William E. Fairbairn

Lieutenant-Colonel / Pioneer of Defendu

British officer, Shanghai police chief, and founder of the ruthless military combatives system Defendu.

Quick Facts

Date of Birth2/28/1885

Date of Death6/20/1960

Era20th century

Country of OriginUnited Kingdom / Shanghai

Rank / TitleFounder of Defendu & Fairbairn-Sykes Dagger

Active Years1907–1955

Biography

William E. Fairbairn served in the Shanghai Municipal Police, surviving over 600 street fights. During WWII, he codified Defendu for Allied Commandos, US OSS, and SOE agents.

Associated Martial Arts

DefenduFounder→

A close-combat system put together in the 1920s by William Fairbairn for the police in Shanghai. It is not a school with forms but training for a few weeks.