute) a close personal friend and martial art student of mine.
50

beyond
During this phase Doug heard me complaining about the standard of police self defense and officer sur-
vival tactics and he challenged me to put my skills and knowledge to work rather than my mouth. Dur-
ing this time I also took on the role as a leader and instructor for our ERT/SWAT Team. In this role I
taught the tactics and weapons use and lead the entry team on several operations over the years. Back
then we sort of pioneered the whole concept of what it has become today and I wrote the first manual
for our Department on the subject. As a result after a year of hard work in 1985 I presented a mod-
ernized curriculum for police training with Harolds help called Modern Defendo modifying Canadian
Army Defendo to meet police requirements. Harold and I would go through the requirements pro-
posed by Dougs 2 year study on violence directed at Canadian Police officers.
Then my brother Dennis and I would go through the

techniques with a student of ours Jim Johnston and beat
the crap out of each other to make sure the techniques
and tactics worked. Then I took them to the street
while on duty to improve them and modify techniques
and tactics that failed. I often spoke with Harold
about offering the same level of training to the general
public but he was not sure they would embrace it and Finland 2005
that I might be wasting my time. Harold was still disap-
pointed by the current martial arts communities new
lack of interest in the grappling aspect of Judo and Jujitsu
compared to current martial art fads as he referred to
the schools. But he gave me permission to use his old
club name Goshin Dojo if I wanted it since I was really
the last student still training and interested and because
the YMCA had long since closed the Judo room because
there was little interest in Judo anymore. I thought about
it and asked Harold if I could change the name to De- Sweden 2005
fendo Dojo because I wanted to reflect the Canadian
Army western martial arts concepts aspect more than
the Japanese. He agreed and in 1989 just before his death he gave me the Japanese Calligraphy an old
student had penned and Defendo Dojo was established from the roots of Harolds original school.
Since then I have branched out from the Defendo Dojo trying to reach as broad a body of people as
possible. I have started many organizations teaching the Modern Defendo System. As the line diagram
Current Defendo / Modern Defendo Organizations shows was started with my help and knowledge.
You will now find this system in some variant taught in Canada, USA, UK, Finland, Sweden, Norway,
Hungary, Australia, Mexico and India. As youll see I have also re-branded Modern Defendo now as
Wolfes Combatives You will find out why...
51
beyond
Students of mine have even broken off association and

started their own variant. Some of the more unscrupulous
ones are even claiming they created Modern Defendo. And of
course there are those who have just jumped on the De-
fendu/Defendo/Modern Defendo bandwagon making change
necessary, Hence ReBranding to Wolfes Combatives.
One of my first goals was to try and keep the concept of

old school unarmed combat training going wherever; Brit-
o o l 2003 ish, Canadian, US, Australian etc army systems that are
e s c h WWII based alive and off the museum shelf. I learned a
Battl v e r bc
Vancou
long time ago if this was going to happen I would have to
take it out of the military, which really was no longer keen,
and sell it to the martial arts community of the world. In this aim I have made training Tapes and writ-
ten manuals with the simple task of keeping the nature of WWII combatives represented by my sys-
tems approach in play and from passing into history and being totally forgotten which nearly hap-
pened. My efforts are certainly not perfect by any stretch of my military mind as I have made some
serious blunders in who I have allied myself to but as I told Harold when I
thought up the idea nothing ventured nothing gained.
You can visit www.whwolfe.com to see how far its all
come.
What you have read is an exhausting (but by no means

exclusive effort) by me to ensure that the history of these
men lives on and what they accomplished education wise
still has value. I have only offered a sample from my own
experience of these men and their skill and knowledge. In
other volumes of my manuals I have shown solid examples
Battlesc of this training method and hopefully the flavor of the train-
hool n
ight ing they put me through. Others I am sure have a far more
proper historical picture for you then an old RSM telling you
Lecture 1999
war stories and teaching you the tactical aspects Ive
learned. I encourage you, especially you martial artist, to study Fairbairns/ Sykes/ONeil and
any other WWII unarmed combat instructor you can find who has written or trained people. Even
very old men like the veterans I have introduced you to here that are still alive can give you great in-
sight into being a modern warrior or as I call them an Uncommon Warrior. To those experts on this
topic I take full responsibility for my historical mistakes and I know I missed many important figures but
these are the men and the training my mentors taught me.
52

