| FROM THE BOOK: "PIERCING THE REICH" | | | | TRAINED BY FAIRBAIRN AND SYKES FOR DUTY |
| AUTHOR: JOSEPH E. PERSICOThey learned the art | | | | WITH THE HOME GUARD, STILL LIVING IN |
| of silent killing, perfected by W.E. Fairbairn, the | | | | ENGLAND, WRITES:"Of course, we must remember |
| legendary British Major, sometimes known as | | | | that in 1939-45 there were still some 'deadheads' in |
| "Delicate Dan." Knife strokes taught, should be | | | | our forces, officers who had not advanced |
| upward, from the testicles to the chin. The hand in a | | | | professionally in civil life, and when called to service |
| "tiger claw" position was most effective for gouging | | | | life, they were reluctant to acknowledge they were |
| out eyes. A single sheet of newspaper, they learned, | | | | 'behind' in knowledge. "This was one of the aspects |
| could become a crude dagger. Fold the paper to | | | | with both Fairbairn and Sykes; they both openly |
| approximately six inches by two inches. Then fold it | | | | criticized the Top Brass, for 'Dog in the Bloody |
| diagonally to form a sharp point at one end. Drive the | | | | Manger' attitude. These comments were, in my |
| pointed end hard into the stomach or under the jaw, | | | | hearing, openly said to Staff Officers, by both |
| just behind the chin.FROM THE BOOK: "BEHIND | | | | Fairbairn and Sykes. And they were quite right, the |
| JAPANESE LINES" | | | | 'Old Guard' of Whitehall Wafflers who had slept |
| AUTHOR: RICHARD DUNLOPBritish Major Dan | | | | soundly from 1918 to 1939, failed to appreciate how |
| Fairbairn, who had been chief of police in Shanghai | | | | advanced other nations were, compared to Britain, |
| before the Japanese capture of the city, taught the | | | | but the worst part was the Old Guard were reluctant |
| Fairbairn method of assault and murder. His course | | | | to allow others who had kept abreast of the times |
| was not restricted to Camp X but later given at OSS | | | | to circulate their knowledge. Obviously, this was to |
| camps in the United States. All of us who were | | | | protect their image. This may well have some bearing |
| taught by Major Fairbairn soon realized that he had | | | | on the lack of written work available today, much |
| an honest dislike for anything that smacked of | | | | has been deliberately destroyed out of |
| decency in fighting."To him, there were no rules in | | | | jealousy."ANOTHER LETTER BY PILKINGTON |
| staying alive. He taught us to enter a fight with one | | | | DATED OCTOBER 10, 1995. HE WRITES:"Following |
| idea; to kill an opponent quickly and efficiently," said | | | | the disaster of the Norwegian campaign, and then |
| Ray Peers.Fairbairn had invented a stiletto as precise | | | | Dunkirk in 1940, Britain anticipated that Hitler would |
| as a surgeon's scalpel. He wielded it with a flashing, | | | | invade. Desperate measures were called for, because |
| slashing vigor that invariably proved fatal to an | | | | there was little left in the way of arms or |
| opponent."Why is it so long and thin?" I asked him | | | | ammunition, also the nation had suffered a blow to |
| one day in a question period during my own course | | | | its spirit. "The Local Defense volunteer Force became, |
| of instruction. "It doesn't have a cutting edge." | | | | officially, the Home Guard, a body of willing but |
| "It doesn't leave any marks on the body," he replied. | | | | untrained men, mostly ex-servicemen from the |
| "Scarcely more than a tiny drop of blood."Fairbairn | | | | 1914-18 war. In desperation the Government of the |
| taught his trainees to fire anything from a pistol to a | | | | day called in two officers from the Shanghai Municipal |
| BAR at close quarters, by aiming with the body. In | | | | Police. These were Captain W.E. Fairbairn and Captain |
| unarmed combat he overcame one hulking trainee | | | | E.A. Sykes. "I was introduced to these officers |
| after another. With a wry smile the wiry major would | | | | because I had already qualified in Jujutsu to a Brown |
| admonish his bruised and bleeding students, "Don't let | | | | Belt. Also I was about the only man who had been |
| anybody lead you down the garden path."FROM THE | | | | taught Kendo and Indian Lathi. Captain Fairbairn |
| BOOK: "THE FIRST COMMANDO KNIVES" | | | | explained he intended to train a dozen men to |
