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The History of CQC/CQB - Close Quarter Combat / Battle

What is CQC / CQB?

Close combat is the most ancient form of fighting known. A majority of cultures have their own particular histories related to close combat, and their own methods of practice. There are many varieties within the martial arts, including boxing and wrestling. Other variations include the gladiator spectacles of ancient Rome and medieval tournament events such as jousting.

Military organizations have always taught some sort of unarmed combat for conditioning and as a supplement to armed combat. Police in China were trained in unarmed combat as early as the Zhou Dynasty (1022 BC to 256 BC).

Sometimes called Close Combat, Close Quarters Combat, Close Quarter Battle or CQC / CQB, World War II era American CQB was largely codified by William Ewart Fairbairn and Eric Anthony Sykes. World War II CQB are close quarters combat techniques, including hand-to-hand, advanced firearm point shooting methods, and weapons techniques (knife/bayonet/improvised weapons) that were taught to allied special forces in World War II by such famous instructors as Rex Applegate and William Ewart Fairbairn.

WWII CQB are rooted in British colonial history with the Shanghai Municipal Police (1854-1943), pioneers of modern SWAT, who operated in what was widely acknowledged as the most dangerous port city in the world at the time. After studying under some of the finest warriors of pre-Communist China and pre-war Japan, these officers condensed the most practical elements of these arts, combined it with elements of Shanghai gangster fighting, and field-tested their skills in over 2,000 documented encounters, including over 600 lethal force engagements.

Upon return to Great Britain and the U.S., veterans of the Shanghai Municipal Police were tasked in training allied WWII Commandos and intelligence personnel, including the British Commandos - SAS & SBS, the US/Canadian 1st Special Service Force ("Devil's Brigade"), the Office of Strategic Services (precursor to the CIA Special Activities Division), the British Special Operation Executive (precursor to MI-6), Marine Raider Units, and the US Army Rangers. Upon engagement with enemy personnel skilled in classical European arts and old school Judo, the post-battlefield reports of the "Shanghai method" produced the highest number of documented kills of any CQB system to date.

Fairbairn at one point called this system Defendu and published on it, as did his American colleague Rex Applegate. Fairbairn often referred to the technique as "Gutter Fighting," a term which Applegate used, along with "The Fairbairn system." In practice, such military systems are the fruit of dozens and even hundreds of dedicated instructors and personnel, known and unknown.

The prevalence and style of CQB training often changes based on perceived need, and even in times of peace, special forces and commando units tend to place higher emphasis on close combat than most personnel, as will paramilitary units such as police SWAT teams.

De-emphasized in major militaries after World War II, insurgency conflicts such as the Vietnam War, low intensity conflict and urban warfare, tend to encourage more attention to CQB. The general discipline of close-proximity fighting with weapons is often called Close Quarters Battle, CQB at the platoon or squad level, or Military Operations on Urban Terrain MOUT at higher tactical levels.

The very things which make CQB well-adapted for military training (simplicity, ease of use, modest physical demands) also make it suitable in many ways for civilian self-defense.

Close Quarters Battle, CQB is a type of fighting in which small units engage the enemy with personal weapons at very short range, potentially to the point of hand-to-hand combat. In the typical CQB scenario, the attackers try a very fast, violent takeover of a vehicle or structure controlled by the defenders, who usually have no easy way to withdraw. Because enemies, hostages/civilians, and fellow operators can be closely intermingled, CQB demands a rapid assault and a precise application of lethal force. The operators need great proficiency with their weapons, but also the ability to make split-second decisions in order to avoid or limit friendly casualties.

Although there is considerable overlap, CQB is not synonymous with urban warfare, now sometimes known by the military acronyms MOUT (military operations on urban terrain), FIBUA (fighting in built-up areas) or OBUA (Operations in Built Up Areas) in the West. In CQB, the emphasis is on small infantry units using light, compact weapons that one man can carry and use easily in tight spaces, such as carbines, submachine guns, shotguns, pistols, and knives. As such, CQB is a tactical concept that forms a part of the strategic concept of urban warfare, but not every instance of CQB is necessarily enveloped urban warfare-for example, jungle and guerrilla warfare are potential stages for CQB.

Locally in South Africa, police crisis response teams (CRTs e.g. Task Force or Intervention Units) are the primary groups to engage in CQB. Situations involving the potential for CQB generally involve extraordinary threats outside of conventional police capabilities, and thus CRTs are specifically organized, equipped, and trained to respond to these situations. These situations often require the special tactics and techniques involving building entry and room clearing procedures that are the hallmarks of CQB.