Bumps in the road
Bad apples &
sour grapes
Well youll remember I told you in the beginning we would be traveling down
some dark alleys, so what would a book on History which includes spies and in-
trigue, be without some modern day backstabbing and other underhanded activi-
tiesso bear with me as I tell you now of some sour grapes and bad apples
Spreading Modern Defendo/Wolfes Combatives around the world and keeping the Legend Alive has
been a challenge, and of course it has not all been smooth sailing. There have been some ups and
downs and a few disappointments which has lead to a lot of sour grapes. But through it all my under-
lining goal has been to keep the knowledge of WWII combatives alive and in play to honor my men-
tors. Therefore I will not roll over and play dead when former students and associates screw the sys-
tem, their students or me over. I have been through too much shit and fighting for too long to let a
few ankle biters get away with that. As I told you I served and saw how the military and police dis-
carded this knowledge and told me it was redundant. Therefore I knew it was not going to be easy if I
were to keep it alive and it would have to be brought to the civilian marketplace, most notably the
martial arts community. Of course I did not realize at the time how big the egos in this industry had
become and the BS that would follow. Laughingly as a result I have come to ask myself where have all
the martial warriors gone because it seems in many cases they have been replaced by hollowed out
shells looking for the next business fad or the guerrillas masquerading as warriors.
53
Bad apples & sour grapes
This aspect alone has been a huge learning curve and I have learned most
lessons the hard way; I have found the level of current business ethics, mar-
keting strategies, public relations and so forth tiring. (I found conducting hos-
tage rescues easier) Like many I learned that just teaching from your heart is
not enough and putting blind trust in people is a fools parade (I should have
listened more to my street-smarts). In order to make this project work in the
mainstream Ive taken risks and Ive had to adjust our image and business tactics
but the substance of the curriculum remains truthful to the core values of Fairbairns origi-
nal education and research and to my mentors. No one really remembered the system
when I started and the few who did were for the most part the collectors of military
history especially all things Commando/SOE/OSS. These guys can tell you what Fair-
bairn had for breakfast on June 20th 1943 but not what his training stood for because
they had no real exposure to it. Others, as I men-
tioned the Nut bars are living an illusion and offering
secret Fairbairn/WWII Combatives societies that
I have traditionally distanced myself from.
For example in the early stages when my as-

sociates and I formed the International De-
fendo Federation (IDF), to market the modern civil-
ian system, I was guilty of allowing some pretty ridiculous ad-
vertising in Black Belt Magazine and other publications. You
know the type More Deadly than Deadly and my old associates
at Defendo.com are still trying to run similar marketing con-
cepts based on fear. Youve seen the campaigns. Anyway these
types of ad based marketing campaigns with these themes 1999 North Vancouver bC
have been the downfall of getting WWII Combatives rec-
ognized and accepted as a legitimate training vehicle in
the mainstream market place. Therefore proper market-
ing and product placement was another learning curve that only took about 15
years to sink in. For example when I left the IDF it had not met any of its business goals outside of
making me Bill Wolfe look like the deadliest nut bar on the planet (well if I cant laugh at myself
who can). We produced a series of training DVDs which I wrote, directed and help produce
and that became the main focus (remember you saw the ads for them in Black Belt Magazine).
The DVDs still offer an outstanding self defense program and showcases parts of the system
but not all of it. Instructor training was another focus but after 911 this important growth as-
pect slowed. There are many reasons for this but the foremost was that the martial arts were in
transition when reality-based training was in vogue; everyones reality system was selling and every
founder or instructor was either an ex Navy SEAL, SAS or Israeli Commando and then of course there
was me who had actually done some cooking in the army
54

