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get tough how to win in hand-to-hand fighting as taught to the british commandos and the u.s armed forces preface the method of hand-to-hand fighting described in this book is the approved standard instruction for all members of his majesty s forces the commandos and parachute troops harrying the invasion coasts of europe have been thoroughly trained in its use britain s two-million home guard are daily being instructed in its simple but terrible effectiveness the units of the united states marine corps who were stationed in china between 1927 and 1940 learned these methods at my own hands when i was assistant commissioner of the shanghai municipal police there will be some who will be shocked by the methods advocated here to them i say in war you cannot afford the luxury of squeamishness either you kill or capture or you will be captured or killed we ve got to be tough to win and we ve got to be ruthless tougher and more ruthless than our enemies it is not the armed forces of the united nations alone who can profit by learning how to win in hand-to-hand fighting every civilian man or woman who ever walks a deserted road at mid-night or goes in fear of his life in the dark places of a city should acquaint himself with these methods once mastered they will instill the courage and self-confidence that come with the sure knowledge that you are the master of any dangerous situation with which you may have to cope the methods described in this book i have carefully worked out and developed over a period of many years they owe something to the famous japanese judo jiu-jutsu and something else to chinese boxing but largely they were developed from my own experience and observation of how most effectively to deal with the ruffians thugs bandits and bullies of one of the roughest water-front areas in the world although every method described in the following pages is practicable and so proved by the author and his students by years of experience it is not essential to master them all i suggest that at first you select about ten which for reasons of your height weight build etc seem most suitable and specialize in mastering these thoroughly do not consider yourself an expert until you can carry out every movement instinctively and automatically until then spend at least ten minutes daily in practice with a friend at first practice every movement slowly and smoothly then gradually increase your speed until every movement can be executed with lightning rapidity i should like in conclusion to give a word of warning almost every one of these methods applied vigorously and without restraint will result if not in the death then certainly in the maiming of your opponent extreme caution then should be w.e fairbairn 2 2

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get tough how to win in hand-to-hand fighting as taught to the british commandos and the u.s armed forces exercised in practice care being taken never to give a blow with full force or a grip with maximum pressure but once closed with your enemy give even ounce of effort you can muster and victory will tie yours captain w e fairbairn the author will be glad to answer questions from readers concerning the execution of the methods described in this book address the author in care of the publisher enclosing a selfaddressed stamped envelope w.e fairbairn 3 3

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get tough how to win in hand-to-hand fighting as taught to the british commandos and the u.s armed forces contents blows 1 edge-of-the-hand 2 chin jab 3 boot side kick 3a boot defense 3b boot bronco kick 4 knee releases 5 from a wrist hold one hand 5a from a wrist hold two hands 6 from a strangle hold one hand 6a from a strangle hold two hands 7 from a bear hug front over the arms 7 a from a bear hug front over the arms alternative release 8 from a bear hug front arms free 9 from a bear hug back over the arms 9a from a bear hug back over the arms alternative release 10 from a bear hug back arms free 11 from a hair hold back holds 12 thumb hold 12 thumb hold cont 13 sentry hold 13 sentry hold cont 14 japanese strangle hold 14a japanese strangle hold applied from in front 15 handcuff hold 16 bent-arm hold 17 head hold throws 18 hip throw 19 wrist throw 20 back break w.e fairbairn 4 4

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get tough how to win in hand-to-hand fighting as taught to the british commandos and the u.s armed forces miscellaneous advice 21 chair and knife 22 the match-box attack 23 smacking the ears 24 the art of getting up from the ground 24a getting up from the ground backwards 25 attack with a small stick or cane 25 attack with a small stick or cane cont 25 attack with a small stick or cane concl 26 various methods of securing a prisoner 26 a from the handcuff hold 26 b the grape vine 26 c the chair 26 d a substitute for handcuffs 27 break-aways from come-along grips 27 a your opponent has hold of you as in fig 108 27 b your opponent has hold of you as in fig 109 use of the knife 28 use of the knife 28 use of the knife cont 28 use of the knife concl the smatchet 29 the smatchet carrying drawing and holding 29 the smatchet close-in blows 29 the smatchet attacking blows disarming an opponent of his pistol 30 disarming an opponent of his pistol 30 a disarming from in front 30 b disarming from in front alternative method 30 c disarming from behind 30 d disarming from behind alternative method 30 e disarming a third party w.e fairbairn 5 5