| AUTHOR: PROF. KELLY YEATON, LT. COL. SAMUEL | | | | become instructors in killing tactics, who would then |
| S. YEATON (USMC) | | | | go out to teach other men to become instructors in |
| AND COL. REX APPLEGATEOn January 24th, 1933, | | | | the Police, Home Guard, and Civil Defense Corps. |
| he wrote me: | | | | These would become the defense of Britain in the |
| "This man Fairbairn is beyond the shadow of a doubt | | | | event of the invasion. "I found that Captain Fairbairn |
| the greatest of "the greatest of them all." I've had | | | | was very much in charge. Captain Sykes had equal |
| about 12 hours of conferences with him and done a | | | | authority, and great ability. He was the finest rifle |
| couple of hour's work on the mats. His stuff is not | | | | shot I have ever seen, as well as being very good |
| jiu-jitsu or judo - he gave us an exhibition of judo | | | | with the .45 Colt 1911 Automatic pistol. Both officers |
| using five men, two third-degree black belts, two | | | | were very skilled in unarmed combat also, Fairbairn |
| second, and one first, to prove it. He uses some of | | | | was obviously the master of various disciplines and |
| their falls and a few holds, but not more than about | | | | the first team of 12 potential instructors, including me, |
| 20% of it and most with variations. It's not Chinese | | | | soon learned to respect both our tutors. "Captain |
| boxing, of which 80% is mere ritual. It's a collection | | | | Fairbairn was very strict, he insisted that the training |
| of all the known methods of dirty fighting and it will | | | | he gave aimed at perfection. In retrospect, I feel |
| beat them all. He knows it will, he's done it. Judo is to | | | | both officers gave us all very good ability to impart |
| clean on every hold a judo man's eyes and testicles | | | | knowledge to others. "Captain Fairbairn was a hard |
| are vulnerable. But it is awful fast; still, it's not as fast | | | | man, so was Sykes [now called Bill Sykes, but most |
| as boxing. We proved that, and to the Japanese, at | | | | certainly NOT to his face] but he had a lot more |
| that. Given men of equal speed, it's the man who is | | | | patience. They were two different men, of course. |
| not surprised by the others method of attack who | | | | 'Bill Sykes looked like a village person, round faced, he |
| will win. We put Sam Taxis [the third Sam] who | | | | had a mild look, unlike Fairbairn who looked hard, |
| boxes featherweight now against a third degree judo | | | | despite white hair, horned rimmed glasses giving him |
| man [the punches not to be delivered and the | | | | the look of a schoolmaster. Bill Sykes was friendly, |
| throws not to be carried out] and it was a draw. But | | | | but never familiar, he would be a bad man to cross. |
| we had a man hold up his hand as a target and | | | | Once or twice he did show temper, but then only for |
| Sammy Taxis put a one-two on it while a man stood | | | | a few moments. "We all learned Fairbairn was |
| beside the hand and tried to grab his hands. All they | | | | married, but we never learned if Sykes was. Apart |
| got was his necktie. The remarkable thing about | | | | from his disclosing that before joining the police, he |
| Fairbairn is that although he damn near does know it | | | | had been a representative for Remington Arms and |
| all, he doesn't seem to think he does. If you've got | | | | Ammunition organization, we learned little about him. |
| an idea, he'll not only listen to you and point out | | | | He did have medal ribbons on his tunic, as did |
| what's wrong, if anything, but he'll admit if it's new to | | | | Fairbairn, but I never tried to remember what these |
| him and as good as or better than his own current | | | | were for. "Sykes had a very good knowledge of |
| methods."One of the motivating causes for the | | | | Martial Arts, and like Fairbairn, he was physically very |
| interest in the fighting knife was the discovery that | | | | powerful, and a good boxer. In knife fighting, both |
| even Fairbairn ("The Greatest of Them all") had no | | | | Fairbairn and Sykes were excellent. I thought Fairbairn |
| real defense against a knife in the hands of trained | | | | was the better of the two, he was a Master of the |
| fighters. We knew a number of ways of disarming | | | | blade. Sykes was always relaxed, his moon face was |