Police CQB doctrine is also specialized by unit type and mission. Public Order Policing (Riot control), Correctional Services and the Task Force, for example, each have different goals, but may make use of similar tactics and technology such as non-lethal force. A prison, for example, may have a squad which specializes in high-risk cell extractions, and psychiatric hospitals or wards often have similar specialized teams.

Among the "less-than-lethal" tools and tactics central to police CQB are electroshock guns, pepper spray, riot shields and riot guns to fire tear gas, rubber bullets, plastic bullets or beanbag rounds. However, so-called "less-than-lethal" weapons can still inflict injuries that may result in death.

Definition of CQB

CQB is defined as a short-duration, high-intensity conflict, characterized by sudden violence at close range.

As a doctrine, CQB concerns topics such as:

• Weapons and ammunition most suitable for the mission
• Extra gear, such as bulletproof vests and night vision devices
• Accurate explosives
• Routines and drills for engaging the enemy, securing a perimeter, clearing a room, etc.
• Team maneuvers
• Methods and tactics

It should be noted that military CQB doctrine is different from police CQB doctrine, mainly because the military usually operates in hostile areas while the police operates within docile populations.

The Originators of CQB:

William Ewart Fairbairn (1885-1960) was a British soldier, police officer, and exponent of hand-to-hand combat method, Close Combat, for the Shanghai police between the World Wars, and allied special forces in World War II. He developed his own fighting system known as Defendu, as well as other weapons tactics. Notably, this included innovative pistol shooting techniques and the development of the Fairbairn-Sykes fighting knife.

He served with the Royal Marine Light Infantry starting in 1901, and joined the Shanghai Municipal Police (SMP) in 1907. During World War II, he was recruited by the British Secret Service as an Army officer; together with Sykes he was commissioned on the General List in 1941. He trained UK, US and Canadian Commando forces, along with Ranger candidates in close-combat, pistol-shooting, and knife-fighting techniques.

Fairbairn eventually rose to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel by the end of World War II, and received the U.S. Legion of Merit at the specific request of "Wild Bill" Donovan, founder of the U.S. O.S.S.

After joining the SMP, he studied Jiu-Jutsu and then Chinese martial arts, developed his own fighting system - Defendu - and taught it to members of that police force in order to reduce officer fatalities. Fairbairn drew heavily on Chinese martial arts, which he simplified and tailored to the needs of training police in one of the most crime ridden cities in the world, with its history of opium trade, rebellion, and Triad gangsters. He described this system as primarily based on his personal experience, which according to police records included some 600 non-training fights, by his retirement at age 55 from the position of Assistant Commissioner in 1940.

Together with Eric A. Sykes he developed innovative pistol shooting techniques and handgun specifications for the SMP which were later disseminated through their book Shooting To Live With The One-Hand Gun (1942), along with various other police innovations such as riot batons, armored 'Mauser-proof' vests, and other equipment.

Colonel Rex Applegate (1914 - 1998) worked in the Office of Strategic Services where he trained allied special forces in close-quarter combat during World War II.

In 1943 he wrote Kill or Get Killed, still considered the classic textbook of Western-style hand-to-hand combat. The updated 1976 edition of Kill or Get Killed was also published by the US Marine Corps as Fleet Marine Force Reference Publication 12-80. From the foreword:

• "Fleet Marine Force Reference Publication (FMFRP) 12-80, Kill or Get Killed, is published to ensure the retention and dissemination of useful information which is not intended to become doctrine or to be published in Fleet Marine Force manuals."
• "This reference publication was written in 1976 by Lieutenant Colonel Rex Applegate, USA (Ret), with the help of the Combat Section, Military Intelligence Training Center, Camp Ritchie Maryland. At last there is one volume which speaks to the subjects of unarmed combat (offensive and defensive), combat use of weapons, disarming the enemy, handling of prisoners, the handle of mob/crowd disobedience, the use of chemicals in such situations, and how to establish a professional riot control unit."

Applegate developed the techniques outlined in the book during his work with William E. Fairbairn, who had previously developed his techniques while working for the Shanghai Municipal Police from 1907 to 1940. Applegate's techniques are heavily based on Fairbairn's Defendu, and enhanced with feedback from the OSS operatives who put his techniques into action in World War II.

Applegate also co-wrote The Close-Combat Files of Colonel Rex Applegate with Chuck Melson.

