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