But soon after 911 the focus in the martial arts switched to UFC and later to MMA. I knew it was be-
coming laughable and would soon come to an end as real soldiers went off to war. And when the mar-
tial arts industry and its students became fixated on the huge money backed MMA market all of us
gods of war were left out in the cold having to rethink our marketing strategies. Now we also have
to try and explain the difference between reality and sports training to the world (yes there is a huge
difference).
In my opinion this down turn has been a good thing and it has been a time to rebuild. Many of the
instructors I had qualified up until this time were what I call camp followers so as the focus moved to
MMA so did they. I went from a large cross section of associated schools in North America to a few.
The breakup of the IDF did not help and most members did not realize I was no longer associated with
them because the IDF continued to do business as if I was. This IDF break up occurred due to a huge
difference in ideology and business goals so I moved on. It took time to address but luckily the alumni
who stayed were totally interested in the System and although we are now fewer in numbers we have
more depth from a training standpoint. My mantra has become quality not numbers; not good from a
business stand point youre thinking and I am sure youre right, but I believe better for long term suc-
cess. At this point I formed Modern Defendo International (MDI) and started over again from the
ground up I will survive, I will never give up army mentality. Today I have some extremely great peo-
ple associated with me through our instructor alumnus and student alumniAnd one day we will save
the world!
With MDI I started offering my system of Modern Defendo again, minus the hype, and started planting
its seeds by doing seminars and workshops and later instructor certification around the world; Canada,
USA, Mexico, Australia, India, Finland, Sweden, Germany, UK and this was done slowly with the excep-
tion of the Nordic countries of Finland and Sweden. But as a wise man once saidif it grows too fast
there must be a down side and here is where the sour grapes come in.
About five years ago I meet a talented martial artist Jyrki Saario from
Finland who invited me to Sweden to do a seminar and present my sys-
tem to him and his students. I found them to be very good sports
based martial artists but they had little effective knowledge of what I
call modern reality-based self protection education especially tacti-
cally and mentally. In short order he and others embraced my sys-
tem because it filled in the missing blanks they had found with their
current training. Jyrki and I struck up an understanding that he would Jyrki Sarrio
head up Modern Defendo operations solely in the Nordic countries
and we would qualify instructors to teach my system. He was allowed to
teach only the basic HARD TARGET level (basic striking, movement, and basic tactical skills) which I
taught him and qualified him on in order to progress. Unfortunately due to his bad neck injury, sus-
tained in a car accident, Jyrki could not learn the more dynamic aspects of the grappling techniques in
Combat Tech, especially the ground fighting .
55
I started by teaching the instructor courses to a pool of talented Finnish and Swedish instructors from
various systems but most of them came from Krav Maga.
Modern Defendo spread fast in Finland due to Jyrkis connections and reputation in the Finish martial
art community because he holds a high instructors rank in Krav Maga/Thai Boxing (and just about eve-
rything else). Before long we were cross qualifying all his Krav instructors as Modern Defendo instruc-
tors. I gave him permission to adopted a modified version of the old IDF Defendo triangle logo and
make up some Defendo rank badges, something that we in North America did not normally use but
Jyrki felt was important for the Fins especially those who came out of IKMF Krav. I also allowed him
more leeway in how he would implement the system in the Nordic Countries because of the strong
Krav base where most of the instructor candidates were crossing over from, but when it came to the
physical, tactical and mental awareness training aspects of this system Jyrki was my student.
He received training and we had long talks on every aspect of the training and I allowed him
to film just about every aspect of it for his own edification and he assured me he could main-
tain the standards I set.
Over the next five years I would teach programs in Finland and Sweden spreading the System
with Jyrki as the overseer in the Nordic Countries. I even spent three months living and
teaching in Gothenburg Sweden out of his Ironman Club to help make it work (this length of
stay was not new I have done it in other countries to spread the word). Hence today you
ain will see Modern Defendo being taught in the Nordic countries. A couple of years ago
t o expl a Jyrki decided he no longer needed to associate himself with me and decided to dead
ry is
h I did t ection with
ug ot d head off on his own. This action occurred after I jacked him up for dropping training
Tho onal Pr ssociate
Pe rs ll y a standards that had been brought to my attention by the Finnish instructors themselves.
usu a
..
term om ads Once we split there was no shortage of suggestions who should replace poor old Jyrki from
cond the Finnish instructor pool, none of which I have accepted. Sadly as these things go today he
claims to have created the system he offers now as Finnish Defendo / Defendo Alliance and sold his
people on this message by insulting me and totally ignoring my five year contribution.
I mention this because this is a common effect regarding this business that I have learned as I said the
hard way. Any Founder that has started Associations/Federations/Alliances to represent the system
has experienced this effect and thats why there arent more schools teaching the real Modern De-
fendo. The students in Finland and Sweden and the other Nordic countries that attended my training
are good people and some are really good instructors and I can only hope they will maintain the stan-
dards they received from me. They all tell me they hate the politics and the back stabbing it creates
and just want to train so lets hope they do not lose that focus as their new Alliance takes hold. Me,
what am I going to do about it... Nothing Im going to live on the beach in Mexico because its too
cold in Finland and they made their choice of who to follow.
56