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get tough how to win in hand-to-hand fighting as taught to the british commandos and the u.s armed forces blows no 1 edge-of-the-hand deliver edge-the-hand blows with the inner i.e little-finger edge e hand fingers straight and close together thumb extended contact is made with the edge only about half-way between the knuckle of the little finger and the wrist as shown in fig 1 1 deliver the blow with a bent arm never with a straight arm using a chopping action from the elbow with the weight of the body behind it practice by striking the open palm of your left hand as in fig 2 2 there are two ways in which this blow can be delivered a downwards with either hand b across with cither hand the blow always being delivered outwards with the palm of the hand downwards never on top fig 3 3 attack the following points on your opponent s body delivering every blow as quickly as possible a the sides or back of the wrist b the forearm half-way between the wrist and elbow c the biceps d the sides or back of the neck e just below the adam s apple f the kidneys or base of the spine note if your opponent catches hold of you strike his wrist or forearm a fracture will most likely result this would be almost impossible with a blow from a clenched fist no 2 chin jab deliver this blow with the heel of your hand full force with the weight of your body behind it and fingers spread so as to reach your opponent s eyes as in fig 4 always aim at the point of your opponent s chin fig 5 w.e fairbairn 6 6

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get tough how to win in hand-to-hand fighting as taught to the british commandos and the u.s armed forces deliver the blow upwards from a bent arm and only when close to your opponent the distance the blow will have to travel will depend on the height of your opponent but will seldom exceed six inches never draw your hand back thus signaling your intention of striking from start to finish make every movement as quickly as possible remember that an attack or an attempt to attack with the knee at your opponent s testicles will always bring his chin forward and down note practice this blow as follows hold your left hand at the height of your own chin palm downwards jab up quickly with your right striking your left hand as in fig 6 no 3 boot side kick with a few exceptions you should always kick sideways for you are thus able to put more force behind your blow and can if necessary reach farther 1 turn your right side to your opponent putting the weight of your body on your left foot bending your left leg slightly from your knee raise your right foot two to four inches off the ground as in fig 7 shoot your right foot outwards and upwards to your w.e fairbairn 7 7

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get tough how to win in hand-to-hand fighting as taught to the british commandos and the u.s armed forces right aiming to strike your opponent s leg just below the knee-cap 2 follow the blow through scraping down your opponent s shin with the edge of your boot from the knee to the instep finishing up with all your weight on your right foot smashing the small bones of his foot if necessary follow up with a chin jab with your left hand fig 8 note where the kick is to be made with the left foot reverse the above no 3a boot defense your opponent has seized you around the body from in front pinning your arms to your sides 1 having put your weight on one foot raise the other and scrape your opponent s shinbone downwards from about half way from the knee finishing up with a smashing blow on his foot fig 9 2 an alternative method to fig 9 permitting you to use the inner edge of the boot is shown in fig 10 note a whether you should use the outside or inside of your boot will depend upon how the weight of your body is distributed at the time provided that you are equally balanced on both feet you can use either otherwise use the one opposite to that on which you have your weight note b lf seized from behind stamp on your opponent s foot with the heel of either boot turning quickly and following up with a chin jab with either hand no 3b boot bronco kick your opponent is lying on the ground 1 take a flying jump at your opponent drawing your feet up by bending your knees at the same time keeping your feet close together fig 11 w.e fairbairn 8 8

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get tough how to win in hand-to-hand fighting as taught to the british commandos and the u.s armed forces 2 when your feet are approximately eight inches above your opponent s body shoot your legs out straight driving both of your boots into his body and smash him note it is almost impossible for your opponent to parry a kick made in this manner and in addition it immediately puts him on the defensive leaving him only the alternative of rolling away from you in an attempt to escape further although he may attempt to protect his body with his arms the weight of your body say 150 pounds plus the impetus of your flying jump say another 150 pounds will drive your heels into your opponent s body with such terrific force that you will almost certainly kill him steel heel-plates on your boots will make his attack even more effective practice this kick on a dummy figure or on the grass as in fig 12 no 4 knee this blow can be delivered only when you are very close to your opponent 1 putting the weight of your body on one leg bend the knee of the other by drawing your heel slightly backwards and drive your knee quickly upwards into your opponent s testicles fig 13 note this blow is frequently used to bring your opponent into a more favorable position for applying the chin jab fig 14 w.e fairbairn 9 9