| men with pistols, some of them relatively safe. Even | | | | pleasant but you never knew what was on his mind. |
| trying to disarm a person with a knife is dangerous, | | | | He was full of surprises in training. "I did teach a few |
| unless the person attacks with the dramatic | | | | hundred people the killing arts, and I am grateful for |
| "assassin's stab" holding the knife like an ice-pick | | | | the training I experienced with Fairbairn and Sykes, |
| overhead. For that kind of stupidity there is a clear | | | | they were really masters of their craft.FROM THE |
| and positive response, fortunately. But even for the | | | | BOOK: "MAQUIS - THE ACCOUNT OF A |
| Paris "Apache's" style coming in low, with the knife | | | | FRENCH-AMERICAN OPERTIVE" |
| edge upward and aiming at the guts, Fairbairn had | | | | AUTHOR: GEORGE MILLERSuch training in these |
| only two suggestionsA. RUNB. "With a lighting-like kick | | | | schools had saved his radio operator, he told me. |
| of either foot, kick him in the testicles or | | | | When his circuit got "blown" the Gestapo had |
| stomach."But when my brother asked him to | | | | captured his operator, a young Frenchman. They |
| demonstrate this move, "Willie never even got up | | | | searched him, but failed to find the small automatic |
| from his desk he just said, 'You missed the phrase | | | | hidden in a special holster. [Note: a Colt .380 in a |
| lighting-like I don't do lighting-like any more.'"FROM | | | | crotch holster] The pistol following the rule of his |
| THE BOOK: "SOE ASSIGNMENT" | | | | master was ready cocked and at "safe." When they |
| AUTHOR: DONALD HAMILTON HILL"Another or our | | | | had handcuffed him they took him away in a car. |
| distinguished instructors was a tall spare man - who | | | | There were three Germans in the car. One beside |
| looked like a bishop - with steel-rimmed spectacles, a | | | | him in the back seat. The radio operator had never |
| soft voice and wrists of iron. He was Captain Bill | | | | fired a pistol except in England at the school where |
| Sykes - formerly of the Shanghai Police - and he | | | | he had been taught like us to snap shoot at |
| taught unarmed combat and quick shooting reactions | | | | cardboard targets. He was afraid that he would miss. |
| such as how to kill four people in a room whilst falling | | | | But he was more afraid of what would happen when |
| down on the ground near the door lintel to make | | | | he arrived where they were taking him. Despite his |
| oneself a difficult target. His methods of unarmed | | | | manacles he opened his buttons, pushed down the |
| combat and silent killing were such that many were | | | | "safe" lever on his [gun] and brought it to the point |
| able in the years to come to save themselves | | | | where it would draw freely. A glance around, he held |
| entirely owing to his instructions. The Germans in | | | | his breath, drew, and fired as he had been taught. |
| 1942 published a pamphlet, which portrayed his | | | | "Bang-bang." Two holes sprang red in the back of the |
| methods, and used it in neutral countries to enlist | | | | driver's neck. The car overturned. He shot the other |
| sympathy against the diabolical British. 'Our man' in | | | | two.ELSEWHERE MILLER RECORDS:We were taught |
| Lisbon picked up one or two and sent them to me | | | | to use the forward-crouching stance and the quick, |
| for comment with a request for a UK posting, and | | | | snap shooting method. Some of us got so accurate |
| training with Bill Sykes."CAPTAIN PETER MASON, A | | | | with the pistols that we were like King George V |
| RETIRED BRITISH INTELLIGENCE OFFICER, NOW | | | | knocking down driven grouse. The French-American |
| LIVING IN CANADA WRITES:"So, E.A. Sykes had far | | | | danced. His legs were tense and springy, but above |
| more of an interesting career in the Far East, than | | | | the waist, except for his straight right arm, his body |
| just being a volunteer special sergeant attached to | | | | was loosely balanced. As the targets popped up, or |
| the sniper squad of the Shanghai Municipal Police! "As | | | | darted from one screened side of the range to the |
| to any 'yarns,' I only recall two stunts that he | | | | other, his stiff arm leaped to the horizontal and the |