I mention this because the Jyrki effect as it has become known in Modern Defendo was a huge shock,
especially after I spent so much energy building him up as a good guyanyway it was a learning curve
for me and as I discovered , his attitude is very common in this business. One just has to look at how
many variations of Krav Maga there are today and this will become true for Defendo / Modern De-
fendo as well. I even had a meeting last year in Budapest with Eyal, the head of IKMF Krav Maga, about
this very subject and we had a few good laughs because I thought I was the only guy experiencing this.
But as we say in the Army, Shit happens! and just as God made little green apples, one day Jyrki will
have the rug pulled out from under his feet by one of his students (and Ill bet the Finns know which
one it will be too!...dont you just love the politics boys and girls). And this is not just a Finnish trait
ladies and Gentleman. I have seen my former Canadian IDF associates conducting Defendo instructor
certification training, and Jackson, the lead instructor for those courses, was never qualified to teach
instructors in the first place or any place! When you watch the video footage they post on their site,
you hear them say, Bill always says this or does that while he tells one of my war stories he memo-
rized to a tee from watching me teach. They say imitation is the greatest form of flattery but Im sure
you will agree, not in this case. Even some other former students associated with me in Canada, UK
and the USA teaching Defendo make no mention of where they learned it from except to say a few
interesting catch lines like, I learned my deadly knowledge from a secret army drill Sergeant (ME,
THAT WAS ME, REALLY IT WAS!) so our Finnish cousins are not the only ones pulling this off.
So whats the solution you ask? Well first is to tell you about it. The second; Now, I alone con-
duct all instructor certification in Wolfes Combatives. No more pretendo unless you get tied up
with the Bad Apples! Hopefully they will no longer be using my name or image to help sell it. Nor will
they stop teaching or using the name Defendo because they need credibility, so lets hope they dont
screw it up too bad. Thats why it is important to let you the readers know! Wolfes Combatives is
where its at!
Ill continue to build instructors and hope they represent the training and the history of the system
well; after all, I cannot control people anymore than I can the weather nor do I wish too! Therefore it
is only through legitimate and high standards for instructor qualification that this system will continue
to grow. And this is something the Canadian Army taught me how to do very well and why my in-
structor training is so effective. This was the aim I told Harold about and as you recall he was doubtful
about me ever achieving it; the concept of making the system more mainstream.
Truly Wolfes Combatives and I have come a long way and the time I have spent on it since retirement
has flown by. The bumps in the road and the sour grapes from the students trying to steal the pebble
from the masters hand just makes it more interesting and shows just how effective this systems cur-
riculum is in the current market place. Otherwise, ladies and gentleman they would have made up
their own name to describe what they teach. My training has become very market friendly.
57
Dont you just love a little more intrigue?
WARNING!
Watch out for falling bad apples, people who have never been in the military, served as a police officers
or any form of law enforcement agency; Some are simply doormen checking IDs for a living (nothing
wrong with being a doorman but), some feel they have the knowledge and the right to give police or
military education when they have never walked the beat, never strapped on a pair of combat boots to
face an enemy in war and never used firearms in real life but think that they have the knowledge to
share with professional agencies. They are KIDDING themselves and far worse putting these men and
women at risk. Remember old SSgt Joe Glasss true words ; How can you explain combat, if you
have never been in combat you know you cant explain it
Yes I said putting these agencies and their soldiers and police
officers and even employees at RISK.
Those lessons learned you hear about on the 6 Oclock News.
Often these bad Apples, well call them, are too proud to take on further education and feel they
KNOW IT ALL. So where do they get their police or military knowledge from do they watch all
the latest SWAT movies, or tune into History Television to catch military operations and get their
tactical ideas? Now Im not trying to be a total asshole, but when I watch their training footage
its completely cocked up, wrong and badly staged. What would Fairbairn think? He released a
few propaganda based films in his day, like footage from the OSS training, but if he thought peo-
ple were watching his footage to gain tactical knowledge he would shake his head and laugh. Read the wo
rd Ap
There is no way all of Fairbairns knowledge was locked in a few books or videos; this was just like in the diagramplethsenaloyoudull
get a better acc
the tip of his knowledge. tion of Bad A
urate pronunci
a-
...s.
58

We the instructors (and I include myself) who have been

operators cannot fit our lifes work into a few publica-
tions, a few training DVDs or even the courses we offer.
True knowledge comes from YOU taking on a leadership
role in your life and getting out there to learn. Learn with lice Anders Hansson
Jyrki Saario & accomp
integrity and then apply that knowledge operationally, and right from
cts of training
Filming all aspe
tactically in your own daily life. If you are a teacher, teach it
ough...2009
from the tactical first hand point of view. For example, please do 2005 th
not go out there and video tape everything you are learning from us and turn it into your own idea
thats called pirating or just plan BS. Remember if Integrity,
honor and loyalty to the people youre teaching mean anything
at all you would not go down that path. But my experience
r i l 2009 is that many do.
p
in la nd A
F It is ok in my mindset when civilian instructors go into
these agencies and teach them CIVILIAN skills like martial
art based skills (assuming theyre any good at it) but it is
NOT ok for them to imply their own thoughts on tactical
knowledge, thats crossing the line and often their ego
grows into believing they are police/ military instructors.
This is completely unacceptable
ed and a You wouldnt want a person who attended a first aid

crew form
the ne w Alliance combat gods arose...
fo re
Last trip be w breed of self mad
e course and watched an ER surgery on TV to go in and be
r ne
yet anothe your city's ambulance attendants instructors same con-
cept different field.
In the past I have demonstrated arrest and control tactics with

