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Do you get your Free 70 + pages of Living History? Finally an awesome history book! Full of intrigue and adventure. learn more about Mr. Bill Wolfe, Fairbairn, WWII combatives and maybe even you’ll be inspired to ‘train in the footsteps of heroes’

LCol W.E.

Fairbairn

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The Legendary System you can take pride in.

We are a modern system with a world-class

historic portfolio of application-specific

education that spans more than 90 years.

We must pay tribute to the elite group of military

instructors who gave us our system. For you see, that is

just what Wolfe’s Combatives is, Elite!

Once you understand the legendary nature of our system the choice becomes simple. The choice becomes Wolfe’s Combatives.

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Vol. I of VII

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Who is Fairbairn?

Colonel William Fairbairn ‘the founder of all modern close combat training’ started his career as a member of the Royal Marines. It lead him to Shanghai China in 1907 where he became a police constable with the Shanghai Municipal Police Force (SMP). Fairbairn rose through the ranks to become the assistant commissioner and a world renowned police use of force expert who taught every major western police agency of the day including a newly formed FBI. He was a well respected martial artist, fencer, firearms expert and fitness enthusiast who in 1918 created his legendary fighting system ‘Defendu’. He also founded the modern SWAT team and their tactics are still used today.

At the outbreak of WWII the British had formed new Special Forces Units called Commandoes and SOE. This new breed of warriors needed a new kind of thinking and training so Fairbairn was commissioned to do just that. He brought that skill and knowledge to North America in 1942, first to Camp X in Canada then to the USA and OSS. During WWII every allied soldier had some exposure to Fairbairn’s methods through the instructors he qualified and the programs he created which have became the foundation for every modern militaries Special Forces. Fairbairn died in 1962 a legend!

What is Defendu?

This is the name Fairbairn gave to his fighting methods that he often described as ‘gutter fighting’. The German’s called it ‘Gangster Fighting’. Established in 1918, from a mixed martial art base, it became the first true western system of modern close combat training. Built on the foundation of ‘keeping it simple and savage’ any one could learn it and during WWII millions did. It is the most combat proven system in the world and all modern CQB systems are still judged against it today. After WWII the system was a popular civilian self defence program and even made its way into the movies like ‘Bad Day at Black Rock’ starring Spencer Tracy. RSM Bill Wolfe is considered a Defendu subject matter expert and one of the very few principles that studied the actual military system.

Who is O’Neil?

Capt. Pat O’Neil was a Fairbairn protégé who had served with him in the SMP as a Detective Sgt. He became famous in WWII as the hand-to-hand instructor for the Legendary First Special Service Force (FSSF) and later OSS. O’Neil was a very accomplished martial artist long before the war and was a respected Judo player a he had a 6th dan black belt awarded by Jigoro Kano. His martial arts prowess was well respected and he earned several high ranking qualifications in his time in Asia well before WWII. His version of Fairbarin’s teachings was considered more aggressive. The O’Neil method helped shape the Canadian Army Close combat training after the war which became known as ‘Defendo’. O’Neil went on to a lengthy career with the CIA making him a very secretive guy.

What is Defendo?

Defendo is the original name given the Canadian Army Close Combat System established by the 1st Canadian SAS Company in 1947. Under the command of Col D’Artois a highly decorated WWII veteran of the FSSF and SOE he directed his staff to create a single fighting method from their collective war experience. This method was heavily influenced by O’Neil’s and became the standard for all SAS members. When 1St Can SAS was disbanded just before the Korean War its instructors were sent throughout the Canadian Army. Defendo today, in lesser form, is still taught in the CF as Combatives the last military still offering any lineage to Fairbairn/O’Neil’s WWII combatives. RSM(Regimental Sergeant Major) Wolfe was the senior instructor for the CF until his retirement. Defendo now known as Wolfe’s Combatives is an extension of this Canadian military system founded by RSM Bill Wolfe.

Who is Harold Starin? Capt Harold Starin was a WWII Sgt with 42 Royal Marine Commando who qualified as an unarmed combat instructor under Fairbairn. Prior to the war Starin had studied Judo, boxing and fencing in London. He saw combat on the first 3 commando raids of WWII and later with 42 CDO in Burma ending the war attached to SOE Far East Command. In the late 50’s he immigrated to Vancouver Canada joining the Seaforth of C Canadian Army Reserve. He taught judo at the Vancouver YMCA and a young Bill Wolfe became his student and a lifelong mentoring began. Harold taught Mr. Wolfe WWII unarmed combat as with judo, boxing, and fencing. Pte Wolfe served in the Seaforth’s recce platoon under Starin learning WWII commando tactics from him before joining the regular army.

Who is Bill Wolfe?

Bill Wolfe founded Modern Defendo which is now known as Wolfe’s Combatives. He has been one of the most prolific self defence instructors to emerge in the last 20 years. He is instrumental in keeping WWII combatives knowledge from being forgotten and has maintained it as a living history. Mr. Wolfe is the last direct link to both the Defendu and Defendo systems as taught during the war and the subject matter expert who has worked for History Television. He is currently the only living military instructor who has the military qualifications and the bragging rights to say he learned it at the hands of those WWII veterans NCO’s of his Regiment. As a Chief Warrant Officer he was the senior close combat instructor for the Canadian Forces. Combat Sports Martial Arts Magazine declared, “Bill Wolfe is a fitting successor to the legendary William Fairbairn”.

What is Wolfe’s Combatives?

Its Bill Wolfe’s final mile stone in his journey offering realistic self protection training to his students and clients. After founding Modern Defendo more than 20 years ago he become concerned with the many copycats’ that started using the name and his programs without a care or permission. This activity down graded the high standards he set for Modern Defendo. Unable to control this now ‘classical mess’ he did what any founder would do moved to protect his interests. As result he ‘re-branded’ all to Wolfe’s Combatives in 2012. Wolfe’s Combatives a new exciting chapter was born which leaves the scoundrels to fend for themselves unless they’re going to now steal the Wolfe name.

Who are his students?

Strangely enough you would think most of our students would be military or police but not true. The vast majority are just people worried about their protection and/or their fitness and they know Wolfe’s Combatives is the best! Mr. Wolfe still teaches the military and police but concentrates on the civies so the system will never be forgotten. You will find Wolfe’s Combatives being taught in 23 countries around.

Who are our instructors today?

We have a diverse International group whose passion is to teach Wolfe’s Combatives. In order to do that all Wolfe’s Combatives Instructors graduate from a gruelling 14 day elite instructor’s course. The best one in the business. Some will tell you this is the hardest thing they have ever done. Mr. Wolfe believes in quality not quantity so if you find a Wolfe’s Combatives instructor with Mr. Wolfe’s signature on his certificate you’ve found someone you can trust to give you the very best training possible.