| performed, and both involved the Government .45 | | | | automatic, a blue, shining continuation of his arm, |
| auto. The first was demonstrated with a proved | | | | spoke "crack-crack," and again "crack-crack."FROM |
| empty Colt's auto. To illustrate how pushing a | | | | THE BOOK: "AMATEUR AGENT" |
| prisoner along with a .45 will push back the slide and | | | | AUTHOR: EWAN BUTLER. |
| perhaps disconnect the firing mechanism, should the | | | | EWAN BUTLER, AN SOE AGENT, RECALLES HIS |
| prisoner know his pistols (!) allowing him to wipe the | | | | TRAINING AT THE HANDS OF E.A. SYKES. BULTER |
| handgun aside, etc., etc. | | | | GIVES A PARTICULARLY GOOD ACCOUNT OF THE |
| "And the other example, which I saw demonstrated, | | | | SOE ASSAULT COURSE AT ARISAIG, JUST WEST |
| was after we did the combat pistol course, and all | | | | OF LOCHAILORT:This system involved what was |
| were felling rather over-confident with the | | | | called the "battle crouch position." The gunman |
| knock-down power of the issued Colt cartridge, Bill | | | | crouched slightly, held the pistol in line with the center |
| called a greatcoat-clad sergeant over to stand at the | | | | of his body. Soon is became a second forefinger to |
| fifty-yard target backstop. The 'target' stood with | | | | him. After several periods on a more or less |
| feet about thirty inches apart, hands in overcoat | | | | orthodox range, the students were shown quite an |
| pockets, and holding the garment away from his | | | | elaborate little village, which lay at the foot of a |
| body. A loaded 'Thompson' was set at repetition fire | | | | steep bluff. At the top of the cliff a soldier stood |
| mode, and Bill tapped-off single shots that struck the | | | | beside a set of levers, which looked somewhat like |
| center of the man's coat. At each shot I saw his | | | | those in a railway signal-box. The village, we were |
| coat 'flick' and I, like everybody present, assumed | | | | informed, was full of Germans. It was our business to |
| that the bullets just hit the multi-layers of cloth and | | | | kill them all. We were given two Colt .45 automatics, |
| dropped to the earth. Our greatcoats were double | | | | already loaded and two spare clips of ammunition |
| breasted heavy woolen material, with a same cloth | | | | apiece. Then, one by one, we were to attack each |
| lining, plus a heavy-weave horse hair-like spacer, so | | | | house in turn. The door of the first house sprang |
| that's six layers. But to this day I wouldn't want to | | | | open in response to a brisk kick, and the signalman |
| try it!NANCY FORWARD (SOE) (CODE NAME | | | | on the top of the bluff went into action. The houses |
| "WHITE MOUSE") WHO WAS FAMOUS FOR HER | | | | were fully furnished and fully occupied. No sooner had |
| WORK WITH THE FRENCH MARQUIS, IS ONE | | | | a dummy, impelled by wires, leaped out of bed to |
| OFTHE FEW SOE AGENTS STILL LIVING. SHE | | | | tackle the intruder and been shot for his pains, than a |
| WRITES:"I have already told you that Sykes was the | | | | trapdoor opened, "men" emerged from beneath |
| instructor who taught me 'silent killing,' amongst other | | | | tables, bottles and chairs came hurtling disconcertingly |
| things. Poor Sykes was forgotten like many other | | | | at the gunman's head. Pistols blazing, one dispatched, |
| people in Great Britain, and elsewhere. My impression | | | | as one hoped, all the occupants of the first house, |
| of Sykes was very favorable and I would have liked | | | | and dashed to the second, where a fresh set of |
| to have known him better. I was the only female in | | | | hazards presented itself. By the time I had gone |
| our class and I remember that whenever he | | | | through five houses in a matter of forty-five |
| addressed me, or gave me an order, his tone of | | | | seconds or so, and had been told that I had scored a |
| voice was not so 'crisp' - to coin a common old | | | | creditable number of hits, I was inclined to feel quite |
| phrase - 'a thorough gent!' I have always regretted | | | | pleased with myself. Then came the chilling thought |
| that I was unable to thank him for all the things he | | | | that the dummies, however lifelike their movements, |
| taught me."BILL PILKINGTON, WHO WAS ONE OF | | | | had not been armed. |
| THE FIRST CLOSE COMBAT INSTRUCTORS | | | | |