my own students which they filmed (yes I allowed that) but now I hear theyre
offering their knowledge to police units based on that limited time with me. This is NOT appropriate.
Sure Id love to believe giving them a few hours of demonstrations on police tactics would give them a
true understanding of the tactical needs of police operations. But it does not. Sadly I boosted some
egos and now theyre coming off as the expert from a police officers point of view. If their approach
was, say more humble and they say, I can show you some skills I learnt from a police officer that might
work better. I have no problem with that approach and the police members can judge the value of the
training for themselves. This comes into the area of gifted amateur as I already mentioned. The list
unfortunately does go on... example of former Hungarian students who now offer firearms training in
Hungary as part of a Defendo course that was reportedly police or VIP operative based who have
never taken firearms course themselves.. It was suppose to be police tactical shooting but the con-
cepts I saw being used was sport target shooting and paper targets do not shoot back ... I wonder if
they know that
59
How far will these guys take it?

I guess as far as people will let them? Why police or military allow them in to teach is beyond me. The
Police agencies can save their budget bucks and get the same knowledge these men have by playing
TOTAL RECON too
As I said I am not alone in this, many System founders, have created hybrid experts unfortunately
most of these other founders seem afraid to call them on it; why?
So if youre into browsing self-absorption! Youll love these guys by their websites which will be full of
fierce warrior poses and cool staged action videos of them beating the crap out of everybody. They
will have really cool names for their training courses too (I wish I could think up stuff that cool )
Seriously! youve got to love the internet...
I train military and police instructors separately on a contract basis from the professional organizations
themselves. So if someone in Wolfes Combatives tells you he is a military or police instructor they
better be able to prove service and having attended that course with me and that would have been
about the hardest 5 weeks of their life! And Ill tell you right now I have never taught a police or mili-
tary course to civilians. I have only demonstrated some aspects of these curriculums sparingly.
More on the Word
Defendo is a Latin word meaning (I protect) and it is in common usage around the world. Flick on
some Spanish News, youll hear the word often. But in the context of self protection training in the
civilian market, there are only two true sources; one is Mr. Bill Underwood and the other is me, Bill
Wolfe. Mr. Underwood has been deceased for some time, so his daughter I am afraid is left to defend
his name and title; me Im still above ground. Also Defendo in this context refers to a Canadian Sys-
tem - especially my Canadian Army; so others who lay claim to creating it are simply lying YES I can
say Lying. They got it from us Canadians and Im pretty sure even Mr. Underwood would agree to
that! So anyone using the name Defendo/Modern Defendo was taught by us Canadians or they are just
using what's become a brand name now because it has grown to mean something as a reality-based
system, especially through my efforts around the world in the last 15 plus years!
60

t his door is
Behind One of my
How will you know these Bad Apples? well most Every-
one of them will mention Fairbairn/WWII combatics and
then magically jump forward some 60 plus years leaving a
huge void in their linage, magically taking up the knowledge
and name Defendo not Defendu (the name Fairbairn used). They will
also mention programs with names like Hard Target, Combat Tech, S.T.A.R and
so forththese programs are the civilian versions I created with John Parker
some 15 years ago from the Canadian Army B.R.I.C.K. s (Battle-Reactions-for
Instantaneous-Control-or Killing) which I also created more than 30 years ago.
Call me silly or am I the only person thinking this way?
s chool
Good thing John Parker is more humble than I. . .
t a l l y old
A smarty pants would wonder why names of the pro- To
of knowledge
grams are in English and the Bad Apples first language in Secret volts
many cases is not, so why would they use them? Embarrassing
you say? There are tons of photos, videos, email correspondence.of and from all these Big Bad
Apples over the years I shared education with them. I taught them the skills and the programs and
now they claim to have invented it all the term theyre using Primus Motor ("Prime Mover," that
is, God, the unmoved mover who created the universe ..ouch.. now thats not a dig at me... that
one falls a little higher)
The Alliance has forbidden students and instructors to have any contact with me WOW! NOW
THAT IS DICTATORSHIP! It is not the concept of this system at all and most definitely not giving the
students that assertive confidence I preach.
Now as most betrayals and attacks on personal character Can be gabbed about for years not to
mention hold you captive. All it does is give these bastards credit in their own twisted way. These Bad
Apples will be shot off the fence and new ones will move in to replace them. History lessons learn
from them.
Ok take a deep breath...
61
Relax and breath again
Moving on
There are tons of hard working Wolfes Combatives instruc-
tors doing the right thing, running schools and offering their knowledge and skill to students. I do
not have an Association or even a Federation, I dont be-
lieve in them anymore, just an education company and an
John Park
er & Greg alumnus. These men and women are active learners and
Campbell seek to increase their resume and continue to pursue
more knowledge from me. I direct them to other experts
in other areas for additional education because no one per-
son has all the answers. This is why we have moved to offer
a higher degree of training to fill a serious void of knowledge;
mentally, tactically and physically. This training is on par with
military and police standards and a level Colonel Fairbairn
would be proud of! In time these hard workers will be-
come the leaders because they will have earned the right,
just like I had to do, and just like the men whose footsteps
we train in did!
BC Canada
Leading by example
For years I have fostered the acquisition of self reliance, ini-
. tiative and general fearlessness in instructor graduates of
Continuously honi
ng Wolfes Combatives, these represent a cross section of society,
their own skills
from many different countries.
Why is there such varied interest in Wolfes Combatives? Why do so many different
types of men and women study it as a hobby? Is there some hidden desire for security from aggression
by force? I am inclined to think so. Once they have this sense of security theyre better prepared to
enjoy living in any country around the world. This takes courage and teaching how to obtain it is
rewarding.
As our history clearly shows in time of war, like now, the professional soldier has to be weaned from
his everyday life and in a short time must attain an aggressive maturity along military lines. He must be
able to consider himself invincible in some form or another. He needs confidence in personal combat
regardless of size and we are still offering that to a growing number of organizations.
62