Eric Anthony Sykes (5 February 1883-12 May 1945), born Eric Anthony Schwabe, is most famous for his work with William E. Fairbairn in the development of the eponymous Fairbairn-Sykes fighting knife and modern English Close Quarters Battle, during World War II. First working with an import/export company selling weapons in Asia, he joined the Shanghai Municipal Police (SMP) volunteer Specials as an inspector in the 1920's. It was with the SMP that Sykes met Fairbairn, and began their famous professional association.

Matt Larsen is an American CQB instructor known as "The Father of Modern CQB" for his complete rewrite of the United States Army's CQB doctrine and establishing the US Army CQB School. He has been credited with pushing Hoplology, the scientific and academic study of combative behavior, into the modern era.

Larsen enlisted in the United States Marine Corps as an infantryman in 1984. He was soon stationed overseas in Tokyo Japan with the Marine barracks at Naval Air Facility Atsugi. During this time Larsen began training in the martial arts, with Judo, Shotokan Karate and boxing. He continued his training in martial arts when he was transferred to Okinawa with the 3rd Battalion 5th Marine Regiment, training in Sh?bayashi Sh?rin-ry? with Eizo Shimabukuro and continuing his judo training and also trained Kali in the Philippines. After several years as a Marine, he reenlisted in the United States Army, working his way into the 75th Ranger Regiment, where he would stay for the next 14 years.

He soon found himself as the non-commissioned officer in charge (NCOIC) of CQB and Close Quarters Battle (CQB) training for the 2nd Ranger Battalion, where he took the training he received, achieving black belts in several martial arts, and merged them into a single, effective, fighting style. As the program grew more elaborate, he became the NCOIC of CQB and CQB training for the entire 75th Ranger Regiment.

With his service in the Ranger Regiment, he had become established as the United States Army's CQB subject matter expert. When the opportunity to shape the Army's CQB program came, he transferred to the Ranger Training Brigade, which was in charge of developing the CQB doctrine at the time. During this time, he refined his training methods and began putting together a comprehensive training manual. Larsen was asked to move to the 11th Infantry Regiment to design a CQB instructor training course for their cadre. As the 11th Infantry Regiment would soon have a more rigorous training regimen, taught by the Army's subject matter expert on CQB, the proponency for CQB doctrine moved with him.

His ideas were well received at the 11th Infantry Regiment and he found himself with an old warehouse that he began transforming into a CQB training facility. Within a short time, the school had become successful enough that units from around the Army began sending their personnel. Several new courses had to be developed in order to continue teaching beyond the initial course, with the idea of building programs within these units. Eventually the school was recognized by the Army as the US Army CQB School. In 2002, the training manual that he had been working on since his time with the Ranger Training Brigade was published by the Army as Field Manual 3-25.150 (CQB).

After retiring from the Army, Larsen spent several months working as a private contractor in Afghanistan and Iraq before being rehired by the Army as a civilian employee. He is now the Director of the Modern Army CQB Program (MACP) which he created and the Commandant of the US Army CQB School, (USACS) which he founded at Fort Benning Georgia. In 2007 he helped the United States Army Special Forces Qualification Course revamp their entire CQB curriculum and was an advisor to the US Air Force, who adopted his program in early 2008. In 2008 and 2009 Larsen rewrote the US Army Survival Handbook and the U.S. Military Pocket Survival Guide: Plus Evasion & Recovery for the publisher Lyons Press.

Dennis Martin started training in Karate in 1965. In 1970 he started working with Terry O'Neill on the door of a Liverpool nightclub. In 1973 he went to Japan and Okinawa to train in Goju-ryu Karate for 6 months. On returning to England in October 73 he was asked to be a bodyguard at the Miss World Contest, specifically providing protection for Miss Israel. This led him to further training and work in the field of VIP Protection. He has worked as a team leader and operator on VIP protection tasks for several Royal families and Diplomatic entities.

In 1985 he formed CQB Services, a training company, and offered the first ever commercial close-protection training course in the UK. Together with Lofty Wiseman, he trained bodyguards from Europe, Australia, USA and Africa.

Based on the methods taught to the bodyguards, he started teaching Close Quarter Battle [CQB] techniques to security, police and civilian personnel. For self-protection, rather than the traditional martial art of Karate, he developed an efficient, practical curriculum of Combatives based on his experience on Liverpool nightclub doors.

Acording to Geoff Thompson "Dennis Martin is the most credible instructor of real self-defence in the world today."

His book "Working with Warriors" was published in 2008.

See Dennis' Website for more Information - He writes several informative articles that can be found here:.

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