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get tough how to win in hand-to-hand fighting as taught to the british commandos and the u.s armed forces releases no 5 from a wrist hold one hand 1 you are seized by the right wrist as in fig 15 bend your wrist and arm towards your body twisting your wrist outwards against your opponent s thumb fig 16 note a this must be accomplished with one rapid and continuous motion note b no matter with which hand your opponent seizes either of your wrists the important thing to remember is to twist your wrist against his thumb no 5a from a wrist hold two hands 1 you are seized by the left wrist by two hands as in fig 17 your opponent s thumbs being on top reach over and catch hold of your hand with your right pull your left hand sharply towards your body against his thumbs fig 18 note a the pressure on his thumbs which is slightly upwards and then downwards will force him to release his hold immediately note b follow up with chin jab edge-of-the-hand or knee kick to the testicles should your opponent seize you as in fig 19 his thumbs underneath pass your right hand under and catch hold of your left hand as in fig 20 pull down sharply towards you w.e fairbairn 10 10

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get tough how to win in hand-to-hand fighting as taught to the british commandos and the u.s armed forces no 6 from a strangle hold one hand you are seized by the throat as in fig 21 and forced back against a wall 1 with a smashing blow with the edge of your right hand strike your opponent s right wrist towards your left-hand side follow up with a knee kick to his testicles fig 22 w.e fairbairn 11 11

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get tough how to win in hand-to-hand fighting as taught to the british commandos and the u.s armed forces no 6a from a strangle hold two hands you are seized from in front by the throat as in fig 23 1 with your left hand seize your opponent s right elbow from underneath your thumb to the right 2 with your right hand reach over his arms and seize his right wrist fig 24 3 with your right arm apply pressure downwards on his left arm at the same time with a circular upward morion of your left hand force his elbow towards your right side this will break his hold of your throat and put him off balance fig 25 4 keeping a firm grip with both hands turn rapidly towards your right-hand side by bringing your right leg to your right rear follow up with edge-ofthe-hand blow on his right elbow fig 26 note all the above movements must be one rapid and continuous motion w.e fairbairn 12 12

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get tough how to win in hand-to-hand fighting as taught to the british commandos and the u.s armed forces no 7 from a bear hug front over the arms you are gripped around the waist fig 27 1 knee your opponent in the testicles 2 with the outer or inner edge of either boot scrape his shin-bone from about half way from the knee and follow through by stamping on his instep 3 if as a soldier you are wearing a helmet smash him in the face with it 4 seize his testicles with either hand no 7a from a bear hug front over the arms alternative release you are gripped around the waist fig 27 1 if possible bite his ear even though not successful the attempt will cause him to bend forward and into a position from which you can seize his testicles with your right hand fig 28 2 reach over his arm with your left forearm fig 29 3 apply pressure on his right arm with your left causing him to break his hold and force his head downwards smash him in the face with your right knee fig 30 if necessary follow up with edge-of-the-hand blow on back of his neck note should your opponent anticipate your intention when you are in the position shown in fig 29 and resist the pressure of your left arm go after his eyes with your left hand as in fig 30a and follow up with a knee to the testicles w.e fairbairn 13 13

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get tough how to win in hand-to-hand fighting as taught to the british commandos and the u.s armed forces no 8 from a bear hug front arms free you are gripped around the waist fig 31 1 place your left hand in the small of his back and apply a chin jab as in fig 32 if necessary knee him in the testicles no 9 from a bear hug back over the arms you are gripped around the chest fig 33 1 if you are wearing a helmet smash your opponent in the face with it 2 stamp on his feet with either foot 3 3 seize him by the testicles with your right or left hand w.e fairbairn 14 14

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get tough how to win in hand-to-hand fighting as taught to the british commandos and the u.s armed forces no 9a from a bear hug back over the arms alternative release you are gripped around the chest fig 33 1 seize your opponent s testicles with your left hand causing him to break his hold 2 pass your right arm over his right fig 34 3 slip out from under his arm by turning to your left and stepping backwards with your right foot seizing his right wrist with both hands and jerking it downwards finish up by kicking him in the face fig 35 no 10 from a bear hug back arms free you are gripped around the chest fig 36 1 if you are wearing a helmet smash your opponent s face with it 2 stamp on his feet with either foot 3 seize his little finger with your right hand bend it back-wards and walk out of the hold fig 37 w.e fairbairn 15 15

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