Moving on
Many combative styles have an implacable idea that their system is invincible.
Weve learned the system is the vehicle for change in the students and its
not the system that makes them invincible; for example when students are
left on their own, apart from the school, they may know how to follow self
protection theory in a class setting, but not know how to defend them-
selves in a street environment. They are frequently confused and puz-
zled by their own training, unable to cope with the conflicts of the en-
vironment thrown at them. Here I can build up an advantage, by my
training that will help the development of individualism and self leader-
ship to deal with real conflicts occurring in the environment outside
the school. A study of Wolfes Combatives does aid in this attribute,
not inadvertently but by course design. Its called confidence and if
they seem invincible as a result of their assertive presence in the face
of danger, its because we offer a mechanism that works.
Wolfes Combatives is not a new word; it is a new improved sci-

ence of modern combat based on over 90 years of success as an
education. This fact will be appreciated the more it is studied.
Some boxing, kickboxing, karate, Jui Jitsu, MMA and many other
methods are being taught around the world. That is fine, the
more the better. All knowledge is not new but much of the qual-
ity of their teaching becomes obsolete. It is high time that all
these miscellaneous bits of teaching were objectively evaluated and
the few effective methods incorporated into one master program for
teaching all out hand-to-hand fighting methods. Colonel Fairbairn under-
stood this and accomplished it. Ive been polishing that training wheel and
validating it and finding the best methods to teach it.
This advanced knowledge of Wolfes Combatives can add more to

the training curricula now being used. It should be incorporated
or substituted since it includes the best methods of the fighting
arts.
As taught in Wolfes Combatives instructor and vocational guid-

ance programs some of the purposes of Wolfes Combatives are to
assist the individual to maintain his rights of self-preservation, to
develop his physique and general health and to enable him regard-
less of situation to do the right actions as he sees fit.
63
endo
rning Modern Def
Afghan police lea
Moving on
At presentations to the Military and Police Forces of Canadian, USA,

tructor
Britain, Germany France, Hungary, India and Mexico in just the last
Sgt M. Police ins
few years, several methods of Wolfes Combatives applicable to war
and police work were shown. The enthusiasm of their members for
such training was high. Desire has been evidenced among military and
police units alike for such instruction as shown in this volumes pictures of the man
c ol Dinge
many sessions where I have presented it. We are now moving into the next t & Bill Johnson
Dr./ L
phase certifying instructors for some of these selected units.
In our usual classes of Wolfes Combatives, after students membership has been
accepted, they are started on a series of fitness exercises based on my PT Pro-
gram. We want to develop a comfort zone and a level of fitness first. When
they feel they are ready they move into regular classes. Then come the endless
interlocking sequences of strikes, grips, bone twisting and dislocation locks they
ls
must learn whilst standing or on the ground as per our programs curriculums. As outlining vita
they start to master the mental and tactical components they accomplish some-
thing!
As a result the student learns how to fight even if they have an inferiority complex; they gradually de-
velop assertive confidence in themselves which assures that they need not kneel down to anyones
domination. They can feel freedom. They can project this feeling into all
their endeavors. The psychological effect is remarkable, even with the un- Ladies specific self defence programs
certainty that permeates future conflicts and problems. They are elated
with the knowledge that they can be equal to the task.
The psychological effect of possessing a working knowledge of Wolfes

Combatives is bound to give soldiers, police officers and civilians alike a
da 2000
sense of security that will help to foster an incentive, fearlessness and as- BC, Cana
sertive self confidence. Qualities I feel everyone wants to posses.
Wolfes Combatives will help to develop the self-confidence so necessary for per-
sistence, determination and the ambition to use every faculty and resource of the
human mind and body to push to the ultimate limits. Imagine never walking in fear Budapest Hung
ary 2008
again? What would that be worth to you, especially if you could give it as a gift to
your children!
In this Volume I have introduced you to a living history and in the volumes to follow, I shall attempt to
explain some of the methods outlined above as I teach these concepts and techniques to our alumnus.
So slow and steady we will grow as more students come to understand our history and the modern
applications of training our mentors have left to us, to develop and expand. Hopefully the instructors I
qualify will eclipse even my vision.
It's exciting
64

The end...
The beginning
It all started with my grandfather.

A road less traveled
Like I said in the beginning of this book it all started

with my grandfathers stories of Shanghai, a book he
gave me and a wooden sword. Who would have
figured I would still be on this road after so
many years. But if you come to my school to
learn and train youll find an old bald retired
Regimental Sergeant Major/Policeman and mar-
tial artist teaching his system without much
hype. So if you come I hope you love to train
because I do. Im still a little old school that
way.
The young boy sitting on his grandfathers lap is now an old man trying very hard not to obtain the
round Buda belly that seems to symbolize the fullness of expertise in the martial arts. I still return to
the market-place to share whatever knowledge and skill I have to offer. My teaching still has true pur-
pose, and the experience of true knowledge which I try to offer to anyone who will listen. I am still as
enthusiastic as that young boy lessoning intently because that small boy and the old warrior are not
opposites but aspects of an entire life-time of training and serving.
As I have stressed throughout this book and in my other volumes, my Wolfes Combatives represents
a particular state of mind and skills, which is attained through physical training. It then becomes a part
of our daily life; Ive made it a living history representing my friends and my heroes but even more; a
System influencing the way in which we see the world and ourselves; permeating our lifes path, how
we see ourselves, build our courage, define our dedication and our integrity. This leads to an attitude
of simplicity and compassion as we face the challenges in life.
65
The beginning
As I wrote the final chapter of this book I was firmly entrenched teaching young Mexican Police and
Soldiers who will go into Harms Way fighting Drug Lords whose level of violence is unprecedented.
When I look in their eyes they want answers, they want to have courage but there is no easy way to
train them for this violence, no magic just the training. This is where the assertive confidence comes in
and I am still passing on the skills and knowledge of the men I have mentioned in this book partnered
with my 40 plus years of operational experience. This is not a walking daydream where men pretend
too clouded by illusion. Its about reality, mentoring operators and giving them the basics, and once
again this system emerges as a viable non compromising force of training; a living history fighting evil!
This, I believe, is the legacy of the Fairbairns, the ONeils, the Crawfords, the Starins and many oth-
ers gave to us.
So are you as well trained as your great grandfather? Most likely not! But having read this book you
may be tempted to explore this living history for yourself. You may wish to find out more about the
real ultimate warriors the veterans who gave us this in-depth knowledge and skill. But this means you
will have to get off your ass to explore all the parts the history and the training, especially the skills;
and this means physically, mentally, tactically and even spiritually. Once you do start youll not go back
to being the same person who started the training. Spend some time reflecting on this history and
you're hooked, because once it gets under your skin you will start down a road less traveled. I hope
you enjoy your journey; I have mine and hopefully you too will have the same visions, the same revela-
tion of assertive confidence, and some adventure in your life because I believe more people die from
boredom than bullets! So lets hope we get to meet on the mats and well have some fun as Ill share a
little of this living history with you.
Till the Day!
66

Linage diagram
whwholfe.com Defendu - defendo - modern defendo whwholfe.com
Wolfes combatives

William Hill Wolfe
William Hill Wolfe
Linage diagram
Defendu - defendo - modern defendo
whwholfe.com
Wolfes combatives
Next up Volume II
Hard
Target
Overview Hard Target is the start of your physical introduction to self-defence and self confi-
dence. Its the program where you get all sweaty learning new skills and yes in a school setting
lots of bag drills to get you combat ready! Not only will you get fit but you will gain tactical
knowledge, you will learn to use your intuition once again and thrive to move up to Combat
Tech. This next Volume is full of Hard Target Intel with tons of pics of my sexy manly body
walking you through skill sets we teach everyone from little 8 yr. old girls to, ready to go again
combat veterans... Its honing the basics, no giving up and pushing yourself past what you think
your capable of.
69
Vol. II Hard Target Vol. III Combat Technician Vol. IV Special Tactics and Response
Vol.V Tactical Awareness

Vol.VI Tactical Communication
Vol.VII Uncommon Warrior Philosophy
whwholfe.com Weve got a lot more training ideas and concepts

than you can shack a stick at www.whwolfe.com
Check it today!
10 set DVD series C.O.R.E. DVD
70

William Hill Wolfe
Many authors resumes are boring this
one is not. Bill Wolfe is a real character one who
has had more adventure and challenge in one life-
time than any three people his knowledge and
skill was earned the hard way by soldering, po-
licing and private contract work in foreign envi-
ronments and dark alleys that would scare the
bejesus out of you. He is a master martial artist;
Black Belt magazine acclaimed, Bill Wolfe is one
of the top ten reality-based self defense instruc-
tors in the world.
As a soldier (rank Regimental Sergeant Major

some will tell you thats like being god in the
Army) Bill has worked with the best of the best
the US Armys Legendary Green Berets stated,
RSM Wolfe is one of the most knowledgeable and
intimidating instructors we have ever worked with
As a police officer he has commanded SWAT
teams and rescued victims from the clutches of
death.
f e CD
William Hill Wol
Never afraid to try something new he has even hosted TV shows for History Television Histories
Toughest Soldiers and worked on others like The Devils Brigadehes even written a few books on
what he does and created a host of training DVDs some people will even tell yah they are the best in
the business. But of more importance Bill Wolfe is the last of a breed. Old school and to the point!
With this new Series of books he shares his incredible depth of knowledge with humor and candor as
only he could, both students in his schools and world-wide learners who never see a martial art or
safety class have learned from his body of work. Bill has been described as The Last Jedi by his stu-
dents. He has passed the extreme tests of war fighting and gutter fighting to enlighten a whole gen-
eration. This series and its seven volumes are more than all their parts being one of the most compre-
hensive hands on studies ever written on unarmed combat and Warrior Hood. A must for any war-
riors library! Wolfe is an Uncommon Warrior the quite professional in a business full of experts.
Bill Wolfe is a fitting successor to the legendary Colonel William Fairbairn the father of all modern close combat
training.Combat Sports Martial Arts Magazine
whwholfe.com

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Wh wolfe

RSM Wolfes Unarmed Combat Series

William Hill Wolfe CD

William H. Wolfe, C.D. 2000

RSM Wolfes Unarmed Combat Series

First printing as Modern Defendo / Wolfes Combatics History October 1999

Copyright 2010 - 2012

A WORD ABOUT COPYRIGHT

Copyright 2010 - 2012

The system 7-8

Legendary (Chapter One ) The Legend Starts 9 - 31

Epilogue (Chapter Two ) We Train in the Footsteps of Heroes 32 - 34

The Camouflage ( Chapter Three ) Smoke and Mirrors 35 - 43

The Martial Art Opinion ( Chapter Four ) New Age 44 - 46

History In The Making ( Chapter Five ) Living History 47 - 49

Where Are We Now ( Chapter Six ) Beyond 50 - 52

Relax and Breathe Again ( Chapter Eight ) Moving On 62 - 64

The end... ( Chapter Nine ) The Beginning 65 - 66

Lineage Diagram Defendu - Defendo - Modern Defendo - Wolfes Combatives 67 - 68

Copyright 2010 - 2012

Copyright 2010 - 2012

FORWARD AND FOREWARNING

Copyright 2010 - 2012

To the men who

In this picture is Lt. Larry Story is kneeing Johnny Crawford

Copyright 2010 - 2012

Copyright 2010 - 2012

Copyright 2010 - 2012

It all started in the Far East, China to be exact, in a city

I first heard about old Shanghai from my grandfather Captain Hill

I wanted to go there, after all who wouldnt. So my grandfather

Copyright 2010 - 2012

As I mentioned, the book my grandfather gave me, was written by

Copyright 2010 - 2012

So who was this

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Copyright 2010 - 2012

Copyright 2010 - 2012

Locations like Lochailort House in

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My RSM years passing

Copyright 2010 - 2012

1942 STs Camp x Canada

Copyright 2010 - 2012

Pat ONeil and the

Copyright 2010 - 2012

Copyright 2010 - 2012

The post war years

Major Eric Sykes; Well Unfortunately Erick Sykes died an untimely

Lt Colonel William Fairbairn; Returned to England to his wife and

Lt Colonel Rex Applegate; After Camp B Applegate went to

The legend starts

The post war years

Then they Issued cheap ugly

Copyright 2010 - 2012

How do you explain

Veterans like Joe are the soldiers who taught

Copyright 2010 - 2012

Copyright 2010 - 2012

Smoke & mirrors

They were the most intimidated. The senior Team

Copyright 2010 - 2012

Copyright 2010 - 2012